Chantal's New York Cheesecake

I've made cheesecakes many times, only to have them crack and sink after cooling. With the tips that I picked up on allrecipes.com, Chantal's New York Cheesecake was a hit with my family & friends. After cooling, the top remained level and the center firmed up. The top was a beautiful golden brown with no dry edges. The inside was creamy and smooth, and not too sweet. The tips are as follows: 1. Make sure that your ingredients are around room temperature, not cold, otherwise your batter will be lumpy. 2. Wrap your springform pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil to prevent water in the bain marie (water bath) from seeping in. 3. Place your springform pan in a water bath in the oven, filled with 1 inch of very hot water, then proceed to bake as instructed in the recipe. 4. Right after baking, run a warm or greased knife around the rim of the cake to prevent cracking while cooling. 5. Leave the cake in the oven for 2 hours to cool. (I didn't have time to leave it in for the recommended 6 hrs, and it still works.) I'll make variations of this cheesecake, such as blueberry topping, oreo base and filling etc. ENJOY!

AMAZING! The KING of all cheesecakes! This is the recipe you are looking for, Thick and Creamy! Ive made this 2X now with tremendous sucess. However, I found this crust to need some work, so this is the recipe I use: 1 1 /2 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1/4 c. finely chopped Unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans), 1/4 c. melted butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon and a 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Mix together and press into 9" springform pan. As for the cheesecake mixture, make Sure to start with room temp. ingredients, use a mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar, then hand-mix from there on. Feel free to add chocolate chips, toffee bits, etc. to the mixture before transferring into graham cracker crust. Use a water bath, (See Cheesecake section under Cooking Basics on this site) with the pan double wrapped in foil. When cheesecake is done, turn oven off, run knife around edge of the cake to completely loosen from the pan. Close oven door, leave in for 3+ hours, until completely cool. Refrigerate overnight. I make a homemade raspberry topping, as follows: 1 10oz. pkg frozen raspb., 2 tblsp. white sugar, 2 tsp. cornstarch & 1/2 c. water. In med. saucepan, mix sugar & corn starch well. Add water & bring to a boil. Add raspberries & boil for 5 minutes, or until thick. If you wish, strain the hot mixture to remove seeds. Place in refrigerator to completely cool. Place 1-2 tablespoons over chilled cheesecake, top with a curl of white chocolate. Award Winning!

I have been working with this recipe for a couple of years now. Yesterday, one of my co-workers and I had a cheesecake cook-off. Everyone RAVED about my cheesecake and I felt bad for the other guy. His was made with Cool-Whip and took 20-30 minutes to make. Mine was Chantal's (with modifications) and took me 16 hours from start to serve (including chilling). I have been adjusting this recipe to get the perfect weight, density, and creaminess (to MY tastes) and I THINK I've got it! (By George, I think she's got it!) I like a HEAVY New York-Style Cheesecake that's not TOO cakey (translation: DRY!). So here is what I've come up with: I use 2 TBSP. flour instead of 1/4 cup AND use a water bath. I baked it at 225 degrees for 3 hours and 40 minutes (I KNOW that sounds like a LONG time, but remember, I've been working on this for a couple of years - OK.......not consistantly, but whenever I feel like making a cheesecake. I make myself notes on the back of the recipe.) After it has baked 3 hours and 40 minutes, I turn off the oven and crack the oven door for a few minutes to get it to cool down more quickly. I leave the cheesecake in the oven for 6 hours and then put it in the refrigerator until WELL chilled (about 6 more hours). (More on next post)

I found this recipe a few years ago, and have been making it ever since. I have changed a few things according to my taste. I bake mine in a water bath, and that helps to keep it more moist, and also to avoid cracking. Make sure you put it into boiling water instead of cold. Also, put your cheesecake in an oven bag before you put it into the water bath. Wrapping the pan in tin foil just doesn't seem to keep the water away from the crust. I also don't even add the flour. It allows the cake to be less like cake, and it makes it so creamy and rich. I also double the butter in the crust, and I add the whites of one egg. This allows it to hold together better, so it's a lot less crumbly. Lastly, I don't let mine sit in the oven for 5 to 6 hours, who has the time? I put mine straight into the fridge. It seems to turn out just as well. Good luck! :)

Recipe turned out great! I didn't have a pan big enough to put my 9-inch springform pan in for a water bath, so I just put it on a rack and put a pan of water underneath it. It was steamy enough to produce a perfectly uncracked cake (325F for 1 hr). At end of baking, unlike what it says in the cheesecake tips in the reference section, cake was completely SOLID, WITHOUT a "3-inch circle" that was still un-set. Cake texture still turned out PERFECT, so don't worry if there isn't a wobbly center after baking. I used "Baker's Secret Pie Crust" (bake crust for 15 mins, not 10) instead of the grahan cracker crust, and made a sour cream topping for a professional touch (1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Combine and spread evenly after cheesecake has baked and cooled for 10 mins. Bake at 325F for 10 mins to set. Spread EVENLY, as the sour cream will not melt; it will only set, so any imperfection before you put it in the oven will show after baking. Leave in oven to cool for 6 hrs. chill and serve!). You might want to decrease the amount of milk to 1/2 cup for a denser cake, although do so with caution. My version as outlined above makes a 5lb cheesecake, which is about 1 1/2 inches high using a 9-inch springform pan. Everyone who tasted my cheesecake said it was as good as the famed cheesecake of a local 5-star hotel, whose cheesecake is widely regarded as the best cheesecake in the city! (my homecity has over 7 million inhabitants, s

Definitely worthy of 5 stars!!! I make cheesecakes often, and my husband prefers basic "no frills" NY cheesecakes the best (with canned cherry topping). I used reviewer NYGirl5's suggestion and made a shortbread cookie crust with lemon zest (to switch it out a bit). I reduced to 2 tbsp. of flour for a creamier texture. For a flawless, no crack or browned cheesecake, it is best to bake it in a water bath on the middle shelf of the oven. Cover bottom and sides of cheesecake pan with foil (to prevent water from seeping in) and set in larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water in roasting pan so that it reaches approx. halfway up cheesecake pan. I never ever get cracks, and my cheesecake never browns. Also, it is important to bring cream cheese to room temp., so you don't end up overbeating the filling (which causes cracks and bubbles). I only left it in the oven for 1 hour after I stopped baking. Let it cool properly before putting it in refrigerator or you will end up with condensation on top. Great recipe-I will definitely be making this again. Thank you, Chantal!

The first time I made this recipe, I was half way through baking when I realized with horror that I had not bothered to read any of these reviews or suggestions. However, this cheesecake turned out absolutely heavenly without any modifications. The second time I made it though, I took the time to read all of the suggestions here thinking I could make it even better. However, when I followed all of these tips, my cheesecake turned out with a chalky texture, not nearly as good. So, my only suggestion is to avoid all of these suggestions. It's perfect as is! :)

After reading the reviews, I was concerned about the flour and milk. I researched other cheesecake recipes, and sure enough, none of them called for either. So I simply left out both the milk and the flour, and I'm very glad I did. The texture was very smooth and creamy. I'm convinced milk and flour do not add to the flavor or the texture, and they are better omitted. I also followed the advice of other reviewers (don't you love being able to consult the reviews?) and added ground almonds, sugar, and cinnamon to the crust and increased the butter to 1/4 cup. This really elevated the crust from blah to extraordinary. I baked in a water bath at 325F for 1 hr and 15 min, and let it cool in a closed oven. The lower temperature prevented the cheesecake from browning, and it set perfectly without cracks after refridgration. (After I started using a crockpot liner instead of foil to cover the bottom, I've never had a problem with water leaking into my cheesecake. Just make sure to tie the excess into a knot so it is tight around the pan and doesn't fall flat into the water or into the cheesecake.) With these modifications, my husband and I would rate this cheesecake is the BEST we've ever tasted. Thanks to the previous reviewers about the tips on room temp ingredients and not overmixing! This is the first time my cheesecase has not cracked and had such lovely texture!

This is the closest I have ever seen anywhere to my heirloom recipe, and I do make the very best cheesecake ever - hundreds will attest to this fact. I can not give out my exact recipe for professional reasons but I do have a few tips. A cheesecake is supposed to crack. Don't worry thats what pie topping/fresh fruit is for. If you give it a waterbath it will change the texture to a custard. Refridgerate immediately, hot out of the oven - I'm not crazy, fabulous results. You must let your cheesecake rest for 24 hours minimum refridgerated, uncovered, untopped for best flavour. This is a great recipe.

I am so disappointed. People should not give it 5 stars if they change the way the recipe is prepared. I followed the recipe exactly as it says and it turned out horrible. The cheesecake grew taller than the pan, cracked a lot and turned brown on top. After reading the reviews and other more trustworthy recipes, I found out the oven was too hot (325 or 300 is ideal) and the ingredients should have been at room temperature (which the recipe doesn't call for). A water pan underneath would have been great as well. I am a great cook, but it's my first time making cheesecake and I didn't know these things, which is why I looked for a recipe well-tried with good reviews. Very misleading. Now i have to serve this at my daughter's birthday. Agh. Again, don't give a recipe 5 stars if you change the way it's prepared.

HOLY MOLY was this recipe a SLAM DUNK! I made this cheesecake for a bake sale and it was gone in less than 2 hours! I even had people coming back for seconds! My only problem was that I was caught a little bit off guard with the crust. The recipe calls for 15 graham crackers, but doesn't specify what constitutes a graham cracker. I first thought it was an entire sheet (that breaks into 4), but soon realized there were way too many graham crackers for the amount of butter specified. I ended up using a crust recipe previously mentioned (1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar) and it literally saved the day (thanks KIMAR!) This cheesecake is hands down the absolute best cheesecake in existence. Don't hesitate to choose this recipe if you're looking to bake your first cheesecake... trust me... you will NOT be disappointed.

My wife says this is the best cheesecake she's ever had. I did make a couple of changes. Add 1/3 cup of cornstarch. This makes it a bit more "fluffy" like we like it. Also, this recipe allows the crust to become soggy when the batter is added. Here's the secret to a great, crispy cheesecake crust. Use 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of melted butter (the real stuff, not margarine!) to the 15 graham crackers. Use a food processor to crush the graham crackers. Mix the sugar and graham crackers, then add the melted butter. Press it into the springform pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 17 minutes. (that's right, 17 minutes) I usually bake the crust in the oven while I'm preparing the batter. The crust will get darker and actually gets more toasted rather than just heated. Also, definitely bake the cheesecake in a water bath. I wrap three layers of heavy duty foil around the springform pan before placing it in the water bath. (I simply use a roasting pan.) Be sure to pull the foil up at all points around the pan. Any portion that remains low will allow water to seep in. When the cheese cake is finished, the crust is crispy and delicious. I used to scrape away the soggy crusts until I came up with this.

This cheesecake turned out beautifully. Everyone who tasted said it was the best they ever had and went back for seconds. I served it with a strawberry puree. It was the first cheesecake that I've made. I was always intimidated by the springform pan, but now I know there's nothing to it. I didn't have a pan large enough to do a water bath. So I filled a 9x13 glass dish with boiling water and placed it under the cheesecake. It turned out perfect, plus no cracks on the top of the cheesecake. I baked it for one hour, then turned off the oven and left it in for 5 hours without opening the door. Then I put it in the refrigerator unwrapped for 18 hours. I used the crust recipe that someone else suggested earlier: 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/4 c. finely chopped uUnsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans), 1/4 c. melted butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon and a 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Mix together and press into bottom of 9" springform pan. I popped in the 350 degree oven for about 3 minutes so I didn't have a soggy crust. I didn't think I'd taste the pecans but it gave the crust a great flavor. Most important for the cheesecake batter, start with room temperature ingredients.

The first time I made this, I made many mistakes - and it was still wonderful cheesecake. 1 - this recipe decidedly calls for a water bath - at this time/temp, the lack of a water bath will have it very overdone. 2 - Do NOT add the vanilla at the same time as the flour - the flour will absorb the vanilla and you'll get little brown lumps.

Have used this recipe for yrs, and since I am diabetic could never have any myself, but I have found Splenda, I use it just as the recipe calls for sugar 11/2 cup, works wonderful, now I can enjoy, I have used Splenda in all my pies cakes etc with great results.........

Cheesecake seemed a very intimidating challenge for a novice like me. I looked long and hard and finally decided on this recipe. From some helpful tips here, I did not overmix, used room-temp ingredients, wrapped the springform in foil, and did the water bath. Baked one hour, shut the oven off and left it in there for about 6 hours without opening the door once! (that was tough!) This morning, my result is a gorgeous, light, delicious cheesecake. It did not crack or dry out and since I brought it to work, it certainly didn't last long! :) Thank you! ***ETA*** I first reviewed this recipe in November 2007 after making it once. Since then I have made it several times and have more to add... Attempt #1 - Used springform wrapped in aluminum foil and water 3/4 way up the sides in a water bath. My result was a pale cheesecake, with slightly mushy crust edges because of the low quality of the springform. Attempt #2 - Used same springform pan. Set 9x13 pyrex full of water on the shelf below. Result tasted the same, but wasn't as pretty - browned around the edges only and split a huge crack down the center. Attempt #3(and everytime since then) - Used same springform with double aluminum foil wrap and only about 1/2" water in the roasting pan. By the time I removed the cheesecake from the oven, all the water had pretty much evaporated. Browned evenly all over the top, no crack and crust wasn't soggy! Yay! Finally got it right! The recipe is very simple and fullproof.

I have made this before and know it is an excellent recipe. I do want to warn against other reviewer's advice in attempting to bake in a water bath. Number one, you cannot possibly wrap anything tightly enough in aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in. Number two, baking in a water bath provides a sort of insulation preventing the cheesecake from reaching the desired baking temperature thereby skewing the required baking time by as much as an hour or more. The best thing to do is to place a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake. Verifying that your oven temperature is accurate is also critical as temperature is very important. Better to be too low. If you think your oven bakes things faster than the usual recommended time then turn your oven down 25C or so to bake your cheesecake.

I've used this recipe for years now....made a couple of changes. I use 5 bricks of cream cheese, 4 eggs, 16oz sour cream, 1tbs vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. No milk or flour for me because it makes it runny......the sour cream makes it rich and creamy. Also, if you have bubbles from over-mixing.....when you get all ingredients in the spring form pan, pick it up and drop it on the counter a few times....the bubbles will rise to the top and burst. Also use a water bath and you shouldn't have any cracks.

It's been awhile since I made these, but this is what I did. I was asked by my best friends son if I could make cheese cakes for his wedding (I had done mini cheesecakes, 1,500 for his sisters graduation open house with multiple flavors) I told him I would be delighted. I tried a couple recipes on friends and they all chose this one, so I had 20 to make for an April 29th wedding. It's a good thing cheese cakes freeze well. Since I was going to school and I could only had time to bake one or two nights a week and only had about 8 weeks from the time I decided what recipe I was going to use. I tried the water bath, they cracked, in fact all of them cracked but once they were cut it didn't make a difference. I have two ovens, so I did two cheese cakes a night. The trick was they wanted different flavors so sometimes I replaced the milk with a flavoring. I did hazelnut, grasshopper (1 full package of Keebler Grasshopper cookies crushed), ButterFinger (10 funsize bars crunched) plain with fruit on top, Snickers and then I had two surpise flavors that ended up being the biggest hit at the reception. One was Kahlua and the other was a carmel liquor. Like I said, they all cracked no matter what I did, once they were cut no one knew and everyone raved about them.

This is an excellent cheesecake ! Very easy to make... Make sure that ingredients are at room temperature... the cream cheese, eggs and sour cream... put the sugar in a bowl... open cream cheese and lay on top till room temperature... also make sure to use a water bath... I use a 13x9 pan on rack below...I also cook for 55 minutes... I have made this about 6 times... it is great.... also a very impressive gift ! Try this one ! You will like it !

Awesome recipe! This cheesecake is PERFECT: delicious, creamy, and very, very rich! I made mine into a decadent chocolate cheesecake by using crushed chocolate cookies for the crust and adding a cup of melted semisweet chocolate chips to the batter. This is now my "impress the guests" dessert. Thanks for sharing!

This was my first attempt at making a cheesecake and it was beautiful. Thank you Chantel. I did use a water bath, I wrapped my spring form pan in foil- 2 layers. I removed it from the bath and let it rest in the oven for an hour and a half then, ran a knife around the edge and then removed the foil, let it rest another hour on the counter before putting it in the fridge. I left it in the fridge for 12+ hours. It didn't stick to the spring form pan. It was beautiful, no air bubbles, no cracks, no sinking. It looked like I bought it from our local cheesecake shop. No one want any topping, it was perfect w/o anything. The texture was like velvet. I served this New year's day after dinner. I have never been so proud of something I served. Thank You Chantal! I did change the recipe a little. I added only 2 tablespoon of flour (like other reviewers said), added 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 extra tablespoon vanilla. I substituted chocolate graham crackers for crust and did need a little extra butter. My center was solid and not wobbly like other reviewer mentioned and I baked mine 325 degrees for 1 hr and 10 minutes. This is the perfect recipe. I would recommend anyone trying it to read many of the reviews for tips as well as the www.allrecipe.com tips for cheesecakes. I think doing that and this wonderful recipe is why mine was such a huge hit. I can't wait to make more. I think I am addicted to baking these.

wow was this an incredible cheesecake, i cheated with the crust and bought it ready made. i used fat free sour cream, and a lower fat cream cheese and it still tasted as good as any cheesecake I could have gotten in a deli, and I live in new york!!! the only thing was since i used the ready made crust i got two cheesecakes out of it, it goes great with strawberry glaze also. And mine did NOT crack but that was because I put a pan as suggested of water under the cakes as they cooked and left it in the oven for the 6 hours, it was hard waiting but worth it.

I have made this cheesecake twice now and it was WONDERFUL both times. The first time I made it, i did it word by word and served it with a strawberry glaze. Yum! The second time i made it exactly the same way but instead made it with an Oreo cookie crust. I was so relieved it turned out better then the first even though i forgot to wrap the pan in tin foil. I am even getting requests on different flavors like snickers (I will let you know how that works). My next one will have a crust made of Nilla wafers with a raspberry glaze. Should be great. Point is, this cheesecake is the best I have ever made or had. P.S. I am only 14 and had no trouble at all :)

I've made several cheesecakes, and this was the worst yet. In accordance with the previous posts, I followed the recipe EXACTLY - even stayed up late so I could let it sit in the oven the stated amount of time!! It was covered in cracks, was way too dense, was very "eggy," and the crust completely fell apart. Am very open to suggestions, if anyone knows what might have gone wrong, as I was very much looking forward to having a fabulous "classic" cheesecake recipe! As it is - am simiply very glad I did a trial run before Easter dinner :)

I was expecting this cheesecake to be delicious from the rave reviews and the 5 stars. I am starting to wonder if the people that gave this cheesecake 5 stars or even 4 or 3 even know what a real cheesecake tastes like. First of all, the texture is not that of a normal cheesecake. Second, you cannot taste much of the cream cheese. Third, it is very bland. I always top my cheesecakes with shredded Dove milk chocolate, and that couldn't even help with the lack of flavor this cheesecake produces. Lastly, it is not sweet in any sense. If you are looking for an authentic cheesecake taste or just a good cheesecake for that matter, do not attempt to make this, you will be very disappointed. This recipe doesn't even deserve 1 star.

How exciting! I am the 2000th reviewer! This was AMAZING. I still can't believe I baked such a perfect cheesecake! I made the crust as suggested by many reviewers (1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c melted butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 c sugar). I baked the crust for 10 minutes. The crust was good...not soggy. I might try baking 15 minutes next time. Baking temp was 325. I used a 9" springform pan, greased bottom and sides. All ingredients were at room temp. I used mixer on low speed for cream cheese and sugar. I beat the eggs with a fork before adding so they would be easier to add with a wooden spoon. (After mixing the sugar and cream cheese, I mixed the rest of the ingredients with a wooden spoon.) I wrapped pan in 2 layers of foil, used a 1" hot water bath in a large, rectangular pyrex baking dish. I baked for 60 minutes. I didn't peak once!! After 60 minutes, I opened the oven and it absolutely did not look done. I ignored all of my instincts to cook it longer and assumed it was done. I ran warm knife (heated with hot water) around edges and then closed the door. I let the cheesecake cool (water bath and all) for 6 hours. By then it was 6:00pm. We resisted the urge to eat it, letting it chill overnight. It was wonderful the next day. It looked amazing. It could have been in a magazine! No cracks, perfect non-brown top...I still can't believe I made it. Thanks so much to all reviewers who offered so many great tips to perfect this recipe. And thanks to Taliesen

I have used this receipe for 25yrs and it never fails to be a big hit. If you make cheesecakes very often it might be worth it to you to purchase a countertop convection oven if your oven doesn't offer that feature. The difference in the height of the cheesecake will be remarkable.

10 STARS! I made this for my sister's birthday (a cheesecake FANATIC), and she said it's at least 1 MILLION times better than her ex-favorite cheesecake! It was "smooth, creamy, and sooo decadent," in my family's words.This was my first cheesecake (I'm 15, by the way), so I took lots of precautions. So here's some key things I did: - Left all of the ingredients out on the counter overnight to let them come to room temperature. - Wrapped a 9" springform pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. - Greased the bottom AND sides of the pan a personal recipe from http://www.recipezaar.com/78579- maybe unecessary, butit was PERFECT! - Make the crust according to a recipe, previously posted: whisked 15 graham crackers (used the food processor), 1/4 c. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon together. Then, added ~6 tbp. melted butter. Patted on bottom and up sides with hands and flat-bottomed cup. - Creamed the cream cheese in mixer. Then, put mixer (KitchenAid) on the slowest (Stir) and slowly incorporated the sugar. Put the setting back on "Cream" until just incorporated. - Used a wooden spoon to gently mix in the rest of the ingredients- eggs one at a time, slowly stirring. - Put mixer through sieve to catch lumps. Once COMPLETELY through, left resulting mixture to sit for 30 minutes for air bubbles to rise. Popped any air bubble I saw with a fork. - Poured the batter into pre-greased pan and gently tap pan on countertop to force air bubbles up (at least 100 times). Popped any

There aren't enough stars on here for this one!!! Now I know why so many have tried it! This is New York style cheesecake! I didn't change a thing except to double the crust. I followed the directions and also did a "water bath". No cracking at all. It was creamy, smooth, rich, and delicious. My husband ate every bite!

Before I began making cheesecake, I researched tips on making cheesecake. I learned to be careful not to overbeat the cheesecake filling because if you do that, there will be too many air bubbles and the cheesecake will sink afterwards. I also learned that cheesecake must be baked in a waterbath. The way I made it was I took a bigger pan, put a towel on the bottom and filled the pan with boiling water. I then placed my springform pan on top, and I made sure that the water didn't overflow into the pan - I read that you can wrap the springform pan with foil so that water doesn't seep into the cheesecake. And the last thing I learned is that when cheesecake is done, it doesn't look done - it still jiggles a little. This was my first time baking cheesecake and it turned out excellent. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

I have made this cheesecake several times and I get requests to make it more and more! People even tell me to enter this in contests! I always use a water bath, and I have recently used a new technique that has made sure my cheesecake hasn't cracked! Right when the cheesecake is done cooking, take it out of the oven and run a wet warm knife around the entire edge of the springform. (Be careful not to go too fast and keep putting the knife under running water) Put it back in the oven for about an hour. After that, you can put it in the frige uncovered for a few hours. (or it will get sweaty) Then cover. Good luck!

The taste of this cheesecake is great. I've had so-so luck with making a 9 or 10-in, but I use this recipe to make mini cheesecakes and people love them!

First off: this is an excellent recipe. But, not without flaws. This amount of ingredients is too much for 1 - 9 inch springform pan. For this amount, you can make 2 - 6 inch springform pans. And for cheesecake, you should always use a water bath to prevent cracking. It promotes even cooking, also. Now, for my suggestions. I use the crust recipe from Pumpkin cheesecake II on this site. It has pecans in the crust and is incredible. I usually add some cinnamon to the crust, as well. And, I bake the crust for about 20 minutes first. Makes it so it is not mushy. Great crust everytime. I also use a mix of almond, orange, lemon and vanilla extract with some lemon and orange peel in it. Again, I either cut down the ingredients or make 2 cheesecakes.. For the sake of argument, overbeating the batter will not cause it to crack. It will make it lighter. So, if you want a denser cake, don't mix the batter as long. As for cooling, if you leave a cheesecake out that long to cool, I think you are asking for trouble. I usually leave it out for an hour and then refrigerate uncovered until it cools. If you cover it too soon, moisture will form on the plastic wrap and top of the cheesecake.

This recipe got me second place in the office bake-off (and I still think it should have gotten first). I made it twice, once in a springform pan, the other time in a 9X13 pan. Both turned out excellent. I do, however, have some tips. CRUST: A lot of people add cinnamon and sugar to the crust. Just buy Cinnamon Graham Crackers. Crush them up, it works well. Like people said, 15 crackers appears to be the wrong number. I used around 12 (even in the 9x13 pan) and regardless, added a lot more butter (probably at least 5 TBS). You want to have a consistency in the graham cracker/butter mixture that you can ALMOST form a ball. I tried both baking the crust for five minutes (and leting it cool completely) and not baking it at all until the batter was on top of it. Both worked great - I really don't feel baking the crust added anything. CRUST CRACKING: I tried everything to avoid the cake cracking including greasing the pan and using the water bath. Both the bars and the cheesecake cracked regardless. I did have better results, though, with leaving the bars in the closed oven overnight (I made them late at night - just turned the oven off at the right time and went to bed). Cracking or not - it's still the best cheesecake I've ever made!

Perfect "cheesecake" taste! Thank you!!! (Suggestions for cook time and water bath follow.) I had to make this twice to get the cook time right. The first time, I baked at 350 for an hour, but followed another reviewer's suggestion that 2 hours was sufficient to sit in the oven. After that first hour, the cheesecake was still very jiggly, but I assumed it would firm up during the cool down. It did not. The outside was firm, but the center was raw. I don't want to invest 7 hours in a cheesecake, so I experimented. I baked for 30 minutes at 375 then reduced the temp to 250. According to a friend who makes cheesecakes professionally, the time can vary each time you bake. He suggested anywhere from 45-90 minutes at 250. Use your eyes to judge, not the timer. Start with 45 minutes. Tap the edge of the pan. When only the very center jiggles, it's ready. Turn the oven off, leave the door closed, and let it sit for an hour. I moved it to the fridge after that, there was no cracking, and the cheesecake was perfectly set the next morning. As far as the water bath goes, unless you use extra wide foil, you are likely to wind up with soggy crust. Instead, put a pan of water in the oven during the pre-heat. By the time the cheesecake goes in, you should have some steam going. Put the cake on the rack above the pan, not in the pan. You'll get the same effect without the risk of a soggy crust.

This is my GO TO recipe for cheesecake. The keys to no cracking are these: don't over beat the mix, accurate oven temp., and let it set in the oven undisturbed to cool for several hours. I usually make this at night & leave it in the oven overnite. Then my DH puts it in the fridge when he gets up @ 6 in the morning. And don't forget that the sour cream topping ( 1 cup sour cream & 2-3 TBL sugar mixed well. Apply to cake during last 15 min of baking) can fill any imperfections, but smooth it nicely as it won't spread during baking.

This cheesecake was amazing. Restaurant quality. I was worried at first because this was only the second time I've ever made cheesecake. The first time I had no clue what I was doing -- it ended up brown with a big crack. Not bad, but not great either (mind you it was a different recipe also). This time I prepared and read up on allrecipes tips. I used a waterbath, made sure not to overbeat, used room-temperature ingredients. I turned the oven on, let it preheat, stuck the cheesecake in for exactly 1 hour, turned off the oven, and left it in for 2 hours. I never opened the oven until I took it out. It was perfect. No cracks, no browning, just smooth and white! I used about 26 crushed Oreos for the crust and a chocolate ganache found here on the site. It was thick, rich, and seriously absolutely amazing and addictive. UPDATE: I made this a turtle cheesecake and was told by two people that this is the best thing they've ever eaten. Will supply picture/add-ons.

Its so creamy and so good i liked this recipe i added a little orange zest it was so refreshing! yum

This recipie is so simple straight forward and easy. I have made NY style cheescakes before and they ALWAYS turned out poorly. I followed this recipie exactly and it turned out PERFECT. It was a gift for my daughter's 14th birthday and she was delighted. The only changes I would make the next time is less flour for a creamier texture and reducing the oven temp to 325 degrees. Mine was a little too brown. I used the blender to mix the eggs into the cream cheese, but I used the whisk to add the sour cream to prevent over mixing. This is a fabulous recipie and an excellent choice for anyone wanting to make an authentic NY style cheesecake. LOVE IT!

This recipes has a wonderful Cheesecake filling but there must be a misprint on the crust. 15 graham crackers with only 2 Tblsp butter does not work I have a wonderful tasting cheesecake sitting on top of graham cracker crumbs. Also I would bake in a water bath because the oven cooling method produced huge cracks

OUTSTANDING! Everyone told me it was the BEST cheesecake they had ever had! I did make the following modifications: CRUST- used 1/4 c butter and 2T sugar. After pressing into the pan baked for 5 min then cooled completly. CHEESECAKE- made sure all ingredients were at room temperature, added splash of lemon juice, didn't overmix, sprayed sides of pan with cooking spray and baked in the oven with a pan of water on the lowest rack. Cool complety in the oven-- DON'T peek! There were no cracks and it turned out AWESOME!! GREAT GREAT RECIPE!!

This was the final cheesecakes of my taste test. It came in #1 and deservedly so! I have to say, it was virtually perfect. It was as smooth and silky as butter, had fabulous taste, but it cracked a bit. I lowered the temp and it was fine. I'm glad it was suggested that the bottom outside be covered with foil, make sure you don't skip that part! Excellent recipe overall.

I baked this cheesecack the first time exactly like the directions and got some bad cracks. So I tried to help it out by mixing in a tsp. of starch to the batter just before pouring it in the pan. it came out great. I also just let it sit in the oven about 4 hours and then put it in the fridge. It came out beautiful.

AMAZING Cheesecake. I did alot of research before though, and took into account MANY of the tips shared by other uses. This led to a great cheesecake!! I used a different crust recipe thatis mentioned many times in reviews: 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar. I baked the crust alone for 12 mins at 325 and then let it cool some while making the filling. I did grease both the bottom AND the sides of my pan. I made sure all my ingredients were at room temp, I lowered the baking temp to 325 and baked for 60 mins and then just kept oven door shut and let it sit the full 6 hours. I beat the cream cheese w/sugar ONLY until smooth, then folded in everything else by hand with a wooden spoon and I also let the batter rest for about 15 mins after mixing before I put ontop of crust. I debated reducing the flour, because I didnt want a "cake like" texture, but I didnt end up reducing it and it was fine!! Very silky! I did the water bath using my roaster pan and added about 1" of HOT water. I wrapped my springform in 3 layers of foil, but it wasnt good enough, water still seeped in. I was SO upset, but it actually setup great in the fridge overnight and you couldnt even tell the next day! Topped with chocolate shavings. Took to a family function and every person raved about it. Sure winner!!

This was wonderful, my husband doesn't usually eat cheese cake, but he loved it. For those who are new to baking like me, 15 graham crackers translates to 15 whole graham crackers, not sections. I highly recommend the Springform pan for a professional look.

I don't even LIKE cheesecake and this is great! I made this first for my husband's birthday - it was a huge hit. I just made it again yesterday and, again, everyone loved it. Three things, in particular, that I read in the reviews by others that I think were very helpful: 1) Use a water bath. 2) Instead of wrapping the pan with foil for the water bath, put it in an oven bag. What a great idea! I had absolutely NO problems with the water from the bath seeping into the pan. 3) I used the following recipe for the crust from an earlier review, and it has a really wonderful flavor: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. I baked the crust first in the oven for 8 minutes, just to prevent it from getting soggy. Also, I let the ingredients get to room temperature first. This isn't difficult to make, just time consuming (with leaving it in the oven for 6 hours after baking, etc.) But both of my cakes turned out perfectly, with no cracks.

I never thought about making my own cheesecake until I left home to go to school in Gainesville, and was distressed at the discovery that there was no Cheesecake Factory up here. So I Googled a few recipes, and thought this one looked pretty good, and sure enough, my cheesecake came out amazing, if I do say so myself, particularly for my first time making it! I made it for my friends and they all loved it. I didn't leave it in the oven for the recommended 5-6 hours after baking (I live in a dorm so I couldn't hog the oven for that long), I only had it in there for two, but it still came out scrumptious. The other reviewer's tips came in handy too- THANKS! EDIT: I decided to make this cheesecake again, but for my boyfriend this time. I know he likes his cheesecake really creamy, so I decided to try leaving out the flour. He took one bite and proclaimed it perfect. Still the same scrumptious taste, just creamier. So my suggestion is, if you like your cheesecake on the creamy side, leave out the flour. If you like it more cakelike, flour is good. Also, like another reviewer, I changed up the crust and added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter, which really improved the crust, as it was a little boring before, and I baked for an hour at 325 degrees rather than 350, and it looked much nicer when it came out the oven than before. (It's never cracked for me, but it would always come out a little too browned on the top, the lower oven setting did the trick!)

Wow, I was really disappointed! I love cheesecake, so I was really looking forward to trying this one. I made the recipe exactly as written, with the exception that I baked mine in a bain marie. It looked fabulous. No cracks anywhere. It also lacked taste! It was very creamy...almost too creamy for a cheesecake. It really resembled a "no-bake" cheesecake in texture, although it was completely cooked through. The flavor was just bland. I attibute this to the addition of flour (which probably helps keep it from cracking) and perhaps no lemon in the recipe. It was edible, and my company said that even bad cheesecake was good...but I will not be making this cheesecake again. I've made lots of cheesecakes, and this wasn't a favorite.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS TO MAKE THIS AGAIN!!!!!! NEW ADD ON AGAIN: WHO CARES IF IT CRACKS! ARE YOU GIRLS SERIOUS? IT DOES NOT TASTE ANY DIFFERENT! Tonight, as I sit and enjoy my yummy cheesecake in bed now that the kids are asleep, I am writing again to say how great it really is.... Just don't forget to allow at least 6 hours cooling time in the fridge and I like to make it and cut it up then freeze it and we can enjoy it piece by piece over the coming weeks. Here's the old review...... I have never made a cheesecake before & because of the reviews for this one I made it for Christmas. OH MY GOODNESS!! It was the best I ever had. I usually like to go to Cheesecake Factory because they have a great N.Y. Cheesecake. This is BETTER. FYI, It had the tiniest lumps when I mixed it and I thought it would a bit lumpy but no!! Everyone said it was the best they ever had! You could take it out of the oven after 1-2 hours. It will be fine. Also, for the water bath, I just used the broiler pan and filled it with hot water after I put the cheesecake in the oven so as not to spill it and it was fine! Chantal, I love you!!

Made this for Easter Sunday, and it was FANTASTIC. It was rich and creamy, with the perfect "diner" cheesecake texture. Better than the famous cheesecake store in Brooklyn. Never bothered to make a topping for it, was delicious plain. I followed the others and used 2 tbl. flour, baked it in a 10" springform pan (9" would be too small) and had a 9x13 pan with boiling water on the bottom rack. Not one crack!! I kept it in the oven for 3-1/2 hours and chilled it overnight. My Dad and Husband both agreed, I can now throw out all of my other cheesecake recipes. Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful recipe with me.

Not to my liking, the texture was all wrong IMO.

I definitely WILL NOT be making this again! If I do I'll gain three or four hundred pounds! I can't tell you how many cheesecakes I have ruined over the years, but this one turned out beautiful. The trick is not to overcook it. I baked it at a lower temp, and also used the water bath method, and I think that's why it came out so perfect. I reduced the flour to 3TBS for a creamier texture, also. After baking an hour, I let it cool in the oven for another hour and then chilled in the fridge overnight. If you love cheesecake as much as I do, this is the recipe for you! Thanks Chantal!

This was my first Cheesecake ever and it was great! I'd made it probably 4 or 5 times when I decided to de-fat it. Here's what I did: Three 8oz containers of fat free cream cheese. One 8oz container of Organic full fat cream cheese. Fat Free Sour cream and milk. Instead of sugar, I used Xylitol (natural sugar substitute). For the crust I used 1 cup of Graham Craker crumbs with 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance Light and 1 Tbsp. applesauce. And egg substitute for 1/2 the eggs. I think those are the only adjustments I made. I figured it to be about 2 g of fat per serving and about 200 calories. I actually liked it better than the full fat version! And no one would think it was low fat!

I was excited about making this cheesecake since it got so many good reviews. It was terrible I can now understand the negative responses. at first i thought the negative reponses were crazy compared to all the good ones. Mine also cracked turned brown on the edges and taste like an egg. Way too many eggs I think. Also I made this for dessert to take to a friends house and they also thought it was gross. I was embaressed. I will try the cheesecake recipe my friend has who says Its easy and good. It takes cottage cheese Instead of sourcream and way less flour and eggs.

I've been making this cheesecake successfully for many years now, and I figured it was about time I review it. I love this recipe--it's a perfect base. It comes out picture perfect every time!! After many, many, MANY trial and error sessions and reading MANY reviews, this is what I do: 1. Make sure ALL of your ingredients are at room temperature. This will make them easier to mix so that you don't overbeat the cheesecake. 2. Don't use a stand mixer. Use a wooden spoon and mix everything by hand. 3. Make sure to grease the sides of your pan so the cheesecake doesn't pull and crack as it cools. 4. I like a less crumbly crust, so I make mine using 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. I then blind bake it so it doesn't get soggy before putting the filling in. 5. After pouring the filling in the springform, place your uncooked cheesecake in a turkey oven bag and then place the whole thing in a larger pan filled with 1 inch of water. The turkey bag makes the water bath so much more manageable and keeps the cheesecake from browning on top. 6. Decrease the temperature from 350 to 325. I've found that the residual heat from cooking at 350 has made some of my cheesecakes souffle on the sides while cooking. It makes for an icky gritty texture. 7. It's not necessary to leave the cheesecake in the oven for several hours after baking. One hour is more than enough. 8. At this point, I usually put cherry pie filling on top (if I do anything else to it at all). I hope this helps!

I've never made a cheescake before. This recipe was simple and turned out really well. Light and fluffy, no cracks. If you are a cheesecake novice like me, be sure to check out the video and short articles on cheesecake tips... ie make sure ingredients are at room temperature, don't over mix, wrap your springform pan in foil and then bake in a waterbath. I had never used a springform pan before- check out the video for a demonstration! Enjoy!

Simple the best! A few tips: let all of your ingredients come to room temperature before you start. And, don't overmix the ingredients. I used a mixer for the cream cheese, but did the rest by hand. Last, use the water bath. Once I did all of this, I had no more cracks! For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.

The only thing I would add is the grated zest of 1/4 - 1/2 of a fresh lemon-the lemon zest is an essential flavor in authentic New York cheesecake. It does not make the cake taste like lemon it just adds a deeper component to the flavor.

I tried this recipe just on a whim, instead of using my usual recipe. This was horrible. It did not have a normal cheesecake flavor and for some reason it was very grainy. Plus, it fell before I even opened the oven door. The crust wasn't very good either. Maybe I should put my recipe on here, and give people a good recipe.

WOW! this cheesecake is sooo good. if you've overmixed your batter try this: pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan and let rest 15min at room temperature (this allow the air bubbles a chance to rise to the surface). then with one hand holding the spring form pan steady, use the other hand to sharply tap the pan releasing the air bubbles. if you still see air bubbles on the surface of the batter, lightly smooth out the bubbles with the back of a spoon or a spachila. repeat as needed (i did this 3x just to make sure i get as many air bubbles as i can). i also baked mine at 325F for 60min and left it in the oven to cool for about 4hrs and it did not crack. you can also substitute some of the flour with corn starch to minimize cracking.

Ok-I'm TOTALLY going against popular vote here but let me give my 2 cents. I made this & neither my hubby nor I would take more than 1 bite. It tasted like a mouth full of sourcream & left a funky aftertaste. The crust is also tasteless & doesn't stick together at all. Anyway, to be fair, I decided to make it a 2nd time, just to make sure I didn't do anything wrong the first time around. SAME issues. I'm just shocked how many great reviews it has received.

mine turnee out beautifully, but I did add 1/2 cup more sugar and 1 add'l egg. I have always been told to use 1/2 c sugar per block of cream cheese (?) don't know where that rule came from. Also, I followed all the tips for not over mixing, baking slow and also cooling it down at a very slow pace. Once finished, It did not have even the tiniest crack. Used this baking/cooling method as taken from other comments on this page. Baked 375 for 30 minutes, reduced to 250 and baked 90 minutes. (sat a 13x9 pan of water on the rack directly BELOW the rack the cheesecake was on) Turned oven off but left cake in the oven for 1 hour without opening the door. Opened door, let sit another 30 min. Finally, moved to counter until cheesecake was at room temp. Chilled in fridge overnight. Takes patience but it works!

Great recipe. This came out perfectly. I used a water bath as well when baking. Try this as follows, if you like: Wrap the outside bottom half or so of the sping-form pan with a couple layers of aluminum foil before putting in the crust and the filling. When filled and ready for baking put this spring-form pan into a roasting pan and add warm water until it is about 1/2 way up the side of the spring-form pan. Bake in the oven as noted in the recipe. The water moderates the oven temperature and adds moisture which prevents cracking. My cheesecake came out perfectly...! Thanks. Have a great one.

I have been baking cheesecakes for a long time and never quite found exactly what I was looking for in a recipe. This recipe is simple and turns out a cheesecake that is exactly middle of the road - neither heavy nor light. I grease the sides of my pan with butter and ALWAYS use a waterbath. If you are higher altitude like me, you have to leave a cheesecake in the oven for a little bit longer after baking. (Minimum of 5-6 hours although 7-8 is better.) I have heard a lot of comments about not overbeating the batter. I suggest simply letting the batter rest for 15-30 minutes prior to pouring into the pan. I generally tap the sides of my mixing bowl to help any air bubbles rise. (This is a trick my grandmother taught me when we baked cakes together. It helps prevent them from cracking too.)

"The Best" I ever made.... This is the One and Only, Keeper!!!! .. Just make it!!! 100 STARS.... If this recipe does not come out right, it is only the user's fault. Do not over mix or overbake. Air bubbles, air bubbles, air bubbles. Have made this recipe exactly as written 7 times and has come out WONDERFUL ever time. Still 100 Star's....

I can not fault the recipe as its a great one. for my personal taste it was way too rich, the next time i made it i put in 4tbls of lemon juice and some zest and it just hit the spot- stayed rich and creamy but the lemon just added some freshness. Thanks for sharing Chantal.

Everyone loved this cheesecake. Screwed up cooking and cracked top.

@lou earlier today: you can use a quiche or flan dish, or indeed any cake tin - it's just that the cheesecake slides out better from a springform tin. I have made and served cheesecakes in a pyrex flan dish. Or you could use ramekins or muffin cases and make mini individual cheesecakes? ;)

When I tried this recipe it was the first time I had made a cheesecake and so I was a bit intimidated, however this recipe was so amazing and simple to make. Now when I make it I do make some simple changes, first I don't add the flour so that it comes out with a richer, creamier texture. Secondly I don't put the cake directly into a water bath, instead I fill a pan with water and place it on the lower rack. This technique has the same effect as the water bath but ensure that the water stays out off the crust and you don't have to waste time with the foil. Finally I grease the sides of the pan before putting in the cake so that it is easier to remove later. I do let the cake sit in the oven for the full 6 hours to cool but you can take it out earlier if you wish.

I would give this ten stars if I could! LOVED THIS! I have never made a cheese cake in my life & what a first! I did follow suggestions of others. I used the crust recipe off of the Graham Cracker Crumb box, mixed sugar & cream cheese with mixer then mixed the rest by hand(being careful not to over mix), greased bottom & sides of springform, wrapped (outside)bottom & sides of pan with foil & used a water bath, & cooked at 325 since I have a dark pan. Cooked until top started to turn light golden. It came out perfect! No cracks. The only thing I would suggest is mixing in all ingredients BEFORE adding the flour. The first time I made it the vanilla & flour formed small brown lumps, but tasted fine. Try it with the "Raspberry Sauce" recipe that is on this site(as someone else suggested). This cheese cake is MAGICAL! Thanks!

Just a couple modifications: I baked mine at 325 instead of 350 (so glad I did- it was perfectly cooked) and used the 1-1/2 cup grahams 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter recipe for the crust. This cheesecake tastes DELICIOUS and even though I usually love fruit on top I preferred this plain! I used a pan of water on the rack below, never once opened the oven and cooled it inside for probably about 5 hours- NO cracks (yay!). The only problem I had was that somehow little flecks of the graham cracker crust floated up throughout and to the top of my cheesecake! I have no idea why this happened but it is not very pretty-looking. I think next time I will pre-bake the crust to set it first. Other than that perfect texture and taste- my guests said it tasted like the Chesecake Factory's!

I've made this cheesecake twice and received raves from family and friends. Light, creamy and delicious! In probing the few dissenting reviews I have some comments that are similar to those of other reviewers. First, my cake cracked both times, but I suspect it was because I couldn't resist taking a sneak peak and opening the oven. But if you are using a topping (in my case blueberry topping), no one will ever notice. Second overbeating and/or baking will change the consistency in any cream and egg based recipe. It's just something you learn with practice. Third, I'm from New York City so I am biased toward any "New York Style" cheesecake (i.e. more creamy than cakey.) Some European style cheesecakes include more flour and have more of a stiff cake-like consitency. So if that is the kind of cheesecake you prefer than this recipe may not be for you. Finally, the cake tastes best if it is chilled at least 24 hours. You need to give it sufficient time set and the flavors to settle. This is not a cake you should eat the same day, otherwise it will taste "eggy" as some have suggested. All and all I love this recipe.

This turned out great. I put a pan of water on the rack underneath and I got my first ever cheesecake without a crack on top! The flavor was great, I gave the cheesecake as a gift and now I have other requests for it!

I made this recipe for some friends substituting in canned pumpkin for half of the sour cream and adding some cinnamon. It was a delicious creamy "pumpkin cheesecake" recipe everyone loved.

OK, mine cracked. 2 big cracks that crossed each other in the center. If you are a beginner, ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW THE RECIPE TO A TEE!!! I was so impatient that I opened the oven while it was baking (at least 2x) and opened it again several times as it was cooling. There you go, I got punished for it. The cheesecake will rise over the pan as it bakes, DO NOT PANIC, DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. The cheesecake will have a jiggly, wet looking middle, DO NOT PANIC, DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. WHAT EVER HAPPENS, DO NOT OPEN IT!

Wow! I have never made a cheesecake before, so this was my first. I made it to go along with Thanksgiving dinner. I got so many compliments, I will definitely be making this again!! I did everything the same except I used 1 1/4 cup graham crackers with 3 tablespoons of butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. I baked the crust for 10 minutes then let the pan cool while I was mixing up the cheesecake ingredients. The crust definitely needed sugar. I made a really easy strawberry glaze for the top. Also I didn't have a pan large enough to use for a water bath so I used a disposable aluminum pan with 1 inch of hot water in it. I put it on the rack beneath the cheesecake and it didn't crack, sink, or burn. Thanks so much Chantal...my whole family thanks you!

Wonderful recipe that is so easy to follow and tasted even better than the deli's. I tried other recipes and this one by far is the BEST. I topped mine with Strawberry Coulis and everybody was raving about it. I just cut down the sugar to 1 1/4 cup and then made a few changes in the directions to avoid lumps. Mix the cream cheese and sugar together at low speed, using paddle attachments, until completely smooth. Mix in the flour, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, blending throughly after each addition.Incorporate sour cream. Lumps occur when the eggs are added to the cream cheese mixture too fast, when the bottom of the mixing bowl is not scraped properly or both. Be careful not to overbake cause this will cause cracking. Also, If you do not have a springform pan, the cake can be prepared in a 9 X 3 commercial cake pan. In this case, line the bottom with a circle of baking paper before you press in the crust. To unmold, run a thin knife around the inside of the pan, pressing tightly against the side of the pan so you do not damage the cake, to loosen the sides. See Advise section for additional info on cheesecake preparation.

I gave this recipe a 4 because of the issues I had with it. I was disappointed because I followed the recipe to a T and it rose above the pan (I used a 9" springform) and cracked A LOT. I had a huge 1 inch deep X in my cheesecake. I've made cheesecakes before and this has never happened. However, the taste was DELICIOUS. I will attempt this recipe again because it was that delicious. Hopefully, I have better luck this time.

Thanks to Chantal for this recipe. I am now the cheesecake queen around here. My coworker's five year old daughter loves me because I make her cheesecake. For hers, I melt a half a bag of rollo caramel candies with one can of sweetened condensed milk and stir it into the cheesecake just before I bake it. She loves it. I also use ginger snaps in my crust for a little kick, and substitute half of the vanilla for lemon juice. Just some tweaks, but you don't really need them. This is a great recipe, even for people who aren't great cooks, like me :)

I am a professional pastry chef, and this recipe with a few modifications is the best cheese cake recipe I've encountered. First off I add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon to the crust. Secondly. I add cream to the batter instead of milk(it is cheesecake after all not light to begin with). Plus I change the cooking temp. To 325' for an hour and 15 minutes. As for the cooling time, it is both stupid and unsafe to leave your cheesecake in the oven 6 HOURS to cool off!! The temperature danger zone is between 41degrees and 141 degrees, leaving it that long in the oven, specially with a highly perishable dessert can kill someone!! I take it out right away cool it for an hour and a half then freeze it it comes out much easier

This was great tasting cheesecake! I topped it with the raspberry sauce recipe from this site and it was delicious, everyone loved it! The cheesecake batter was way too much for a 9 inch springform pan, I had enough batter to fill a 9 inch pie plate also. Mine cracked but I just filled the crack up with raspberry sauce and nobody knew the difference.

I'm EXTREMELY scatter-brained. And even with all the mistakes I made, the recipe turned out perfect. This was my first cheesecake, and I wasn't very good at making my crust, but it was okay. I baked mine in a water bath and put it in the oven. I stared at it fondly for a few seconds before I realized, to my horror, I forgot to put in the flour. So I added the 1/4 cup right there into the cake itself and messily stirred it in. I had this sinking feeling in my heart "This is going to turn out horrible." After one hour I turned the oven off and let it stay there overnight. In the morning I took it and put it in the fridge to have for dessert later at dinner. My family raved, It tasted fantastic. I bet if made it again, without any mistakes, it would taste even better.

This recipe was excellent. I added my own personal touches to it. It came out great. Tip: Put a pan of water on the rack under the cheesecake to prevent cracking. Therefore you do not have to let it set for 5-6 hours

Great cheesecake! I made this last night and followed the recipe exactly except I left out the vanilla and added a third cup of key lime juice and it was SO GOOD! I think I may have over mixed it because I did get a crack in the middle but it still tasted great. I also didn't use the water bath because it was my first time making a cheesecake and I wanted to make one without it to see if maybe, just maybe, I didn't need it...guess I do though, lol. I left it in the oven for five hours and then stuck it in the refrigerator and it was great. Looked good too except for the crack. Next time I'll add more key lime juice for more tang. Great recipe!! ----------------UPDATE------------------------ I've made this so many time and finally got it to where it doesn't crack and get brown. I bake it at 325 for 15 minutes and then at 250 for 15 minutes and then at 225 for 15 and then 200 for 2 hours and 50 minutes and finally 250 for 10 minutes. I know this sounds insane but it turned out so beautiful. I found a recipe online and that is how they baked it so I decided to try it and IT WORKED!!!!! Hope this helps someone. I have also heard you can bake them at 200 degrees for around 3 hours. Haven't tried that though.

From everything I've read, New York style cheesecakes are supposed to be more dense and less creamy than other types of cheesecake, and therefore are not meant to be baked in a water bath in order to produce their unique texture. Having said that, this is a decent New York style cheesecake. My friends and I generally prefer creamier cheesecakes,though-which are totally different. I make about 20 different cheesecakes and love them all so much that I can't pick a favorite. This is alright, but I've made much better. My oldest daughter loves cheesecakes of all kinds and this is the only one that disappointed her. (If you are happy with this recipe baked in a water bath then go for it! It is your cheesecake after all!)

This is one EXCELLENT cheesecake. As per others tips I made the crust of 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers, 1/4 cup + 1 TBS melted butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar. I also substituted Baileys Irish cream for the milk. WOW definately a keeper. Thanks so much for this recipe

This was the first cheesecake recipe I ever tried and it was great. I made 2 cheesecakes (with 1/2 regular cream cheese, 1/2 low-fat) for the 4th of July. I dropped both on the counter a few times before putting them in the oven and didn't end up with any air bubbles. I forgot to use a water bath on the first one so the sides came up a little and the cheesecake turned out darker in the same amount of time. It also cracked a tiny bit in the center. The second cheesecake was perfect. I used a water bath and the cake retained its shape without cracking at all. The only thing that I'll change next time is to add more crust along the sides of the pan and maybe add extra butter to make the crust a little more solid.

900 people cant be wrong....this IS the best cheesecake ever! Everyone that ate it commented the same, most more than once. I did not have any problems with the cake cracking or falling in on itself. Probably because I followed directions. I greased the pan (including sides) generously and left the cake in the oven after the cooking time was over. Though I did peek a few times....

This was my first attempt at a cheese cake and it came out fantastic. I followed the recipe as stated and there were no cracks. The taste was very good too. Thanks for sharing.

WONDERFUL! I've made only one other cheesecake in my life (which was awful), but this one turned out absolutely gorgeous. I did have to try twice and make a few high altitude adjustments, but the 2nd attempt was PERFECT! My son is a "cheesecake officianado" at only 12 and he loved it on his birthday. Will definitely be making this one again and again and again! *high altitude* Use 1/4 c. butter in crust; subtract 1Tbs sugar for each 2000 feet; bake at 325 for one hour, cool in oven for 3 hours and then in fridge; make sure ingredients are at room temp and don't use an electric mixer past creaming the cheese... blend by hand. PERFECT, I promise!

This recipe has made me known as the cheesecake master at my work. Every time someone's birthday rolls around they ask me to make it for them. I add cinnamon to my crust and have topped off the cake with fresh strawberries and a chocolate drizzle before. Every time the cake turns out beautiful! Don't think I will ever try a different recipe after this one!

This was the first cheesecake I had ever dared to make and it was amazing. I used a bit more vanilla extract cuz I love the creamy flavour and using my mixmaster made it so easy. I made two this weekend and now have orders to make more. As the other reviews say be very careful not to overmix the mixture and make it airy otherwise it gets bubbles on the top. I served mine with a Raspberry Coulis. Fantastic.

DH says that I make the best cheesecake now! Thanks Chantal! I followed the other members' tips on using a water bath and leaving it in the oven until it cools down. For those that don't know, it is essential that the water be boiling when you place it in the pan for the water bath. The steam is essential for keeping the top moist.

I used a 10" springform and it was fine. I did do the 12 graham craker,1/4c. sugar, 1/4c. butter crust some suggested with nice results-no pre baking like some. I did do the water bath in my broiling pan- so not too deep but something went very right! I also cut it, once it was chilled, with dental floss. Hold it taught and pull it downward through the cake and then let go of one side and slide it out the crust and repeat. The slices lifted right up..it looked so professional!! Oh yeah, and it tasted great too! Easy to make (and easier to eat)

Followed directions to the tee with the exception of the water bath, put it in the regfigerator over night, next day night mare, it was not done at all. Went to store bought more cream cheese. Round two did a little more reasearch and discovered that i should have got bath water up to boiling before adding and also that sometimes it can take up to an hour and a 1/2 to cook and that you want about a 3 inch in diameter jiggly center. So exactly 1 and 1/2 hours this took place. I turned the oven off and ran my hot greesed knife around the cake and then shut the oven door for 4 hours, then to the refigerator it went.. the next morning..perfection!!!! I am so glad i did not give up..

This is a great recipe! The first 2 time I made it, I forgot to put in the sour cream, but it still came out good. My mom and neice enjoyed it so much, they keep on requesting it. Yesterday, I tried it a 3rd time--this time with the sour cream and WOW! This is the best cheesecake ever! So creamy and rich, so please make sure you don't forget the sour cream. This is what makes this cheesecake silky and smooth. Also my suggestion is to cream the cream cheese and sugar together with a hand held mixer on low and after that, mix everything else in by hand. This will prevent air bubbles in your mix which will reduce cracking. My search for the perfect cheesecake recipe is over! Thanks so much Chantal!

Follow the directions to the letter, it was bland and it cracked.

I had never made a cheesecake before, and this one was delicious! I believe it would be good exactly as written, but I made a few changes as suggested by other reviewers. 1. I made the crust as follows: 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. butter, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1 T cinnamon. 2. I used a water bath, but did not set the cheesecake down in the water. I put a 9x13 on a lower shelf in the oven while the oven was preheating and left the entire time cheesecake was baking. I also wrapped 1 layer of aluminum foil on the bottom and sides of the springform pan, but don't know that this made any difference. 3. I omitted the flour 4. I baked at 300 for 1 1/2 hours 5. I let cool in the oven with water bath for 1 hour, without water bath for 1 hour, on the kitchen counter for 1 hour before putting into the refrigerator. I topped this cheesecake with "Hot Fudge Sauce I" from this website. It was very easy and tasted great. Hope this is helpful! Enjoy!