This cheesecake replicates all the iconic slices we have enjoyed in the Big Apple, with a dense, creamy texture and that familiar lemony tang paired with plenty of graham-cracker crust. Now you can make New York-Style Cheesecake at home and save yourself a ticket to the city.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 12 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 12 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 16 graham crackers)
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- For the crust: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl until evenly moistened.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Cool completely on a rack. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
- For the filling: Add the cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream, beating until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt and beat just until combined, taking care not to over whip. Pour into the crust.
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven (don’t pull the rack out of the oven). Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the foil-wrapped springform pan.
- Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges, but the center still jiggles slightly, about 2 hours.
- Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
- Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water and wipe dry before slicing each piece.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 702 |
| Total Fat | 58 g |
| Saturated Fat | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 258 mg |
| Sodium | 533 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 702 |
| Total Fat | 58 g |
| Saturated Fat | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 258 mg |
| Sodium | 533 mg |
Reviews
The instructions are so easy to follow. The ingredients are delicious. I received rave reviews when I served this!
Excellent NY STYLE Cheesecake! I’ve made 3x now and am extremely happy. Followed directions verbatim until bake time. I bake at 325 for 90 min, then shut off oven, leave door closed with cake in it for 30 min. Then open door leaving cake in for another 30 min. PERFECT EVERY TIME ❤️
Made this yesterday. Graham cracker crust was devine! But to get the 2 cups of crumbs I used almost 2/3 box of graham crackers. The batter was quite liguidly but still had the tiny pieces of cream cheese in it but that cooked out. I thought the flavor was lemony and we could occasionally feel the tiny pieces of zest in bites. I used a microplaner so I was hopeful that they would cook down with the 1 hour 33 minute cook time but they didn’t. It was almost like the way you find a tiny piece of coconut in a coconut cream pie. Other than the tiny pieces of zest, the texture was light and fluffy and was the NY style I was going for. I won’t make again without adjust the lemon part. Perhaps only using the lemon juice next time?
I made this cheesecake to win over my wife years ago and I’ve made it for her birthday every year since. It’s a truly fantastic recipe but I do recommend keeping an eye on it because 2 hours is a bit long for most ovens
This was my first attempt at a real cheesecake. I had a springform pan for years but never used it. I was in Costco one day and was staring at the cheesecake they .are when it hit me that I should try making one.
I bought a 3 pound block of cream cheese and went home to make this recipe. It turned out better than anything I could buy! I’ve made it several times. I line my pan bottom with parchment paper and it on takes 90 minutes to cook perfectly!
I bought a 3 pound block of cream cheese and went home to make this recipe. It turned out better than anything I could buy! I’ve made it several times. I line my pan bottom with parchment paper and it on takes 90 minutes to cook perfectly!
Wonderful cheesecake, did not need 2 hours per the recipe. More like 1 hour 40 minutes in my oven.
I am wondering why you have the cream cheese by pounds?? I don’t have a scale and had a hard time finding how many blocks of cr cheese that is. just say how many blocks!!
I love this recipe. Everyone requests I make it for the holidays. Sometimes I add a little extra lemon juice for flavor. Such a great homemade taste, and to me is much better than the Cheesecake Factory.
Wow … I have made dozens of different cheesecake recipes in my life but I really liked this one!! I never had a recipe that called out for 2 1/2 lbs of cream cheese in one cake so I was a little skeptical but it really worked. It’s definitely a keeper. I omitted the lemon and used vanilla bean paste instead of the extract because I happen to have it on hand. So good!!
This was my first time making a cheesecake and my husband loved it.