Aren’t cheesecakes just the BEST?
I have so many great cheesecake memories from the States. But THIS Baked Sour Cream Cheesecake is an easy one to make at home. And it tastes divine – just like one from a fancy restaurant. It has a super thick and creamy texture, with just a hint of tang from fresh lemon juice and sour cream (my fav).
Add in a crunchy cookie crumb and a helping of fresh berries and you have the perfect dessert. The best part? No water baths friends. This is a NO FUSS baked cheesecake that is sure to impress.
I have written before about my love for The Cheesecake Factory in America. It is a must every time we go to the States. But one of my other favourite cheesecake memories was in New York roughly five years ago. On a local’s advice, we stumbled into Junior’s near Times Square and had one of the most amazing slices of cheesecake I’ve ever had.
Those kinds of memories never leave you. So I’ve been eager to make a sour cream ‘New York style’ cheesecake for the blog ever since. It’s been a long time coming but here is my version. Apart from taste, I wanted to create a cheesecake that was easy to make at home. I don’t know about you but the whole baked cheesecake thing used to scare me.
I used to hear the stories of leaking water baths and cracked cheesecakes and I always thought – too hard! If you’ve thought the same, you need to try this recipe. All your have to do is mix, stir and bake. No water baths. I don’t usually have any problems with cracks either (although a crack doesn’t greatly bother me anyway).
Just try not to over beat the mixture once you have added the eggs, double check your oven temperature (I recommend getting an oven thermometer because my ovens always seem to run hot) and leave it in the oven to cool and you should be a-ok. Enjoy!
Baked Sour Cream Cheesecake with Berries
Baked Sour Cream Cheesecake with thick and creamy texture, a crunchy cookie crumb and a helping of fresh berries.
- Yield: Makes one 8 or 9 inch cheesecake
Ingredients
- 200 grams (2 cups) Digestive biscuits or graham crackers, crushed
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 500 grams (2 and 1/2 cups) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cornflour or corn starch
- Assorted fresh berries, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 C (320 F). Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with a little butter along the bottom and around the sides. Place your cookie crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Melt your butter in the microwave, then pour over the cookie crumbs and mix well. It should resemble wet sand. Place your crumbs into your prepared pan and press down gently to form one even layer. Pop in the fridge.
- Next, add your cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Add your caster sugar and beat again. Then add your eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and the vanilla and gently mix by hand. Then stir in your sour cream and cornflour. Stir until smooth but try not to overmix. Taste and see if you would like too add any more lemon juice.
- Pour your cheesecake filling over your crust and smooth over the top. Bake in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until it no longer wobbles in the middle. Try not to over bake it as it will continue to cook as it cools. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for at least one hour. Then remove and leave to cool slightly on a cooling rack before transferring to the fridge. The cheesecake is best left in the fridge for 3-4 hours (or overnight) until it cools completely and becomes nice and firm before slicing.
- To serve, top with fresh berries and a dollop of cream.
That looks fantastic. Can you please have a short video or list the steps on how to remove the cheesecake from the pan? How did you get the crust intact? I always have this problem and always have some of the crust reaming in the pan 🙁
Hi Hala, thank you for your comment! My suggestion is to make sure you have enough butter in your crust so it stays together. If you squeeze the crumbs together in your hand, it should stay in shape. You could add an extra tablespoon if you feel it is too dry. You could also put a piece of parchment or baking paper in the bottom of your pan to help remove the crust after the cheesecake is baked. I always use a springform pan, so I can release the sides, and then use a cake lifter or a spatula to carefully remove the cheesecake from the base. I hope these small tips help you make a wonderful cheesecake!
Beautiful, Jess! And sour cream in cheesecake is just ace. <3
This just made me crave a bite of this cake!! Looks so yummy and colorful.Thank you for the post!!
Thank you so much sibel! 🙂
Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts too! We don’t live really close to a Cheesecake Factory, but we’ll make a special trip there every now and then because it’s just so good. I definitely need to start making my own at home more often though because this looks absolutely perfect, Jess!
Oh I couldn’t agree more Danielle! Last time we went to the States we went there 4 times! haha
Yay, no water baths. That always I intimidated me a little. This is a gorgeous cheesecake. Just perfect!
I know what you mean Amanda! I really wanted an easy cheesecake that everyone can make 🙂
I don’t usually bake cheesecakes, but love how easy this is.
So easy Joanne! But still delicious! 🙂