Food

How to Cut Cheesecake: 3 Tips for Cutting Cheesecake

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Jan 5, 2022 • 2 min read

A cheesecake is a popular and delicious dessert. Follow the step-by-step tutorial below to cut a perfect cheesecake slice with no crumbs.

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How to Slice Cheesecake

To slice baked cheesecake and no-bake cheesecake, follow the steps below:

  1. 1. Remove the chilled cheesecake from the pan. If it's a homemade cheesecake, remove the sides of the cheesecake’s springform pan. Unclasp the sides of the springform pan for easy release, or run a spatula along the rim of the pan to remove the cheesecake.
  2. 2. Dip a sharp knife into hot water. Fill a tall container with hot tap water, and dip the knife’s blade in hot water. The hot water will ensure that your knife will move smoothly through the cheesecake.
  3. 3. Cut the cheesecake from the edge. Make your first cut in the cheesecake, cutting from the border to the center of the cheesecake in one motion, applying slight pressure to cut through the graham cracker crust.
  4. 4. Clean the knife. Wipe the blade of your knife clean with a clean towel. Dip the knife in the hot water again and repeat until the cheesecake is cut into equal slices. Cleaning the knife will keep crumbs from sticking to the sides of the cheesecake, resulting in clean cuts.

3 Tips for Cutting Cheesecake

To properly cut cheesecake into clean slices, follow these tips:

  1. 1. Chill the cheesecake. To ensure slices keep their shape as you lift the cheesecake slice onto a serving plate, chill the cheesecake until the batter is completely firm. You can bring individual slices to room temperature before serving and garnish the individual slices if you desire.
  2. 2. Carefully remove slices. To remove the slices of cheesecake from the cheesecake pan, run a spatula or a pie server along the bottom of the cake between the pan and the crust. Lift the first slice from the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with the next slice.
  3. 3. Cut your cheesecake into equal slices. Slice your cheesecake in half, then into quarters. If your cheesecake is big enough, you can cut your cheesecake into twelve pieces by cutting each quarter into thirds. You can also slice a big cheesecake into sixteen slices—cut each quarter into eighths, then into sixteenths.

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