Best Cheesecake Recipe

This Best Cheesecake Recipe features a creamy, fluffy vanilla filling nestled into a classic buttery graham cracker crust. It’s downright delicious served as-is, but there are plenty of ways to dress it up, too. Spoon over some fresh macerated strawberries or blueberries, add your favorite pie filling, or drizzle each slice with fudge sauce, pecan praline sauce, or salted caramel. However you serve it, this is the kind of decadent, bakery-style dessert that’s right at home on a Southern dessert table.

Best Southern Cheesecake Recipe

This classic Southern Cheesecake Recipe features a rich, creamy filling with sour cream stirred right into the batter. The sour cream adds an extra-creamy texture along with just enough tang to balance the sweetness. Since a from-scratch cheesecake takes a little time and needs plenty of time to chill, it’s best to start a day or two ahead. That makes it especially handy for holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and the Fourth of July, or anytime you need a make-ahead dessert that’s ready and waiting when you are.

While cheesecake may seem a little intimidating, it really doesn’t have to be. With my step-by-step instructions and a few helpful tips along the way, this creamy Southern cheesecake is approachable for bakers of all skill levels. Take your time, let it chill properly, and you’ll have the perfect cheesecake a beautiful, bakery-style treat ready for the dessert table.

Key ingredients you’ll need to make Best Cheesecake Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card and quantities.)

Cream Cheese – Softened cream cheese puts the “cheese” in this creamy cheesecake.
Sour Cream – Sour cream gives this cheesecake a creamy texture. Use full fat.
Sugar – Granulated sugar (white sugar) for sweetness.
Whole Eggs – Large eggs stabilize the cheesecake filling.
Flavorings – Vanilla extract adds creamy floral notes to the taste.
Cornstarch – Cornstarch assists with stabilization of the cream cheese mixture.
Graham Cracker Crust – Graham cracker crumbs, butter and granulated sugar for the crust.
Serving – Fresh fruit or berries and whipped cream for serving.

How to Make Best Southern Cheesecake Recipe

Heat Oven and Prepare the Bain Marie – Preheat the oven and place an 8×8-inch pan on the bottom rack of the oven and fill halfway with boiling water.
Prepare Pan – Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the bottom of the pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Make Graham Cracker Crust – Stir together graham crumbs with granulated sugar and melted butter. Press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.
Chill the Crust – Place the pan into the freezer while you make the filling.
Make Cheesecake Filling – Whip together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until completely smooth. Add cornstarch, mix well.
Eggs And Sour Cream – Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in sour cream by hand.
Cheesecake Filling – Pour batter evenly into the crust.
Oven – Bake on the middle rack of the oven per the recipe until the center is still slightly loose when gently shaken.
Cool in Oven – Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly ajar, and leave cheesecake in the oven for one hour longer to finish baking.
Cool – Remove pan to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely to room temperature. Leave the ring in place, wrap and chill in the fridge for 8 hours preferably 24 hours.
Slice – Serve with cherry pie filling, praline sauce, blueberries, lemon curd, blackberries or any of your favorite toppings.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Southern Cheesecake Recipe

Electric mixer. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
Large bowl, medium bowl, small bowl.
Measuring cups and measuring spoons.
9-inch springform pan.
Food processor to crush the graham crackers.
8×8-inch pan filled with boiling water.
Wire rack.
An offset icing spatula or knife to run around the edge to loosen from the pan.
Platter or cake stand for serving.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

Cream Cheese – This cheesecake uses four 8 ounce blocks of plain cream cheese. That’s 2 pounds. There’s really no substitute, this is one time that you need to go for the gold.
Graham Cracker Crust – You can use Nilla wafer crumbs, Biscoff cookie crumbs or gingersnap crumbs for the crust.
Brown Sugar – You can use light brown sugar in place of white sugar for the crust.
Butter – You can use unsalted butter for the crust. When doing so, add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetne
Flavorings – You can also experiment with different flavorings and extracts. If you plan to top it with strawberries, add strawberry extract to the cheesecake filling. You could add lemon extract and top it with lemon curd or blueberry pie filling. The sky’s the limit with this vanilla cheesecake recipe.
Allow Chill Time to Set – It’s important that the cheesecake has ample time to chill before slicing. That makes it ideal for make ahead dessert preparation.
Serving Suggestions – You can top this classic cheesecake recipe anyway you like. Top it with cherry pie filling, praline sauce, peaches, apple pie filling, macerated strawberries or blueberry pie filling. You can use any macerated berries, raspberries or blackberries or a combination of mixed berries and whipped cream. You may also opt to drizzle it with warm hot fudge sauce or salted caramel sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to bake cheesecake in a bain-marie? Cheesecakes love a moist cooking environment to keep the filling creamy and delicate and prevent cracks from forming on top. A classic bain-marie technique is to bake the cheesecake directly in a water bath inside of a large roasting pan. The technique I use in this recipe, skips the hassle of a water bath with a pan of boiling water placed on the bottom rack of the oven, instead.
Classic Bain- Marie – If you prefer a classic approach, you can bake the cheesecake in a bain-marie, simply choose a deep pan that’s big enough for the cheesecake pan to fit easily inside. Fill it with boiling water about 1-inch up the side of the springform pan and make sure the foil is water tight to prevent leaking.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers – Store this easy Cheesecake covered with plastic wrap, aluminum foil in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezer – Prior to freezing, cut the cheesecake into desired size pieces and place a small rectangular piece of wax paper between the slices prior to wrapping. This will allow you to remove only what you need when you want a piece for dessert. You can store cheesecake frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cheesecake in the refrigerator and top it your way.

More Cheesecake Recipes to Make

Double Chocolate Cheesecake is the perfect way to say, “I love you.”
My island inspired Key Lime Cheesecake features a no bake filling.
The topping on my recipe for Pecan Pie Cheesecake is to die for!
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake is filled with those chopped Reese’s cups that we all love.
No Bake Lemon Bliss Cheesecake requires no cooking at all.
No Bake Fluffy Cherry Cheesecake is another quick and easy cheesecake to make.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites from Spaceships and Laser Beams.

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