Description
A silky, moist, and crack-free vanilla bean cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. This recipe uses heavy cream and sour cream to ensure a lush texture that stays fresh for days.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Filling:
- 32 ounces (900g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 real vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste)
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside bottom with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Mix until it resembles wet sand.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom.
- Add sugar and vanilla bean seeds (and pod if using) to the cream cheese. Beat on low until combined. Scrape the bowl again.
- Add heavy cream and sour cream. Mix on low until just combined. Scrape the bowl.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until the yellow disappears. Do not overmix.
- Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top.
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should jiggle slightly like Jell-O.
- Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
Notes
Ensure all dairy ingredients (cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, heavy cream) are at room temperature to prevent lumps. Do not overmix the batter after adding eggs to avoid incorporating air, which causes cracking. The cheesecake must be chilled for at least 4 hours to set properly. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12th of the cake
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 6
Keywords: cheesecake, vanilla bean, graham cracker crust, moist cheesecake, no crack cheesecake, dessert recipe, easy cheesecake