27 Must-Make Cheesecake Recipes, From Classic to Innovative (Pumpkin Cheesecake Crunch Bites, Anyone?) (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular type of cheesecake? ›

New York-style cheesecake:

Undoubtedly the most popular type of cheesecake in the United States, New York-style cheesecake is rich and dense with a cream cheese base. It is usually baked in a springform pan.

Making it lighter: If you don't like the thick and heavy cheesecake then I would recommend adding more eggs if you want to keep the classic taste or adding sour cream or heavy whipping cream if you like how those change the taste.

Place the cheesecake in the fridge for an hour, then remove it and leave it on the counter for 10 minutes for a faster cool-down.

Regular cheesecake relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silkier, creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on the cream cheese which is why it's so dense and rich. Extra cream cheese isn't the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special.

When it comes to New York style cheesecake, heavy cream or sour cream is added to the mixture to create a denser, smoother, and creamier cheesecake. A springform pan allows for even baking and a high temperature creates a nice, attractive golden brown crust.

The addition of cream gives a velvety, smooth texture, but too much of it and you begin to mask the cream cheese flavor. Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor.

Small eggs are rich in taste – to avoid imparting that strong flavour in your cake, swap them out for large eggs (although most recipes will specify large eggs). Not cooking your cake at the right temp or time; cooking your cake for a longer bake time than needed could make your cake taste eggy.

2. Overcooking. Just like with scrambled eggs, overcooking your cheesecake can cause a grainy texture. Take care not to overbake your cheesecake in the oven and remove it as soon as it's set.

Many recipes say to let the cheesecake sit in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for about an hour, then let it cool completely on the counter. It also needs to spend four hours, or ideally overnight, in the fridge before slicing and eating to ensure the perfect velvety smooth texture. Speaking of slicing…

Should I cover no-bake cheesecake in the fridge? ›

Assemble and chill the cheesecake

I like to do this with an offset spatula, and first I push the filling down to ensure there aren't any air pockets in the cheesecake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least for 4 hours, for the cheesecake to fully set.

New York cheesecake uses a larger portion of cream cheese. It is rich and dense. Regular cheesecake uses more cream and has a creamier texture. There is typically a crust made of graham crackers, but sometimes other cookies like shortbread are used.

When most people refer to Philadelphia-style cheesecake, experts say, they're talking about a version marketed by the cream cheese brand. New York style typically has sour cream or heavy cream in the mix. Philadelphia style doesn't. Which means it doesn't have anything to do with Philadelphia, the city.

Soft and creamy, light and fluffy, or firm and dense. Varying the oven temperature and using whole or separated eggs make all the difference. Challenge: For most cheesecake fans, perfect cheesecake has more to do with texture than flavor. Some cheesecakes are firm and dense, like a classic New York-style cheesecake.

Ranked: All 38 Cheesecake Flavors at the Cheesecake Factory.