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Vanilla Cheesecake
Yield: 12 servings
This vanilla cheesecake will not disappoint! With a crunchy graham cracker crust, creamy vanilla cheesecake filling, and vanilla whipped cream frosting, this cheesecake will become your go-to favorite cheesecake recipe!
Equipment
- 8" springform pan or cheesecake pan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs approximately 15 graham crackers
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ tsp salt
Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform or cheesecake pan with a parchment circle and assemble the pan.
- Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to create fine crumbs.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter and salt.
- Pour graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan. With the help of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, firmly press the graham cracker crumbs along the bottom and up the sides of the pan to create the crust.
- Blind bake the crust for 10 minutes in the oven.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool while making the cheesecake filling. Turn the oven temperature down to 300° F while preparing the filling.
Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer, cream together room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt on medium speed until smooth.
- Add in room temperature sour cream and heavy cream and mix on low speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Add in room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between additions. Add in vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix on low until the filling is smooth.
- Wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil, on the bottom and up the sides. We are doing this because the cheesecake will bake in a water bath and we don't want the water to leak into the cheesecake. Be sure that the foil covers up the sides and will not allow water into the pan.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the graham cracker crust.
- Place the cheesecake in a larger baking pan and place in the 300° F oven. Pour approximately ½ inch of water in the larger baking pan around the cheesecake to create a water bath.
- Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the cheesecake appears set but slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to sit in the closed oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, open the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for another 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
- Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
- I recommend making and applying the whipped cream the day you are serving the cheesecake.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or with an electric hand mixer, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Whip on medium-high speed until the whipped cream achieves medium to firm peaks.
- Spread a layer of whipped cream onto the top of the whole cheesecake. Using a Wilton 1M piping tip, decorate the edges of the cheesecake with whipped cream swirls.
Notes
Store the vanilla cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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