Homemade New York Style Cheesecake

If you are a cheesecake lover, you know that when you find a good recipe, you do everything you can to keep it. This homemade New York Style Cheesecake with sour cream and lemon zest is a recipe that you are going to want to keep in a safe place.

This New York Style cheesecake with cornstarch is lightly sweet, creamy, and full of cream cheese flavor. It bakes in a water bath at a low oven temperature for over 2 hours to ensure all the moisture is kept inside the cheesecake and to prevent cracking on top. This is also what allows it to keep its impressive height!

Trust me, you will not miss the graham cracker crust when you take a bite of this easy New York Cheesecake. It truly is the best one I’ve ever baked, and I know it will be yours too.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 5 large eggs at room temperature – eggs provide structure and help this cake rise. Make sure to use large eggs, as different sizes can result in different measurements
• 2 cups (1 pint) sour cream at room temperature – use full-fat sour cream. Cheesecake is not a dessert where you should be counting calories
• 4 8-ounce packages of sour cream at room temperature – again, use full-fat cream cheese. This is the base of the cheesecake, so you want it to be rich and creamy
• ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature – butter helps to provide extra richness. Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in this recipe
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar – you don’t need a lot of sugar in this recipe. You want the cheese flavor to shine through
• 2 tbsp corn starch – corn starch helps to hold the cheesecake together while it bakes
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract – use pure vanilla extract if possible
• 1 tsp lemon juice – lemon juice will add a subtle citrus flavor and helps balance out the sweetness
• 1 tsp lemon zest – finely grate your lemon zest so it mixes throughout the cheesecake.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST NEW YORK CHEESECAKE?

Generously butter the inside of a 10-inch springform cheesecake pan with 1 tbsp of the softened butter. Using heavy-duty tin foil, wrap the bottom and sides of the prepared pan in at least 2 layers and set aside. This will prevent any water from seeping into the pan as it bakes in the water bath.

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and make sure your oven rack is in the middle position.
2. In a large bowl, whish together the eggs and sour cream until fully combined.
3. In a medium-sized bowl using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy (3-4 minutes).
4. Add the cream cheese mixture to the egg mixture and beat for another 2-3 minutes until smooth.
5. Add in the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat again for another 2 minutes.
6. Pour the mixture into a prepared pan, then place it into a large roasting pan or baking dish.
7. Place in the oven and very carefully pour hot tap water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the springform pan. Bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes until the top starts to lightly brown.
8. Carefully remove from the oven, lift the springform pan out of the water, and place it on a cooling rack. Remove the tinfoil from the pan and allow the cheesecake to cool fully.
9. Once cooled, cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but it turns out even better if chilled overnight.

FREEZE NEW YORK CHEESECAKE;

Cheesecake can be made ahead and frozen prior to putting any form of topping on. Allow the cheesecake to fully cool to room temperature then remove the ring of the springform pan, cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, and place in a plastic storage bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3-months.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE VARIATIONS:

This cheesecake uses lemon juice and lemon zest, but any citrus fruit will work. You could try lime, orange, or grapefruit!

Enjoy this New York Style cheesecake plain or top it with your favorite fruit compote or homemade whipped cream.

RECIPE TIPS:

1. The key to a smooth and creamy cheesecake is using room temperature ingredients. This prevents any lumps from forming and makes mixing easier
2. Make sure to create a tight seal with your tinfoil around the pan to prevent any water from seeping in. If you need more than 2 layers of foil, use it!
3. It’s hard, but I highly recommend allowing this cheesecake to chill overnight. The result will be a much sturdier cheesecake that holds its shape when cut

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• FLAN DE QUES
• FRENCH SILK PIE
• THE BEST HOMEMADE CHEESECAKE