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You (yes you!) can master how to make Vanilla Cheesecake from scratch. Start with a graham cracker crust, then top and bake the crack-free Vanilla Cheesecake filling for a show-stopping dessert recipe you’ll make again and again.
Besides chocolate lava cake, creme brulee, and ice cream, cheesecake recipes are among the most popular dessert recipes on restaurant menus. But why reserve decadent, creamy, just-sweet-enough Vanilla Cheesecake for dinners out alone?
My guide for how to make homemade cheesecake will walk you through an easy graham cracker crust recipe, the vanilla custard filling, plus how to bake cheesecake without cracks.
Grab that apron, give yourself a pep talk, and prepare to make your best Vanilla Cheesecake ever.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Graham crackers: Honey-flavored, cinnamon, or even chocolate graham crackers all work well. If graham crackers aren’t available in your part of the world, you can substitute 1 ½ cups crushed digestive biscuits (9 sheets of graham crackers yields about 1 ½ cups of crumbs).
- Sugar: Or substitute 2 tablespoons brown sugar or omit sugar from the crust entirely.
- Cream cheese: You’ll want four 8-ounce blocks of plain, full-fat cream cheese for this homemade cheesecake recipe. Slice into cubes to speed up their softening time; room temperature is best to ensure clump-free Vanilla Cheesecake filling.
- Sour cream: A ½ cup is all you need for just enough tang to balance out the sugar in the filling. Again, full fat is my top pick for the best flavor and texture.
Step-by-step instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, blender, or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, finely crush graham crackers (you will have about 1 ½ cups crumbs).
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar.
- Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the crust evenly and firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
To make the filling:
- In a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, flour, and salt until very smooth and fluffy. Scrap the sides of the bowl frequently.
- Add the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour filling into prepared crust and smooth the top.
- Bake until the filling is set but the center jiggles slightly and the edges are slightly puffed, about 60 to 75 minutes. The filling will firm up as it cools. Cool on a rack to room temperature, then cover and chill until cold (overnight is best).
- Unclasp and remove the sides of the springform pan, then run a long, thin spatula between the bottom of the pan and the crust to loosen.
- Slide the cake on to a serving platter.
- Using a thin-bladed knife, cut the cake into slices, dipping the knife into hot water and wiping dry before each cut. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Vanilla Cheesecake recipe makes 12 slices of rich, silky cheesecake (you can cut them bigger or smaller as desired!).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Make ahead: After baking, cool the Vanilla Cheesecake completely and then store covered (or wrapped in plastic) in the refrigerator up to 3 days in advance.
- Freezer: While the cheesecake filling is best prepared just before baking, you can freeze the prepared crust up to 3 months in advance. Thaw before using.
Recipe FAQs
You can bake this Vanilla Cheesecake recipe in a 9-inch square pan if you prefer that over a springform pan.
For a no-bake twist on this cheesecake, you can chill the crust instead. Keep your oven off and simply refrigerate the crust for at least 2 hours to solidify the melted butter and sugar mixture before filling it.
Cheesecake batter is basically a rich custard, and it performs best with treated delicately. This Vanilla Cheesecake recipe is designed to bake perfectly on an oven rack, but for extra protection against cracks, try a water bath. The moist heat of a water bath, also known as a bain marie, helps the custard bake slowly and evenly without browning or cracking on top. Here’s how to make a water bath for cheesecake.
Water Bath for Cheesecake
A water bath, also known as a bain marie, is the baker’s secret to creamy cheesecake perfection. It’s also a wonderful way to bake custard or bread pudding. All you need for a water bath…
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Vanilla Cheesecake
Ingredients
From the crust:
- 9 graham crackers (see note 1)
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (see note 2)
For the filling:
- 4 (8-ounce) pkgs. cream cheese at room temperature (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream (see note 4)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
For serving:
- Whipped cream
- fresh berries
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, blender, or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, finely crush graham crackers (you will have about 1 ½ cups crumbs).
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the crust evenly and firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
To make the filling:
- In a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, flour, and salt until very smooth and fluffy. Scrap the sides of the bowl frequently.
- Add the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour filling into prepared crust and smooth the top.
- Bake until the filling is set but the center jiggles slightly and the edges are slightly puffed, about 60 to 75 minutes. The filling will firm up as it cools. Cool on a rack to room temperature, then cover and chill until cold (overnight is best).
- Unclasp and remove the sides of the springform pan, then run a long, thin spatula between the bottom of the pan and the crust to loosen. Slide the cake on to a serving platter.
- Using a thin-bladed knife, cut the cake into slices, dipping the knife into hot water and wiping dry before each cut. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Graham crackers: Honey-flavored, cinnamon, or even chocolate graham crackers all work well. If graham crackers aren’t available in your part of the world, you can substitute 1 ½ cups crushed digestive biscuits (9 sheets of graham crackers yields about 1 ½ cups of crumbs).
- Sugar: Or substitute 2 tablespoons brown sugar or omit sugar from the crust entirely.
- Cream cheese: You’ll want four 8-ounce blocks of plain, full-fat cream cheese for this homemade cheesecake recipe. Slice into cubes to speed up their softening time; room temperature is best to ensure clump-free Vanilla Cheesecake filling.
- Sour cream: A ½ cup is all you need for just enough tang to balance out the sugar in the filling. Again, full fat is my top pick for the best flavor and texture.
- Yield: This Vanilla Cheesecake recipe makes 12 slices of rich, silky cheesecake (you can cut them bigger or smaller as desired!).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Make ahead: After baking, cool the Vanilla Cheesecake completely and then store covered (or wrapped in plastic) in the refrigerator up to 3 days in advance.
- Freezer: While the cheesecake filling is best prepared just before baking, you can freeze the prepared crust up to 3 months in advance. Thaw before using.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing another great recipe. We love cheesecake, and this step-by-step helps us. You are always doing such a great job, Meggan.