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Learn how to avoid common cheesecake mistakes and make a perfect cheesecake! Make the best cheesecake of your life by following my 10 simple tricks.
Looking for a recipe to try? Try this easy classic cheesecake – it’s the best recipe for first time cheesecake makers!
Yes, You Can Make Cheesecake!
Cheesecakes can be intimidating to make, but once you’ve made a homemade cheesecake you’ll see that it’s really not scary at all – just maybe a little time consuming. Leaky pans, cracks and fallen centers are all things that can make a cheesecake go awry, but these tips for how to make a perfect cheesecake can help you avoid those pitfalls. The trick is in the little details. Be sure to take your time as you get comfortable with baking a cheesecake, use these helpful tips and make the best cheesecake ever!
10 TIPS FOR A PERFECT CHEESECAKE
1. Your cream cheese should always be room temperature.
This one is really all about making sure that your cheesecake isn’t lumpy and that the ingredients combine smoothly. Cream cheese that is too firm won’t mix well and will leave you with a lumpy mess, so it needs to be room temperature. In a pinch, take the cream cheese out of the foil wrapping, cut into smaller sections and heat for about 15 seconds at a time until softened.
Also, as far as cream cheese goes, the full fat regular stuff is going to give you the best cheesecake. More fat means more creamy, plus you don’t have any fillers or anything that is made to replace fat. For your cheesecake texture to be on point, you don’t want anything funky going on. Just real, good cream cheese.
2. Use a little flour or cornstarch.
I am a believer that a little flour makes a difference in a cheesecake. The starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative, cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.
3. Add some sour cream.
While this one doesn’t necessarily ensure your cheesecake bakes properly, I do think the added tangy flavor and creamy texture helps to give you that perfect cheesecake. If you absolutely must substitute it, greek yogurt is fine but the flavor is definitely a little different.
4. Don’t over mix the batter or mix on too high speed.
Both over mixing and mixing on a high speed add more air to a batter. Too much air in a cheesecake can cause cracks a few ways. One – big air bubbles can rise to the surface and create cracks or little craters. Two – adding air causes things to rise and too much rise in a cheesecake isn’t a good thing. It can rise too much or too quickly and then fall and crack.
This also goes back to number one about room temperature cream cheese. If your cream cheese isn’t soft enough, you’ll have to mix things more to get out the lumps. So again, be sure it’s nice and soft. Also, more air tends to be added during the process of adding eggs to batter, so be sure to use a lower speed.
5. Use a water bath.
This is a step that most people want desperately to avoid, but trust me – the extra few minutes it takes are totally worth it. The benefits are many. First, the water bath generates steam that helps keep the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. Second, the water bath keeps the sides of the cheesecake from baking more quickly than the middle. It helps bake more evenly, also helping prevent cracks.
If you forgo the water bath, you are often left with a cheesecake that falls in the middle, browns too much around the edges and cracks. All are some of the worst culprits to a perfect cheesecake. Make the time for the extra step and you won’t regret it!
6. Leak-proof your water bath.
It’s such a bummer to go through all the trouble of baking a cheesecake and then have a soggy crust. As much as a springform pan is important to a great cheesecake, they are also the most unreliable pan ever. I’ve used many a springform pan and only ever found one that didn’t leak (and the other 4 of the exact same pan did leak, this was just a lucky one). To leak-proof your water bath, check out my tutorial for how to set up your pan for a leak-proof water bath. Hint: I use a crock pot liner bag.
7. Use a springform pan.
Ok, so now that I’ve just said how unreliable springform pans are, I’m going to tell you that you still need one. To get that perfect looking cheesecake, you need a pan with removable sides. It’s just the way it is. And if you’re a lover of cheesecake, you’ll use it plenty so it’ll be a good investment.
8. Don’t open the oven.
If you open up the oven during baking, you’ll let out all the good hot, steamy air. The change in temperature can possibly cause the cheesecake to fall in the middle or bake unevenly.
9. Don’t over bake the cheesecake.
In addition to the other things already mentioned, over baking a cheesecake can lead to cracks, much like with a custard pie. You’ll know the cheesecake has baked enough when the edges of the cheesecake are well set and the inner few inches are set but still jiggly.
10. Let the cheesecake cool gradually.
When the cheesecake has baked enough and is set, but still jiggly, it’s time for the gradual cooling process. I typically let a cheesecake sit in the oven with the door closed for about another 30 minutes. Then I crack the door of the oven about half way and let it gradually cool some more. This allows the cheesecake to cool slowly, while also finishing baking, which again helps avoid cracking. Just before putting the cheesecake in the fridge, you can run a knife around the edge to make sure it doesn’t stick to the sides, or jiggle it around a bit to loosen it from the sides.
Now that we’ve got our best tips, here are a few other answers to common questions about cheesecakes:
WHAT GOES INTO A CLASSIC CHEESECAKE?
A typical cheesecake will include the following:
- Cream Cheese
- Sugar
- Flour
- Sour Cream (can sometimes be substituted for other flavoring components)
- Vanilla Extract (or other flavoring)
- Eggs
HOW TO MAKE CHEESECAKE CRUST
A classic cheesecake is going to have a graham cracker crust. Graham cracker crumbs are combined with some sugar and melted butter, then pressed into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
The crust should be baked for about 10 minutes prior to adding the filling, to ensure that the crust holds together well. Get the recipe for the perfect graham cracker crust.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESECAKE FILLING
Making the filling of the cheesecake is going to be fairly straight forward. You want to combine the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until it’s nice and smooth. As mentioned above, you don’t want to over mix or mix on too high of a speed.
Next you’ll add the sour cream and vanilla extract, then the eggs one at a time. Adding the eggs one at a time helps ensure that they incorporate well without having to over mix or use too high of a speed.
CAN I MAKE CHEESECAKE WITHOUT A SPRINGFORM PAN?
As I mentioned above, springform pans really are the way to go. In a pinch though, you could use a cake pan and line it with aluminum foil that you can use to “lift” the cheesecake out of the pan once it’s fully baked and cooled.
The other alternative, though it gives you a different look, is a pie pan.
HOW TO MAKE A NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
To make a no bake cheesecake, you’ll often use ingredients that are very similar to a baked cheesecake, with the exception of the eggs. Some other ingredient amounts are likely to have been adjusted as well. Additionally, whipped cream is typically used to add volume and air to the batter that get’s lost when the cheesecake doesn’t have eggs and isn’t baked.
See my recipe for the Best No Bake Cheesecake.
So I hope that answers all the questions you’ve ever had about cheesecakes! They can seem a little tricky, but once you get things down you’ll never have trouble again. Cheesecake will become your new favorite dessert to make because it’ll never fail and it’s so versatile. You can make just about any flavor cheesecake, and I’ve definitely done my share of that.
Looking for cheesecake recipes to test your new knowledge with?
Check out these great cheesecake ideas:
Best Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Easy No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Ultimate Oreo Cheesecake
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Banana Cream Cheesecake
Eggnog Cheesecake
Gingerbread Cheesecake
Frosted Animal Cookie Cheesecake
Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake
Kahlua Coffee Brownie Cheesecake
Chocolate Cheesecake
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Cannoli Cheesecake
Tiramisu Cheesecake
Snickers Cheesecake
Smores Cheesecake
Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake
More easy cheesecake recipes
I need tips on how to remove pan bottom without destroying cake
Here is my tutorial for how to remove a cheesecake from the springform pan, including a video of me showing you what to do. I hope it’s helpful!
How do I get perfectly smooth sides and edges on my cheescakes?
I usually use a glass cup with a nice corner on it to press my crust into the pan, which helps. Also be sure to spray the sides of your pan before adding the crust, so that it doesn’t stick. After baking, if it’s not as smooth as you like, you can sometimes run an offset spatula around the edges to press in anything that isn’t smooth. I hope that helps!
I love your techniques and steps to make a delicious cheescake.
I have a comment to make about springform pans being an absolute. I have made many cheesecakes and I do not use a springform pan. I use a 3X9 or 3X8 cake pan depending on your recipe. I put my cheesecake in the frig to firm up overnight after baked and cooled and then dip my pan in warm water to release the cheesecake. I flip my cheesecake upside down on a board and use a blow torch to loosen the sides if it still needs it. Some cheesecake flavors can be tricky at times because they like to stick more but they always come out. That being said, I love your recipes and have used them for years. I also like to modify them a little to my personal liking.
I make alot of your recipes and they’ve all been so delicious. I had a question about springform pans since I’m sure you’ve made cheesecakes in them over and over again. I try not to leave the rings around them for too long because it seems like they tend to get a metallic taste to them. Do you notice this? Do you change out and buy new pans every so often?
Huh, I’ve never noticed that. Perhaps it could be your particular pan? I tend to use one like this one that has a coating on it. Maybe that would help?
When making a 7 inch cheesecake, how much flour do I add?
Thanks for the measurements for different size pans
I talk about different sizes in this post. The recipe I use for the 7 inch has 2 tablespoons of flour.
Thank you for all your tips. I can’t wait to make my cheesecake on Christmas Eve. Can you tell me how to prepare the water bath for the cheesecake pan please!
You can see how I set up my water bath here. Although lately I’ve been using a silicon pan, which I mention and link to at the top of the post.
great tips… thank you! I use a water “bath” on the rack below the cheesecake… it works great at this elevation.
Thank you for sharing, I do really appreciate.
I do not understand when you say you leave it in the oven another 30 mintues. Another 30 mintues after how much time in the oven?
It will depend on the individual recipe, but it’s usually an hour or so.
Hi, Thank you for the tips, I hope they will help me bake the perfect cheesecake.
Greetings from Poland.
How long do I have to wait to eat it? Can it be eaten slightly warm?
There may be some baked cheesecakes that can be eaten warm, but the ones you’ll find on my site need to be refrigerated until cool first or they will be too soft.
I have tried every tip I can find. My cheesecake always turns dark brown on the top. What causes this?
It could quite possibly be your particular oven. We moved into a new house last year and the oven that they had browned things on top so badly that I actually replaced it very quickly. There can be a huge difference between ovens. You could put a piece of foil over the top of the cheesecake just before it starts to brown so that it doesn’t get darker.
Flour/cornstarch ruins cheesecake and is a safeguard for people who tend to over-bake cheesecakes. I can tell a cheesecake has flour just from looking at a photo of a slice. It isn’t creamy the way a proper cheesecake is. No starch in baked custards!
Well, it is used in pretty much all of my cheesecake recipes. They all have excellent reviews, but feel free to leave out the flour you prefer.
How much flour would you suggest adding to the batter?
There’s usually 3 tablespoons in my cheesecakes.
Hi I’m a new baker to cheesecake but I have had good success so far. My question is how do I remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan? I use parchment paper but I can’t seem to slide my cake off without possible disaster. I’m making several for turkey day and need the whole pan. Thanks
I get asked this so much! I actually did a little video on Instagram and it’s now a highlight on my profile, if you want to check it out.
I bake the cream cheese layer in the convection oven for 25 minutes at 325. I let it cool for about 10 minutes, then add the sour cream layer and bake it at 425 for 10 minutes. I let it cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
I have been making my Grandmother’s cheesecake for years. Her recipe uses a regular 9×13 pan. Over the years, I have almost perfected it by following tips, like yours. The only problem I seem to have now is that when I start to cut it, sometimes the sour cream layer seems to come right off the cream cheese layer. That never used to happen. What could be causing this?
When do you add the sour cream layer? After the cheesecake baked and cools? There could be some condensation on top of the cheesecake when you add it, which could give you that problem if it’s not adhering to the cheesecake well.
I love your cheesecake recipes! Just two questions… Do you cover the cheesecake with anything when you put it in the refrigerator to chill? And do you take it straight from the oven to the refrigerator after the oven cooling process?
I don’t cover them because they’re usually still warm and it would create condensation and moisture on top of the cheesecake. After you take it out of the oven, you can put it straight into the fridge or let it sit out for a little bit. Either way is fine. You will probably just get a little more moisture on the top of the cheesecake if you put it straight into the fridge because it’s warmer.
Would like it to be a little creamier. Advice
I was *terrified* of cheesecakes. Now they’re probably my favorite thing to make– good thing too, since the requests keep coming in. 😉 They are definitely worth the time and the extra steps. Thank you so much!!
So glad you enjoy them!
I sprayed the pan and also lined the bottom with parchment paper and sprayed it. How do you get the finished cooled cheesecake off the parchment paper?
Hi, you said the crust should be baked for 10mins? What temperature pls? Thanks
325
You don’t have measurements for the Oreo recipe
I’m not sure what you mean. This particular post doesn’t have any recipes listed. It’s just about Tips. If you click on the particular recipe you’re looking for, the full recipe should be there.
My daughter’s 16th birthday is coming up and she loves cheesecakes. So, I appreciate that this article shared that one of the obvious signs that cheesecake is cooked properly and perfectly is when its edges are well set while the inner is jiggly. It is also interesting to know that one of the best methods to prevent the cheesecake from cracking is to bake it in a water bath. When I enquire about a few caterers about their cheesecake, I will ask how they bake their cheesecake to ensure they are skilled.
I accidentally didn’t mix the cream cheese enough so its clumpy but i already added all the ingredients and don’t want to over mix it to fix it, will it affect how the cheesecake cooks?
No, it won’t affect how it bakes. You just may notice some little chance of cream cheese in the final cheesecake.
Could you address how to get the crust to stick to the side of the pan(spring form) and how high it shoul be.
Thanks..
I spray my pan with a non-stick baking spray, so maybe that helps it stick to the sides? Otherwise, it really should be fine as long as the crust has a decent butter to crumb ratio. Definitely check out my graham cracker crust recipe for some additional tips. As for how high it should be, it really depends on the cheesecake and the look you want. As long as the recipe calls for enough ingredients, you can have a crust that goes most of the way up the cheesecake, or just along the bottom. If it’s just a long the bottom, it might just be a thicker crust, which some people really like. I hope that helps!
Hi Lindsay,
Thank you for the tips and wonderful recipes. I made your Bailey cheesecake and for the first time, it didn’t have a single crack. My only struggle is taking the cheesecake out of the pan because as it cools it starts getting separated from one side and gets a little tilted. Do you have any tips on how to take the cheesecake out from the pan so that it looks as perfect as yours?
By the way, I love the book. It is so beautifully put together and easy to follow.
Thanks,
Arti
It separates from one side only? I wouldn’t think that it would tilt from that. One thing you can try is to loosen the cheesecake from the sides before you put it in the fridge. As for removing it from the pan, I really just take the sides off and remove the cheesecake. Definitely spray the sides of the pan well with a non-stick spray so that things don’t stick. I hope that helps!
So glad to hear you enjoy the book! Thanks Arti!
Awesome tips, thank you! I’d love to try making cheesecake one of these days, but you can’t get “block” cream cheese here, only the stuff in tubs – which I’ve heard doesn’t work as well. Maybe I’ll try it anyway.
Could you possibly make this printer friendly so I can print it out. Love your recipes and blog! Thanks in advance!
It would take me some time to do that. I will try.
Thank you so much!!! I tried to bake a cheesecake once, but I didn’t let it cool gradually like you do, and it didn’t turn out quite right. With these tips, I’m sure to have a better cheesecake next time!
Thanks again!!!
-Hannah
The one thing you didn’t touch on is cutting your cheesecake… I have tried the hot water wipe
in between cuts, but they don’t look as clean as yours. What is your trick? What kind of knife and method.
Thanks
Maria
I’m not sure that I really have a particular trick. I don’t warm the knife or anything. I use a chef’s knife and just kinda go for it!
Hi
I actually use floss to cut my cheese cakes. Such a clean cut! ❤️
These are great tips! I’ve tried making homemade cheesecake a few times and it did not come out the way I wanted it to. I will definitely try these methods next time.