Does the thought of making a cheesecake just freak you out? Does fear or panic set in? Is cheesecake intimidating to you?

Say ‘hello darling’ to what will be a keeper in your recipe box! Learn how to make the best cheesecake that is is truly melt-in-your-mouth dreamy! Not only does it have a wonderful, silky smooth, and creamy texture, it’s also crazy easy to make and always comes out perfect!

I’ve loved cheesecake ever since my days in college! I’d buy a little Sara Lee cheesecake and a can of cherry pie filling and indulge myself while studying in my dorm room (kitchen not included)! Once I had my own kitchen, cheesecake was one of the first things that I’d make. And I’ve been baking them ever since.

Long before the internet people have asked me for my cheesecake recipes. I’ve also shared several more throughout the years here on the blog and hope you love them as much as my family and friends do.

This recipe is seriously foolproof when all of the easy steps are followed.

Nothing complicated about this recipe!

The yummy results are the dreamiest, creamiest cheesecake on the planet with a delightful, buttery graham cracker crust.

Now before we get started, you’ll need a nine or ten-inch springform pan. A springform pan has sides that “spring out” and removed from the base. This recipe (thankfully) does NOT need to bake in a water bath! What a pain in the butt! So you don’t need to fuss around with wrapping aluminum foil around the pan!

So let’s get cooking!

Preheat the oven to 500 F degrees.

Use a 10″ springform pan and spray with cooking oil all around the side and on the bottom of the pan (some recipes don’t ask for this, but I like to do this just in case anything wants to stick, and that would really stink if that happens).

Gently press down the graham cracker crumb-butter-sugar mixture all over the bottom and up about 1/2″ on the side of the pan.

After softening to room temperature, place the 5 packages of cream cheese into a large mixing bowl.

Beat the cream cheese with either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer until smooth and creamy.

Blend in the lemon juice and vanilla.

Add the sugar and blend in.

Add the flour and salt. Beat until creamy and smooth about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs and yolks, one at a time.

Blend in the cream.

You should have a beautiful, creamy mixture that results.

Pour the mixture over the crust and fill the springform pan.

Continue to fill the pan.

And now it’s ready to pop into the oven!

Preheat oven to 500 F degrees.

Place the unbaked cheesecake in the oven (I place it on a pizza pan to be on the safe side if the springform pan should act up and open).

Set the timer for 12 minutes only!

Your cheesecake should look like this after only 12 minutes. Don’t take it out of the oven because it’s not done and you’ll turn down the heat next . . .

Set the oven temperature down to 200 F degrees.

Bake for another 50 minutes. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top to prevent burning the top.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Then refrigerate the cheesecake for 24 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Run a sharp knife between the edge of the cake and the side of the pan to help loosen up the cake before unlatching the sides of the springform pan.

Beautiful results!

Spoon the cherries on the top of the cheesecake in the center.

Spread the cherries out to the edges of the cheesecake.

Enjoy your beautiful and delicious cheesecake!

Equipment That You’ll Need:

Stand Mixer

Hand-Held Mixer

Springform Pan

Tips for Making a Cheesecake

• Plan ahead when making a cheesecake because it requires an overnight stay in the refrigerator. Cheesecake needs to be refrigerated for at least 8 hours to finish setting up. So you want to make sure that you have enough time to bake and chill your cheesecake before serving.
• Have all of your ingredients ready at room temperature; about 30 – 45 minutes set out on the counter. This prevents the cheesecake from being lumpy from any hard pieces that didn’t blend in well. The texture is so silky smooth when you follow this tip. It also helps the cheesecake bake more perfectly.
• Do not overmix the cheesecake filling mixture which causes too much air to incorporate into the filling and that causes cracking.
• Don’t overbake a cheesecake which also causes it to crack.
• Place a pizza pan or baking sheet on top mid-way through the baking time to prevent the top from burning.
• Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil when in the refrigerator.
• Chill sufficiently to let it ‘set’ and achieve that silky, velvety texture!
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Can be frozen by wrapping with lots of layers of cellophane wrap.
• Your cheesecake is finished baking when the outer ring is slightly puffed up and the middle has a little jello-like jiggle to it.
• Continue to bake if the middle of the cheesecake is more liquidy. Keep the heat on and check back every 5 minutes until done.
• If cracks appear the cheesecake might be a bit over-baked, so take the cheesecake out of the oven immediately. If cracks appear after baking, then the cheesecake was cooled too quickly . . . always let it rest for several hours after baking before chilling in the refrigerator.
• If you’ll be topping your cheesecake with fruit or creamy topping, it’s OK to hide any cracks. They don’t alter the flavor at all.
• Served cheesecake either at room temperature or chilled. If you cut into a cheesecake while it’s still warm from the oven, the texture will be all wrong. It needs time to chill and set properly.
• Cheesecake can be prepared up to 3 days before serving and kept chilled in the refrigerator. Don’t add toppings until serving time.

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