Classic Cheesecake Recipe: 5 Tips for Baking a Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a layered dessert with a cheese-based top layer consisting of cream cheese, ricotta, quark, or a similarly soft cheese blended with eggs and sugar, set inside a thin pastry crust. There are two main types of cheesecake: baked and no-bake.

• To bake cheesecake, bakers use a bain-marie, or water bath, to gently cook the dessert in the oven. Once the cheesecake has firm edges with a slight jiggle, the bakers place it in the refrigerator to chill and achieve its signature creamy consistency.
• No-bake cheesecakes feature whipped heavy cream folded into a cream cheese filling, smoothed over a cookie or graham cracker crust, and set in the refrigerator for an extended period, to produce an effect similar to a mousse. This cheesecake type doesn’t contain eggs, so baking is not necessary for safe consumption.

Cheesecake fillings and style vary by season, personal preference, and location.

1. 1. New York cheesecake. As the classic cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, dense, smooth New York-style cheesecake is the most common cheesecake in the United States. The creamy cheesecake features sour cream mixed with cream cheese and sugar to achieve a light, tangy flavor. This cheesecake type sometimes features toppings like chocolate chips, crushed nuts, or strawberry sauce.
2. 2. Japanese cheesecake. Also known as cotton cheesecake or soufflé cheesecake, sky-high Japanese cheesecake uses whipped egg whites to achieve a fluffy, airy volume. These cloud-like cakes generally contain less cream cheese than other baked varieties, have a texture reminiscent of flan, and do not have a crust.
   
3. 3. Indian cheesecake. In Odisha, chhena poda, or “roasted cheese,” is a sweet baked dessert made from a cottage cheese-style cheese with sugar and nuts. Chhena poda is typically has a more extended baking period than US-style baked cheesecake. After several hours, the sugar caramelizes, giving the dish its dominant flavor.
   
4. 4. Filipino cheesecake. Two desserts become one when beloved ube halaya, sweet, mashed purple yam blended with milk and sugar, meets cream cheese and a graham cracker crust in this popular treat from the Philippines.
5. 5. Swedish cheesecake. Swedish cheesecake, also known as ostkaka, is a cheese-forward variation of the classic dessert: Bakers add rennet to milk, which coagulates before baking can begin. (Home cooks who want to avoid the coagulation process often mimic this process with cottage cheese.) The baked cheese is served warm instead of chilled, with jam and whipped cream.

Cheesecakes may seem straightforward, but there are a few ways to ensure a near-flawless result:

1. 1. Use a springform pan. A springform pan—a pan with an interlocking base that fits into an expandable rim, equipped with an outer latch—allows you to release the cheesecake for a neat finish after it has set. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges before unlatching. Learn more about essential baking tools.
2. 2. Master the water bath. A bain-marie, or water bath, is the preferred method for baking cheesecakes because it gently cooks the eggs in the filling. Steam from a base pan partly filled with hot water keeps the surface from drying out as it bakes and conducts heat evenly, gently coaxing temperamental eggs to reveal their creamy, velvety potential.
3. 3. Prevent cracks. When a cheesecake cools too quickly or overcooks, cracks can occur. To prevent cracks, allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven before chilling: Prop open the oven door and let the heat slowly escape, instead of introducing a cool draft straight to the surface of the cake. Avoiding overbaking can be challenging, especially if it’s your first time baking the dessert. However, there are ways to prevent cracking, such as limiting the number of times you open the oven door during the baking process. You can also avoid overbaking if you know what a perfectly cooked cheesecake looks like: it should puff in the center and firm around the edges with a slight overall jiggle.
4. 4. Prevent lumps. To prevent lumps, ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. Allowing cream cheese to soften will create a smoother batter. While it won’t softening the cream cheese doesn’t affect the quality, it can add a level of finesse in the texture department.
5. 5. Leave time to chill. Chilling cheesecake is an essential part of the process: The custardy, creamy interior needs time to set to hold its shape when sliced.