The best New York Cheesecake - it's creamy, dreamy and insanely delicious! It's an irresistible and easy cheesecake recipe perfect for any and all occasions.
Combine crust ingredients and spoon into greased 10" springform.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Add eggs until well blended {but don't over mix to avoid cracking}.
Pour cheesecake mixture over graham cracker crust.
Prepare your water bath: place your baking pan on the bottom rack of your oven. As you're preparing your cheesecake, get your pot of water boiling over the stove. You’ll pour this into the baking pan once you’re ready to bake.
Bake 1/2 hour. Remove and allow to cool for a 1/2 hour while preheating the oven to 475 degrees.
Mix and spread the topping onto COOLED cheesecake.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until slightly tan. {It's okay if it doesn't look solid-it will solidify in the cooling process.}
Allow to cool completely before removing the outside of the spring pan and refrigerate.
Notes
Tips:
Don't let cheesecake intimidate you. If you take it step by step, it can be one of the easiest and most rewarding desserts you'll make. Believe me, it's worth it!
Don't overmix the batter as it will cause cracking
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. It's best to let it sit out on the counter rather than softening it in the microwave.
Don't forget to use a springform pan, it's a very important part of the whole process and allows a beautiful release