Yeahhhh buddy, cheesecake! This cheesecake has neutral flavor (not too creamy or cheesy) and medium texture – not too soft and not too hard. That might sound boring but it’s actually a great go-to cheesecake recipe that never disappoints.
- Recipe:
- makes three 4″ cheesecakes
- takes about 2 hours
- each miniature pie serves 3 sparingly
- You need:
- 1 large bowl and 2-3 small bowls
- 3x 4″ springform pans
- One 9″ x 13″ pan
- Whisks, spatulas
- Graham cracker crust:
- 2 c graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- Cheesecake filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5 oz sour cream
- 2/3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 tsp lemon juice
The easiest way to make ground graham crackers is with a food processor, but if you don’t have one, put the crackers in a Ziploc bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or glass bottle until crushed finely.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix 2 c graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted in a small bowl. Divide evenly into the three springform pans and press with your fingers into the base and up the walls of the pan. Wrap the bases of the springform pans with aluminum foil tightly, to keep the bases water tight. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a whisk to cream together 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/3 c granulated sugar. When combined and smooth, mix in 2 large eggs, one at a time. Then stir in 5 oz sour cream, 2/3 tsp vanilla extract and 2/3 tsp lemon juice. Pour into prepared pans.
Place the three springform pans in the 9″x13″ pan, then fill the pan with about 3/4″ of hot water. Put the entire rectangular pan in the oven and bake for 75 minutes, until cheesecake edges are dry and a toothpick comes out clean. Worried about an ugly toothpick mark? Make some fresh fruit compote to go with it 🙂
What not to do:
This is what it looks like if you don’t let your cream cheese soften fully. This will yield a lumpy cheesecake! Visually unappealing, texture won’t be smooth. Taste is close to normal though.
Also what not to do:
I had some extra cheesecake filling, but not enough springform pans, so I poured the rest of my batter into pie pans. Without a water bath, the cheesecake overbaked quite a bit on the top.