Vanilla Cheesecake

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Creamy, silky Vanilla Cheesecake is the perfect way to elevate any dessert menu. This is an easy cheesecake recipe to make and is incredibly versatile. The sugary graham cracker crust, lightly dusted with cinnamon, is like a cozy blanket surrounding the cheesecake filling.

Serve it for dessert any time all year long! It's delicious following a family meal such as Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel or No-Ketchup Meatloaf, or after a holiday meal with Marmalade Glazed Ham or Homemade Smoked Salmon.

A slice of cheesecake on a plate, with lemons and the rest of the cake.

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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Vanilla Cheesecake
🍰 Ingredients to Have on Hand
📖 How to Make the Graham Cracker Crust
👩🏻‍🍳 Prepare the Filling Ingredients
💭 Recipe FAQs
♨️ How to Know When Vanilla Cheesecake is Done
📋 Prepare Cheesecake for Serving & Storage
🌡️ The Versatility of Vanilla Cheesecake
🍽 Other Tasty Dessert Recipes
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Vanilla Cheesecake

I’ve been making this cheesecake recipe for over 20 years and have served it for dessert at casual family gatherings, special occasions and holidays.

The graham cracker crust does not need to be pre-baked and it has a touch of cinnamon in it, which gives the crust a flavor that might remind you of a Snickerdoodle cookie. Yum!

It’s an easy recipe. Like my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe, there’s no need to bake the cheesecake in a water bath. (Scroll down for more details on that.)

🍰 Ingredients to Have on Hand

Homemade Vanilla Cheesecake tastes as delicious as any cheesecake you'll enjoy in a restaurant. As you know, I'm a big fan of recipes with that special wow factor!

My recipes for the Best Blueberry Cake and Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake are also "restaurant-worthy" desserts.

A measuring scoop with sour cream near a mixing bowl with cream cheese filling ingredients for cheesecake.

Pro Tip: The key to your cheesecake turning out perfect is to use fresh ingredients. Avoid using last year's box of graham cracker crumbs from the back of the pantry (that's where mine usually ends up).

Cream Cheese: Use full-fat "regular" cream cheese. Not reduced fat and not whipped cream cheese. Avoid using Neufchâtel cheese, although it's a common cream cheese substitution for dips or dressings, and it's great to use on bagels, it doesn't substitute as well for baked recipes since it has more moisture and less fat.

Sour Cream: This cheesecake has only ½ cup of sour cream, but it adds a wonderful, velvety creaminess to the cheesecake filling - without using a water bath. A win!

Vanilla Extract: This recipe has a full tablespoon of vanilla extract so there's no mistaking this is a vanilla cheesecake!

Lemon: Although you'll use the juice from a whole, fresh lemon, be assured this won't taste like a lemon cheesecake. But a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice helps balance the heavy, cream cheese flavor.

Graham Cracker Crumbs: You can make these yourself by crushing graham crackers into fine crumbs, but I prefer to buy the boxed graham cracker crumbs, which helps keep this recipe super easy.

Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

📖 How to Make the Graham Cracker Crust

The crust on Vanilla Cheesecake is special (and delicious) for several reasons. First and foremost, you don't need to pre-bake it. If you are a fan of graham cracker crusts, you might also enjoy my recipes for no-bake Peanut Butter Pies, and Strawberry Chocolate Pie.

Crushed graham crackers, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. (Photo above) Add the melted butter and stir until blended.

Graham cracker crust ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon on the side.

Stir to create a coarse crumb mixture. (Photo above)

An empty measuring cup used to flatten graham cracker crust ingredients in a baking pan.

Spread the crust ingredients across the bottom of a 9” springform pan. Use a measuring cup to push the ingredients evenly across the bottom of the pan and the side of the cup to push the ingredients up the side of the pan to create a tall edge that goes all the way around. (Photo above)

A mixing bowl full of cheesecake filling over a graham cracker crust in a cake pan.

👩🏻‍🍳 Prepare the Filling Ingredients

Step 1: Use a 2-cup glass measuring cup to blend the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Step 2: Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer. Stir using the mixer's beater or a sturdy spoon until the cream cheese is creamy.

Step 3: Pour in the sugar and blend until the cream cheese is smooth.

Step 4: Add the contents of the glass measuring cup - eggs, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir until everything is well blended and smooth. Add ½ cup of sour cream and blend again until combined. (It's easy to forget the sour cream, but be sure to add it, it's the ingredient that helps ensure the cheesecake is smooth even without a water bath.)

Step 5: Pour the filling ingredients into the prepared graham cracker crust in the (affiliate link) springform pan. Use the tines of a fork to gently fold the crust's top edge onto the cheesecake's surface, forming a rim of delicious graham cracker crust around the edge

A vanilla cheesecake before being baked, in a pan on a counter.

💭 Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different-sized springform pan?

I recommend using a (affiliate link) 9" springform pan, using a different size will impact the baking time and the finished result.

Do I need to remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan?

You don't need to remove the cheesecake from the bottom baking pan, in fact, I always keep the cheesecake on the bottom of the springform pan and place it directly on a serving plate.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice?

For the best flavor please use the juice of a fresh lemon. Although bottled juice may say it's 100% juice, if you were to compare the taste to freshly squeezed lemon juice - we can tell, there is a difference in flavor.

Why do you recommend baking the cheesecake on top of a baking sheet?

The springform pan doesn't have a strong seal. By placing the pan on a baking sheet - or even a pizza pan - you ensure that no trace of melted butter or filling ingredients will seep into your oven during baking.

♨️ How to Know When Vanilla Cheesecake is Done

After 45 minutes of baking, check the cheesecake to see how the center of it is shaping up. The cheesecake may need an additional 5-10 minutes in the oven, but checking it at the 45-minute mark will give you a good sense of how close it is to being ready to remove from the oven.

The cheesecake should wiggle like jello in the center, but not appear liquidy.

Pro Tip: Look for tiny little cracks around the edges of the cheesecake, another sign that it’s ready to come out of the oven.

The cheesecake will continue baking and setting up after you remove it from the oven. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause the cheesecake filling to crack in the middle.

📋 Prepare Cheesecake for Serving & Storage

Place the springform pan with the baked cheesecake on a cooling rack on the kitchen counter.

Let the cheesecake continue to cool at room temperature. Once it is no longer warm to the touch, gently release the spring on the side band of the springform pan and remove it from the cheesecake.

Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to slice it and serve.

The cheesecake will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

It also freezes well. Double-wrap the cooled cheesecake - either the whole cheesecake or single-serve slices - then wrap again in foil and place in the freezer.

Pro Tip: To defrost, place the frozen cheesecake in the refrigerator the day before you plan to serve it. Defrost and enjoy within 3 months for the best flavor.

🌡️ The Versatility of Vanilla Cheesecake

One of the best things about Vanilla Cheesecake is the delicious ways you can enjoy it. Here are some great options:

Slice and serve it plain, the graham cracker crust and the silky cheesecake filling are the perfect, classic dessert. Serve it that way with pride!

Add a layer of fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, caramel, or even a dollop of your favorite jam for an extra special layer of sweet goodness.

Are you looking for a little crunch on top of your cheesecake? Crumble cookies, such as Peanut Butter Cookies on top of each serving or sprinkle crushed candy bars on the top of each slice.

A slice of vanilla cheesecake on a plate with a fork.

🍽 Other Tasty Dessert Recipes

Vanilla Cheesecake is a family-favorite recipe in my house and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. Are you looking for a few more dessert ideas? Here are more tried and true sweet recipes to enjoy.

If you tried Vanilla Cheesecake or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

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5 from 7 votes