This creamy, soft and egg-free New York Style Cheesecake recipe is a favorite among my friends and family. When served with my simple chocolate sauce, this elegant dessert is both beautiful and delicious!
About Cheesecake Recipe
New York Style Cheesecake is the quintessential dinner party dessert. Made with both cream cheese and heavy cream, the filling is extra creamy, dense and soft. I have also engineered this recipe to be completely egg free!
Digestive biscuits make for a buttery, crisp crust that pairs beautifully with the tangy cheese cake filling. That said, this recipe is entirely adaptable to your preferences. Feel free to swap in graham crackers, gingersnaps, Biscoff or even chocolate sandwich cookies instead.
This simple eggless cheese cake recipe gives you a medium sized cheesecake, which is perfect for a small party. You can also easily halve the recipe if you prefer, just be sure to use a smaller springform pan.
This recipe also includes a simple chocolate sauce to serve with the cheesecake. You can skip this if you want, but the sweet chocolate sauce complements the slightly sour taste of the cheesecake very well.
Feel free to substitute your own favorite cheesecake garnish instead, like caramel sauce, fresh berries or lemon curd.
Finally, while cheesecakes are often considered more difficult desserts to make, my recipe takes just 20 minutes of active time to prepare. Make this easy recipe for your next special occasion and bask in the admiration and appreciation of your loved ones!
Note: This recipe is a baked version and does need an oven.
How to Make Cheesecake Recipe
Prepare Cracker Crust
1. Take 10 to 12 digestive biscuits or crackers or marie biscuits. Break them and add in a blender or grinder jar.
2. Grind to a fine powder.
3. Take this powder in a mixing bowl.
4. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter in it.
5. Mix very well with a spoon.
6. Now place this mixture in greased spring pan (a.k.a. springform). Grease the bottom as well as the sides very well with butter.
I used two pans of 5.5 inches (diameter) and 2.75 inches (height).
Tip: You can also use a 5 or 6 inches round pan. Alternatively, you can even use small to medium baking bowls or ramekins for individual servings. In this case you do not need to remove the cheesecake, so you do not need to worry about using springforms.
7. Using your fingertips or the back of a small glass or bowl, press the cracker and butter mixture into the pan, making a neat, even layer. Refrigerate the pan for 20 to 30 minutes, so that the cracker layer sets.
Make Cheese Cake Filling
8. In another bowl, take 3 cups cream cheese (600 grams) and ¾ cup sugar (150 grams).
Note: All the ingredients should be at room temperature.
I have used Philadelphia brand of cheesecake. Feel free to use a good brand that is available to you.
9. Next add 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour), 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder.
10. Using an electric beater, start to whip this mixture.
11. Use a medium-high speed and whip till smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides with a spatula and continue to beat. You can also use a stand mixer to beat the mixture.
Tip: Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl very well to prevent any lumps. The cream cheese tends to hang on the sides of the bowl, so I recommend scraping a few times while making the cheesecake filling.
12. There should be no lumps of cream cheese in the mixture.
13. It should be smooth, thick and creamy without any lumps. Beat the mixture *just* until smooth. Do not over beat, as this can cause your cheesecake to crack.
14. Now add ½ cup cream.
15. Beat the mixture again.
16. Whip till the cream is blended very well and you see a even, smooth, creamy and thick mixture.
Bake Cheesecake
17. Remove the pan from the fridge. Here is the set cracker crust layer.
18. Now pour the whipped cream cheese layer in the pan.
19. Even the top by using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
20. Keep the pan in a preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 180° C/356° F. Remember to preheat your oven at 180° C/356° F for 15 minutes and keep both the top and bottom heating elements on. Keep the pans in the middle rack.
(As mentioned before, I used two pans. If you opt to use a different sized pan, please adjust your cook times accordingly!)
Tip: If you use two pans, I recommend using a baking sheet or tray to help you check for doneness and to remove the cheese cakes from the oven.
21. After baking, check for doneness. A perfectly baked cheesecake will have sides that look risen, firm and set.
The centre of the cheesecake should be wobbly, but not runny, when you shake the pan gently. The sides will also look separated from the pan.
Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. On cooling, the centre will become firm. Do not over bake. Since temperatures vary with the size, make and litres of the oven, do keep a check while the cheesecakes are getting baked. Cracks should not form on the cheesecake.
Tip: To prevent the top of your cheesecake from cracking, keep your oven door slightly open after baking and allow the cheesecake to cool inside it. This will keep the temperature from shifting too abruptly and rupturing the top.
22. Once the eggless cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, cover it with foil or an air tight lid. Place the pans in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Make Chocolate Sauce
1. Take ½ cup hot milk in a bowl. You can heat milk in a pan or a microwave. Do not boil the milk, which can scald it and negatively impact the flavor and texture. Simply bring it to steaming.
2. Add 1 cup roughly chopped sweet chocolate (75 grams). If using semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, feel free to add sugar to taste.
3. Mix very well with a spoon or spatula, till all the chocolate dissolves.
4. Let the chocolate sauce cool to room temperature.
Serve New York Style Cheesecake
5. Dip a butter knife in a bowl or cup containing warm water.
6. Now take the butter knife and gently slide it around the pan edge, separating the cheesecake from the pan.
7. Push the detachable lid from the bottom and gently remove the cheesecake. Then gently remove the lid from the base.
8. Place the cheesecake on a serving plate or tray.
9. Drizzle the chocolate sauce and serve the cheesecake. Enjoy!
Tip: If you prefer, you can also allow your guests to dress up their own cheese cake slices. If you are having a large party, you could even create a cheesecake bar replete with many toppings like chocolate and caramel sauce, whipped cream or buttercream, crushed cookies, candies, fresh berries and citrus curd. So fun!
FAQs for Best Cheesecake
Uh-oh. Sounds like one of two things happened:
1. You over beat the filling, or
2. You tried to cool the cheesecake too quickly.
For the best results, only mix the filling until it is *just* uniform, and allow the baked cheesecake to cool in the turned-off oven with a slightly opened door until cool enough to handle. Then you can remove it and allow it to cool the rest of the way to room temperature.
A very easy way to change the flavor profile of your cheese cake is to change out the crust. Feel free to swap in graham crackers, gingersnaps, Biscoff cookies, or even chocolate sandwich cookies instead!
No problem at all! This cheesecake makes a lovely blank canvas for your to paint your own favorite flavors on. Try subbing in some salted caramel sauce, lemon curd, fresh berries or a berry-based coulis instead!
A New York style cheesecake has a filling that has been augmented with either heavy cream or sour cream, which results in a creamier, denser filling. The addition of lemon zest is also a typical feature of New York style cheesecakes.
Since my filling has both heavy cream and lemon zest, it can therefore be classified as “New York style.”
Absolutely! Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, you can cover it and pop it in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. It should keep well for about 2 to 3 weeks. Any leftovers can also be frozen.
Also, freezing the cheesecake for even just one night can result in cleaner edges for your slices! Remove from the freezer, run a warmed knife around the edge to help it release from the pan.
Then, using a long chef’s knife that you have warmed with water, cut into the appropriate number of pieces. Allow it to come to refrigerator temperatures before serving.
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Creamy Cheesecake Recipe | New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For cheesecake
- 10 to 12 digestive biscuits or graham crackers or Marie biscuits
- 2 tablespoons melted butter – salted or unsalted
- 3 cups cream cheese – 600 grams
- ¾ cup sugar – 150 grams
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- ½ cup cream – 30% to 50% fat, heavy or whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For chocolate sauce
- ½ cup milk – whole milk
- 75 grams sweet chocolate or 1 cup chopped sweet chocolate
Instructions
Preparing Cracker Crust
- Grease or spread some softened butter very well in two springform pans of 5.5 inches (diameter) and 2.75 inches (height). You can also use a 5 or 6 inches round pan. Alternatively, you can even use small to medium baking bowls or ramekins for individual servings. In this case you do not need to remove the cheesecake, so you do not need to worry about using springforms.
- Take 10 to 12 digestive biscuits or crackers or marie biscuits. Break them and add in a blender or grinder jar.
- Grind to a fine powder like texture. Take this powder in a mixing bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons melted butter in it. Mix very well with a spoon.
- Now place this mixture in greased springform pans.
- With your fingertips or the back of a small glass or bowl, press the cracker and butter mixture and make a neat and even layer. Keep this pan in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes, so that the cracker layer sets.
Making New York Style Cheesecake
- In another bowl, take the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Now with an electric beater, start to beat this mixture.
- Use a medium to medium-high speed and whip till smooth. Do not over beat.
- Next add the whipping cream or heavy cream.
- Again beat the mixture till the cream is blended very well and you see a even, creamy, thick smooth mixture. Do not over beat.
- Now pour the whipped cream cheese layer in the pan. With an offset spatula or back of small spoon even the top.
- Keep the pans in a preheated oven and bake 180° C/356° F for 30 to 40 minutes. Remember to preheat oven at 180° C/356° F for 15 minutes and keep both the top and bottom heating elements on. Keep the pans in the middle rack.
- To check the doneness, the sides will look firm, risen and the center of the cheesecake will be wobbly. The sides will also look separated from the pan. Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature.
- Then cover with a foil or an air-tight lid and place the pans in the fridge for 4 hours or more. You can also keep overnight.
For Chocolate Sauce
- Take ½ cup hot milk in a bowl. You can heat milk in a pan or a microwave. No need to boil the milk. Just let it get hot.
- Add roughly chopped sweet chocolate (75 grams). If using semi-sweet or bitter chocolate, then do add sugar as per taste.
- Mix very well with a spoon or spatula till all the chocolate dissolves.
- Let the chocolate sauce cool at room temperature.
Removing and Serving Cheesecake
- Dip a butter knife in a bowl or cup containing warm water.
- Now take the butter knife and gently slid through the sides of the pan, separating the cheesecake from the pan.
- Push the detachable lid from the bottom and gently remove the cheesecake. Then remove the lid from the base.
- Place the cheesecake on a serving plate or tray.
- Drizzle the chocolate sauce and serve. Or your family or guests can serve the chocolate sauce themselves on the sliced cheesecakes.
- If you want you can even add some berries like blueberries, blackberries or strawberries while serving. Dry fruits or slivered nuts can also be sprinkled on the cheesecake.
- Feel free to top the cheesecake with your choice of sauce like a berry sauce or caramel sauce or lemon curd sauce.
Video
Notes
- Keep all the ingredients at room temperature, including cream cheese, vanilla extract or powder and cream.
- Do not over beat the cream cheese. Doing so may result in cracked tops once the cheese cake gets baked.
- Do keep a check while baking as oven temperatures vary. So it can take less or more time than what is mentioned in the recipe. Do not over bake. If you see cracks on top, then remove it from the oven.
- You can skip making the chocolate sauce but I would suggest to make it. Or else top the cheesecake with your favorite sauce like a berry sauce or lemon curd sauce.
- I used two pans. If you opt to use a different sized pan, please adjust your cook times accordingly.
- If you use two pans like me, I recommend using a baking sheet or tray to help you check for doneness and to remove the cheese cakes from the oven.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Cheesecake Recipe from the archives, originally published in November 2016 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
