Perfect Cheesecake Recipe

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: cottage cheese

Ricotta offers a lighter texture while cottage cheese is more economical.

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: plain yogurt

Greek yogurt provides similar tanginess with fewer calories.

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: coconut cream

💰Cheaper: whipping cream

Coconut cream is dairy-free while whipping cream is often less expensive.

sugar

🥗Healthier: stevia

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Stevia is a zero-calorie alternative while brown sugar is often cheaper.

Use a food processor to grind 1 box of graham crackers into about 3 1/2 cups crushed.

Combine the crushed graham crackers with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup melted salted butter until it resembles wet sand.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Lightly grease a springform pan and build the crust by pressing the mixture into the sides first, using a straight-sided cup or glass to help.

Press the mixture down firmly into the sides and bottom of the pan, smoothing where the side and bottom meet with a spoon.

In a stand mixer, add 32 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through.

Add 7 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk one at a time with the mixer on low speed, waiting a few seconds between each addition.

Scrape the bowl again and mix for another 20 seconds to avoid adding too much air to the filling.

Prepare a water bath by placing the springform pan inside a slightly larger cake pan, then place both into a roasting pan.

Add hot water to the roasting pan outside of the oven, or pour it in once the cheesecake is inside the oven.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the top barely starts to brown and the center has a slight jiggle.

Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the cheesecake cool completely inside for about 2 hours.

Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens