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I've made many awesome cheesecakes in my life, but I've also made enough that failed spectacularly enough that they taught me a few things - Like baking cheesecakes in water baths is fussy nonsense and I have no patience for them. These are my tried and true tips for a perfect cheesecake, no water bath needed.
7 tips for a perfect cheesecake every time
- Make sure your ingredients have come to room temperature before you even think of combining any of them. This includes not only the cream cheese, but also any sour cream, juice, and eggs you intend to use in the recipe. I don't advocate for leaving them out for more than 2 hours - because food safety - but long enough that they've lost their chill and are easily combined, smoothly. This helps prevent lumps in your batter and prevents the need to overbeat, which has it's own consequences.
- Do not overbeat the batter. Overbeating creates air in the batter, which will lead to a cheesecake that rises in the oven and falls as it cools. Do you ever wonder how professional bakers get flat cheesecake tops, while yours look more like a crater with a big dip in the middle? It's because they're careful not to overbeat their batter.
- Add your eggs in last, one at a time. Eggs are notorious for adding air when overbeaten, so add them in last so they don't spend any more time getting mixed than absolutely necessary. Eggs provide structure to the cheesecake but I find that most cheesecakes need 2-3 eggs max, so when I see a recipe calling for 5 or more I am always a little dubious.
- Do not open the oven door to check on the progress. I know this is a cardinal rule for most baking, but it's especially important when baking cheesecakes. The fluctuation in temperature from opening the oven and letting air in during the baking process is too much stress to put on your cheesecake and a surefire way to inhibit even baking and promote cracking. I know you may be tempted to check on the progress, but it's not a good idea to open the oven door.
- Do not overbake. Overbaking your cheesecake is an excellent way to make sure it cracks. Your cheesecake should look set on the outside and slightly jiggly in the center when you turn the oven off. It will continue to cook slightly as it cools down. I have overbaked countless cheesecakes because I was wary that the inside wasn't completely set and every single one of them cracked.
- Be patient through the cool-down process. I know when the timer goes off you might want to whip that gorgeous cheesecake out and pop it directly on the counter to cool. Afterall, you patiently waited for it to bake without opening the oven to check on it (didn't you?). So, why do you have to wait for it to cool in the oven? Try to resist taking the cheesecake out of the oven right away because you will likely impede the rest of the cooking process and end up cracking your cheesecake because the change in temperature is too jarring. After the initial bake, your cheesecake will continue to cook slightly while it's still hot. I like to turn the oven off and allow the oven temperature to drop naturally for 10 minutes, then crack the oven open slightly to vent for 30 additional minutes before finally pulling it out to continue cooling on the counter. Once it has completed the gradual cool-down process, you can wrap your cheesecake and store it in the fridge to set. I like to refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours for a properly firm cheesecake.
- Wipe your knife between cuts for picture perfect slices. I like to run my knife under hot water briefly, then dry it before I make my first cut. Prior to each subsequent cut, I like to carefully wipe the blade down on each side. This helps prevent the inevitable crumb coating from ending up on the edges of each slice you make.
Bonus tip:
If your cheesecake DOES crack or the middle falls, don't stress - That's what topping was made for. Top your cheesecake with whipped cream, fresh preserves, or sweetened sour cream (like this Blood Orange Cheesecake) and no one will be the wiser. If all else fails, as long as it's delicious I consider that a win!
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I LOVE posts like this. So much of becoming a great cook is attention to detail, and focusing on the little things that make a recipe better. Cheesecake is one of those things that's easy to make well, but hard to make really well, and tips like this make all the difference. It's fascinating to me how much the texture of the batter comes into play, and especially the air content. So many desserts are focused on getting as much air into the mixture as possible, and I know I'll definitely be focused on the opposite of that for my future cheesecake recipes! It'll be interesting to see how some of these aspects play into cheesecake variations too, as I like to make 'cotton' (Japanese) cheesecakes and quark cheesecakes too. Thanks so much for this!
I'm glad you enjoyed the post, Sean! You're totally right about the details. So easy to make a delicious cheesecake, but to make a truly great one you just cant rush it.
Wow these are ALL of the tips I needed! Especially number one. I'm so impatient when I bake - I can't seem to wait to let things come to room temp but now I know it's what I need to do to get perfect cheesecake!!
Thanks for the great tips. Someone at my house ALWAYS opens the door to see what's going on. Even if I leave the light on so they can see inside. Now, at least, I can tell them it will ruin it!!! I also didn't know I could over mix. Nor has anyone said to leave EVERYTHING out for room temp. I usually only do that with the eggs. I learned so much here. Thank you.
I hope this gives you a good excuse to swat hands away from the oven next time!
I've never made cheesecake before, mainly because it seemed intimidating. I felt like so many things could go wrong when trying to attain that perfectly creamy, fluffy texture. But these tips make it seem so much more approachable. I'm excited to give this a shot this summer with some awesome farmer's market fruits!
I'm so glad you found this post helpful. I always love when a recipe gets you excited to visit the farmers market!
I love a great cheesecake and your tips certainly take the fear out of making one. Cheesecake is one of those desserts that can be made for any occasion and any season. I loved your statement regarding the top cracking. You're right that's what toppings are for!
I've always been terrified of making cheesecake because the whole process seems so fussy and confusing. After reading your post, I feel a lot more confident about the whole endeavor. Not peeking in the oven is going to be the hardest thing for me, but I can't wait to apply all these tips!
These are the best tips! I always overemphasize how important it is to not open the oven, my family seems to forget often haha
These tips are epic. I've always water-bathed and it's such a pain!!! I never tried adding the eggs last though!!! I'm so excited about this.. I'm going to revisit a few of my favorite cheesecakes and redo them!
I hope my tips help you avoid using that pesky waterbath in the future!
This is a great tips and tricks post for the perfect cheesecake. No matter how hard I try, I still end up with a slight crack. At least the end result is delicious. I still strive for that PERFECT cake. One day (I hope).
Cracks happen to the best of us. I say, if it tastes good, it's still a win in my book!
These tips for baking cheesecake are great. Cheesecake is such a "picky" dessert!
I am one of those people who always opens the oven and checks. I guess I’m impatient! Thanks for the tips
These are GREAT tips. I love cheesecake but honestly would love to upgrade my cooking skills. These tips will definitely help me level up. Thanks!
This cheesecake sounds amazing! I just added it to my dessert list!
Haha, I agree, as long as it still tastes good that's all that matters! In all honesty though, I've never attempted cheesecake but I've always wanted to!
Thank you so much for these great tips! I love cheesecakes and using these tips I can make sure it turns out great every time.
I've never made a cheesecake before. I definitely need to try soon!
Number 4 is something I always struggle with! LOL. I JUST WANNA SEEEEEEEE! Now you've inspired me o make a cheesecake tomorrow!
Wipe your knife between slices is a great tip for any creamy pie! Thanks for the reminder
I love cheesecake and can't wait to try your tips! I always wondered why you were supposed to add eggs one at a time.
Being patient is the hardest part! That also applies to let ingredients come to room temperature because I usually want to get started right away.