Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe

New York cheesecake is one of the most popular types of cheesecakes that you can enjoy. People love serving this dish as a yummy dessert, and there's no doubt about it — it's truly one of the tastiest treats you can savor. According to New York Street Food, the origin of the first cheesecake likely dates back to Samos, Greece, and apparently, it was actually served during the first Olympic games, if you can believe that. A New Yorker named ​​Arnold Reuben brought the dish to New York, and he concocted what is now known as the New York cheesecake. And for Reuben, we are quite thankful!

Recipe developer Jennine Bryant of The Marshside Pantry came up with this tasty classic cheesecake recipe, and it hits the spot in more ways than one. "I love a good cheesecake, and this recipe is so solid, it doesn't let you down, and it's really simple to throw together. It also happens to taste really creamy and delicious, so that helps, too," Bryant raves.

Keep reading to find out how to whip this yummy cheesecake together.

Let's get this sweat sensation started by gathering all of the items necessary to put together this classic New York cheesecake. For starters, you will need some biscuit crumbs and melted butter. One of the main components of the filling is cream cheese, and you will need 4 cups of that. In addition, you'll need a few commonly used baking items like sugar, plain flour, and vanilla extract.

Don't worry, because there are only a few more ingredients required for this recipe. One of them is lemon zest, and the other is lemon juice. You can use the same lemon for both. Additionally, you need some eggs and sour cream. Then, it's time to get started.

Begin by preheating your oven to 325 F. That way, your oven will be nice and hot when the cheesecake is ready to go in. Then, take out a bowl, and add in the biscuit crumbs and the melted butter. Mix them so that they form a crust. Now, take out a 9-inch cake tin, and press the mixture into the bottom of the tin using the back of a spoon. Put the biscuit base in the fridge to harden while you're prepping the cheesecake mixture. Once that's done, you can move on to the next step.

Take out a stand mixer, and blend the cream cheese for a few minutes until it's smooth. Next, add the sugar, and beat it with the cream cheese until it's well-combined. Then, add in the flour, and make sure to regularly scrape the sides of the bowl to get any remaining flour off and into the mix. Continue beating everything together well.

Continuing with the recipe, add in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and beat them with the other items. Now, add in the eggs, and continue mixing. Once again, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well combined. Lastly, add the sour cream, and mix everything one more time.

Now it's time to pour the cheesecake mixture over the prepared biscuit base.

Now, the cheesecake is ready to go into the oven. Set your timer, and cook the cheesecake for an hour and a half. You will know it's done when the cheesecake is wobbly in the middle, but it's no longer liquid. Then, turn the oven off, and open the oven door to let the cheesecake cool down. Gently go around the edges of the cheesecake with a knife while it's still warm to keep it from cracking on the top.

When the cheesecake has thoroughly cooled to room temperature, put it in the fridge for eight hours or overnight to set. "It needs to set so that it can be properly cut up and served," Bryant shares. "It won't achieve that proper cheesecake-like quality until it has been given time to chill through and solidify."

Once the cheesecake is done cooling, serve it with berry compote or drizzled chocolate. "If you want to serve this cheesecake for a special occasion, I would suggest dressing it up a little for serving. It would be a real showstopper heaped with fruit on top, depending on the season, [such as] figs and blackberries. Those lovely deep colors [are great choices for autumn]!" Or, consider dressing your cheesecake up with stewed cherries, according to Bryant, who also notes, "Similarly, you could drizzle it all over with chocolate, and pile it high with delicious chocolate treats like Ferrero Rocher."

As far as any leftovers are concerned, Bryant explains, "Any cheesecake leftovers should be stored in the fridge and will keep in good condition for four to five days as long as it is properly covered or stored in a Tupperware [container]." We hope you enjoy it!