Rise to the cheesecake challenge with our extensive baker’s guide to the rich, creamy classic!
Batter Up
From pressing in the crust to pouring the filling, here’s how to get an ideal cheesecake from mixer to oven.
Use the bottom of a glass or metal measuring cup to smooth and tamp down your crumb crust in the springform pan. It should be a tight fit, with no loose crumbs lingering. Prebaking your crust will help create a sealed barrier between crust and filling, sidestepping the soggy bottom issue.
For the smoothest batter, make sure your ingredients are room temperature before starting. Also, scrape the sides of the bowl periodically throughout mixing. If you skip these steps, pieces of cream cheese and other dairy will remain unincorporated and stick around as little globs in your otherwise perfectly smooth filling.
Before pouring your filling onto the prebaked crust, wrap your springform pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil and then place it in a large oven bag, tucking the ends so the bag is flush with the top edge of the pan. The foil will protect your cheesecake from uneven amounts of heat while the oven bag should act as an added barrier between the water bath and the springform pan.
The Magic Water Bath
Master the secret to a perfectly baked cheesecake: the water bath.
WHY WE DO IT: Think of cheesecake as a custard-based dish like crème brûlée. Heavy on eggs and dairy, the cheesecake filling needs a humid bake to keep the egg proteins from drying out or overcooking. Enter the water bath, a homemade humidifier that’ll help you create the most luxuriously textured cheesecake.
HOW WE DO IT: After wrapping the springform pan and adding your filling, place the springform pan in a large roasting pan (a disposable one works fine). Then place your roasting pan into the preheated oven. Using a large measuring cup, pour hot water into roasting pan to 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
Cracking the Case
The reasons why cheesecake cracks—and how best to avoid them
THE CAUSE:Overmixing the batter. When making your filling, overmixing can lead to incorporating too much air into the batter. Once baked, the air bubbles will burst, and the cheesecake will fall and crack.
THE FIX: The number one reason why you’d overbeat your batter is because you’re having dificulty incorporating cold ingredients. Bring your ingredients to room temperature beforehand so the batter will need minimum mixing.
THE CAUSE: Overbaking. Perhaps the jiggly center made you nervous or you accidentally forgot to set the timer, but no matter what, if you overbake your cheesecake, the egg proteins will overcook and cause cracks.
THE FIX: Using a water bath (see opposite page for our water bath tutorial) helps the cheesecake bake at a gentle, steady temperature. Plus, you can use an instant-read thermometer to see when your cheesecake is truly ready (when it registers 150°F [66°C] to 155°F [68°C]).
THE CAUSE:Cheesecakesticking to the sides of the springform pan. As the cheesecake cools, the filling shrinks slightly, creating a tug-of-war between the filling stuck to the sides of the pan and the cheesecake center.
THE FIX: Make sure you’ve properly greased or sprayed your springform pan before pouring in the filling. This will keep your cheesecake from sticking to the sides.
THE CAUSE: Drastic temperature changes. You might have opened the oven door too soon, letting in a cold draft. Or once you removed your cheesecake from the oven, you were tempted to rush it into the refrigerator for the overnight chill. Either way, the shock of cold to a still-warm cheesecake causes cracks.
THE FIX: Resist opening your oven door until your cheesecake is close to completing its baking time. Then let your cheesecake cool completely at room temperature before putting it into the refrigerator to chill overnight.
CRACKS HAPPEN. Perhaps your kitchen is colder because of weather or your oven has a hot spot. For whatever reason, the cheesecake has cracked despite your best efforts. Remember, your cheesecake is still delicious, so instead of calling it a failed experiment, cover the crack with a delicious topping, like a sour cream coat.
FAQs
One of the common reasons why your cheesecake doesn't set is because of the incorrect oven temperature. Do you preheat your oven correctly before baking your cake? If not, this can lead to a lousy outcome. It is essential to ensure that your oven is set to the right temperature before placing your cheesecake.
How do you fix a no bake cheesecake mistake? ›
If your filling is really runny, you can add a little bit of gelatin or cornstarch to thicken it up. Gelatin is great for adding firmness, while cornstarch can thicken the mixture without making it too firm.
Why won't no bake cheesecake harden? ›
That means you need to ensure both the heavy cream and the cream cheese are fridge-cold. If your ingredients are too warm, you'll end up with a soupy mixture that will never set, no matter how long you leave it in the fridge.
What not to do when making cheesecake? ›
Cold ingredients are a big no-no when it comes to cheesecake. If your ingredients are cold you will have to mix them longer which will whip too much air into your batter. If the cake has too much air, it will rise too much in the oven and then the middle will sink when cooling. Nobody wants a sad, sunken cheesecake.
What temperature should a cheesecake be baked at? ›
Place on oven rack then carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top looks slightly dry, especially at the edges. If the middle is slightly wobbly like jello, that's fine.
Why is my cheesecake still runny in the middle? ›
You might worry a runny middle means raw cheesecake, but it's totally safe and normal. The center will firm up as it cools on a cooling rack, resulting in the smooth surface you want. Test Kitchen Tip: Cheesecakes made with sour cream should jiggle a little more and will have a larger soft spot in the center.
What to do with a failed cheesecake? ›
Perhaps your kitchen is colder because of weather or your oven has a hot spot. For whatever reason, the cheesecake has cracked despite your best efforts. Remember, your cheesecake is still delicious, so instead of calling it a failed experiment, cover the crack with a delicious topping, like a sour cream coat.
What happens if you overmix cheesecake batter? ›
Avoid Overmixing: Unlike other cakes, where beating air into the batter is key, overmixed cheesecake can rise, fall and then crack from that excess air. Keeping ingredients (cheese, eggs, liquids and flavorings) at room temperature can help.
Why has my no-bake cheesecake split? ›
Cheesecake can split or curdle for a few reasons – often it's down to the temperature of ingredients. When making cheesecakes (particularly no-bake cheesecakes) the soft cream cheese MUST be full fat, but it should also be at room temperature. However, the double cream should still be cold.
How to fix lumpy no-bake cheesecake? ›
You can either pour the mixture into a pot at a low temperature or put it in a bowl over warm water. Stir continuously until all the cream cheese lumps are melted, and the mixture is completely smooth. It is also a good method to fix cheesecake batters that are curdled or split.
Try this: The cheesecake should be shiny and firm to the touch when set. You can move the cheesecake to the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing, but freezing any longer will make for a frozen cheesecake without the same delightfully creamy texture as the just-refrigerated version.
Why is my no-bake cheesecake base too hard? ›
Remember that the base will set more as it is cooked/chilled so the crumbs don't have to be packed completely solid. If you find that the crumb base is still too hard, then you could slightly reduce the amount of butter used, though we would advise caution on this as the base could become too crumbly instead.
Does cheesecake get firmer as it cools? ›
Either way, the cake will still look wobbly in the center. Don't worry; it will continue to firm up as it cools, first at room temperature, and then in the refrigerator.
What does adding an extra egg to cheesecake do? ›
Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake's velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don't feel like separating that fourth egg and don't mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)
Is 350 too hot for cheesecake? ›
To prevent serious cracking, cheesecakes should always be baked in a moderate (325 to 350 degrees) oven. Thick cheesecakes (greater than 1½ to 2 inches deep) bake more uniformly at the lower end of this temperature spectrum.
What happens if you don't add egg to cheesecake? ›
The cake will not set properly if there is no egg in the preparation, and you will just have a cream cheese pudding. As delicious as cream cheese pudding sounds, it's actually more like buttercream.
Is it better to overbake or underbake cheesecake? ›
Avoid Overcooking
DON'T overbake. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause cracks on the surface. The center of the cheesecake should still be a little wobbly, the filling still pale, and the outer ring slightly puffy and firm. It will continue to cook as it cools and maintains that smooth and rich texture.
How do I know when a cheesecake is done baking? ›
Check to see how much the center jiggles.
When you shake the pan and a 2 in (5.1 cm) area in the center jiggles slightly, the cheesecake is done. If there is a large, jiggly area, or if liquid breaks the surface or sloshes over the edges of the pan, the cheesecake is not finished cooking.
Which baking method is best for cheesecake? ›
Classic Cheesecake Recipe. Look no further for a creamy and ultra smooth classic cheesecake recipe! Paired with a buttery graham cracker crust, no one can deny its simple decadence. For the best results, bake in a water bath.
Why didn't my cheesecake set? ›
A chilled cheesecake won't set firm if you don't make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature when you use it. For best results leave it out of the fridge overnight and don't over beat it.
You want the outer 2-3 inches of the cheesecake to look more set and less jiggly, and in the center to be the party that's jiggly. It should wobble a bit, but not too much. If it looks liquid-y still and has kind of a sloshy wiggle, it's not done it. If it's just set and still jiggly, it should be good.
Why is my baked cheesecake still runny? ›
Liquid can also come out of a cheesecake if it is overbaked as the proteins in the cream cheese mixture start to tighten too much and squeeze out the water. The cheesecake should still be quite jiggly when it comes out of the oven, even though it will have risen and formed a crust on the surface.
Why is my baked cheesecake flat? ›
Not enough structural support: Cheesecake may need eggs and other binding agents to hold it up and keep its shape. Not baked long enough: If the cheesecake hasn't been baked for the full amount of time specified in the recipe, it may not have had enough time to set properly.
Should cheesecake be baked or not? ›
The key difference between baked and no-bake cheesecakes is the former's superior texture. Baked cheesecakes have a dense, fluffy, moist and smooth texture, which is not possible with the recipe for no-bake cheesecake.
Why is my no bake cheesecake base so hard? ›
If your cheesecake base is too hard – this can be down to a few things, such as brands of biscuits, too much butter, or a really cold fridge (or if you froze the cheesecake). Generally I stick to a rule of about 100-150g of butter in a biscuit base.
Why is my no bake cheesecake lumpy? ›
Your cream cheese needs to be room temperature before mixing. Trying to whip cold cream cheese into the filling will result in little lumps. Try this: Pull the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before mixing. Unwrap the cream cheese and cut it into cubes if you're in a hurry to get the cake in the fridge.
