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Easy and Creamy Cheesecake (+Video)

This easy and creamy cheesecake is absolutely delicious! Make your own crust or use store-bought. This recipe comes out perfect every time!

THE BEST FOOLPROOF CHEESECAKE RECIPE

This is one of the easiest cheesecakes you will ever make. Cross my heart. And forget about all those cheesecake recipes from the past where you had to leave the oven door open for 5 hours after baking for the cheesecake to set. This recipe has an easy baking method that takes all of the scariness out of making cheesecake.

two separate slices of cheesecake on two white round plates. Cheesecakes are topped with cherry pie filling.

MAKE A HOMEMADE CRUST OR USE STORE-BOUGHT

I give directions below for both. Most times I am just picking up a store-bought graham cracker crust. When buying a graham cracker crust for this recipe, you will want to look for the one that says “2 extra servings” on the packaging.

Close up photo of a slice of Easy Cheesecake recipe (topped with cherry pie filling) Recipe from The Country Cook.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • graham cracker crumbs
  • sugar
  • melted butter
  • cream cheese – see my post on How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly
  • sugar
  • sour cream
  • vanilla extract
  • lemon juice (optional)
  • eggs
ingredients shown: cream cheese, cherry pie filling, sour cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST EASY CHEESECAKE:

Preheat oven to 300F degrees. 

For the crust:

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and pack mixture firmly into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie pan. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

homemade graham cracker crust pressed into the bottom of a Pyrex  pie dish.

For the filling: 

Mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a mixer. Add eggs one at a time to the mixture and thoroughly combine. The key to getting a really creamy cheesecake is to mix these ingredients together really well until the mixture is kind of thick and smooth (about 4-5 minutes.).

homemade cheesecake filling in a bowl.

Pour filling into prepared pie crust.

homemade cheesecake filling poured into prepared graham cracker crust.

Bake for about 65-70 minutes. 

finished cheesecake, cooling with a red and white dish cloth in the background.

Chill in the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Optional: top with cherry or strawberry pie filling or drizzle with caramel sauce.

Easy cheesecake with homemade graham cracker crust, slice on a white plate with fork.

CRAVING MORE DESSERTS?

Easy and Creamy Cheesecake

This easy and creamy cheesecake is absolutely delicious! Make your own crust or use storebought. Cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream make it the best!
4.89 from 145 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the crust:

For the filling:

Instructions

For the crust:

  • Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and pack mixture firmly into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie pan.
  • Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

For the filling:

  • Preheat oven to 300f degrees.
  • Mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a mixer.
  • Add eggs one at a time to the mixture and thoroughly combine.
  • The key to getting a really creamy cheesecake is to mix these ingredients together really well until the mixture is kind of thick and smooth (about 4-5 minutes).
  • Pour into pie crust.
  • Bake for about 65-70 minutes at 300f degrees. Allow cheesecake to cool completely in the refrigerator before serving (about 3-4 hours)

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • You can make the pie crust, or you can just use a premade one from the store. If you use a pre-made one, try to look for the crusts that says “2 extra servings.” I you can’t find it, just go with the regular ones. You may just have a tad bit of filling leftover.
  • Chill in the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Optional: top with cherry or strawberry pie filling or drizzle with caramel sauce.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 40g | Sodium: 474mg | Sugar: 46g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @thecountrycook and mention us #thecountrycook!

Originally published: February 2011
Updated and re-published: April 2019

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Recipe Rating




161 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I just made your cheesecake recipe and I’m in heaven! I was looking for an easy, small, and delicious cheesecake. I found it! With cherry topping, Yum! SO GOOD!
    Thank You for sharing the recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I loved this recipe but used 1 tsp. almond extract instead of the lemon. This is the 2nd time I’ve made it but it cracked this time. I made a mixed berry sauce for it. This is now my go to recipe for cheesecake. DELISH!!!

  3. 5 stars
    I was so nervous to make my first cheesecake that I sat and looked at the crust for like 2 and 1/2 Weeks.And then I found this recipe and went for it, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! And delicious Makes me feel so good that I did it!

  4. 5 stars
    Blessings country cook tribe,

    Wow!!!! is a great word to describe this cheese cake recipe.

    It was simple, quick and Oooohhh sooooo good.

    Perfect texture, sweetness, and flavor.

    The longer it chills in the refrigerator the more rich and creamy it becomes.

    My husband and both agree it’s the best cheesecake I’ve ever baked.

    Great job!!

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is perfect every time! My husband doesn’t like many sweets, but he loves cheesecake and has been all over the world. This recipe is his favorite!

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe turned out perfectly! i made it for my dad for Father’s Day- I didn’t peek in the oven at all, and refrigerated it overnight, then added fresh berries on top. Everyone raves about it! Will absolutely make this again!

  7. 5 stars
    Made this the other day with an Oreo crust. It was absolutely perfect and so easy! Definitely my new go-to.

  8. 5 stars
    I followed the recipe exactly and also made the crust. I left in the oven with the door open…no cracks. It was easy and so good!

  9. 5 stars
    My apartment’s oven only has the bottom heating element working, so I turn down the temperature by about 50 degrees when baking to avoid the bottom element heating up too much. I’ve made this recipe a few times and love it. I do, however, add a couple tablespoons of corn starch to thicken up the filling. I just made it with a hand mixer for the first time (I used to use an immersion blender) and had to leave out some of the filling from a store-bought crust (gonna use it for brownies) and it came out beautifully.

  10. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe! I was looking for a simple one to make my mom a cheesecake for her birthday. I had never made a cheesecake like this before even though it is my absolute favourite dessert. I’m addicted to this and so thrilled I can just make a cheesecake anytime I want now!

  11. 5 stars
    I made this two nights ago and it was Amazing! I can’t say enough about this recipe ; it was Creamy , Delicious , Perfect. Didn’t include the lemon juice at all.
    My husband loves it and can’t stop eating it.

  12. Hi! I know a good recipe when I see it..all ready to go, yet I’d previously prebaked my graham cracker crust prematurely..Do you think fully wrapped up in tin foil in water bath can prevent ruining by all this cooking it again? Deeply appreciate yr help. Have slot of confidence in you TKS for soonest reply..

  13. 5 stars
    This is the best cheesecake and so easy to make. It has become a favorite for birthdays and special occasions. Following the recipe exactly, yields a perfectly, creamy, tasty cheesecake. I made my own crust – also easy to do. We switch up fruit toppings. Let me add that my young grandchildren love it, too. AND be sure to add in the lemon – it adds a subtle enhancement. Thanks for creating and posting this dessert recipe. 5 Stars! Delicious!

  14. 5 stars
    This was so easy to make and so creamy!
    It disappeared 5 minutes after I put it on the table!
    Thanks for such a great recipe!

  15. 5 stars
    I made this cheesecake and it is delicious! Very creamy and thick. I used store brand cream cheese and had no problems with it. Made the crust from scratch. I used a 9 inch pie plate and I guess it wasn’t deep enough because I had a little extra filling. I used a mini heart shaped pan and baked the extra in that. Turned out great! Definitely making this again.

  16. 5 stars
    Very easy & quick cheesecake. Very creamy, I added a cherry topping. My husband really liked it. I added a teaspoon of vanilla & the lemon , still think it could have used more flavoring.
    I baked it for 58 minutes , I would do 55 minutes next time.
    Definitely recommend.

  17. 5 stars
    This was the BEST cheesecake…so easy to make! The lemon zest added a freshness to the cheesecake… I used a pre-made crust. My family loved it!!! Thank you for posting

  18. 5 stars
    My son and I made this yesterday and I was skeptical – I’ve never made a cheesecake without a water bath. Wow this was wonderful
    It turned out absolutely perfect, creamy and delicious. Thank you!

    1. thats what i am using in a bit i was wondering if it turned out with the springform pan ,,,mmmm can’t wait to taste it