The Baker Chick

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Classic Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

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This post was originally published on 6/15/2011. It has been updated with new text and pictures but this popular recipe is the same!

Earlier this week was my husband Andy’s birthday. In anticipation I asked him weeks ago what kind of birthday cake he wanted.

I had images of layers and fillings and frostings floating through my mind. I couldn’t wait to make him something elaborate and festive!

Andy, however, wanted a cheesecake. Not just any cheesecake, his Mom’s cheesecake.

Creamy and simple with a thick graham cracker crust. “Ok!” I said. “What flavor? Any toppings? Any sauces? Anything colorful and pretty and blog-worthy??” “No…..” He said, “I just want my Mom’s cheesecake!”

Sigh….the food blogger side of me was itching to add a beautiful flavor swirl or a fruit coulis on the side. But the wife side of me gave him what he wanted on his birthday. A simple creamy cheesecake with a thick graham cracker crust.

Now even though it was simple, this cheesecake was really pretty great. The crust was crisp and thick, the consistency of the cake was creamy and silky and the birthday boy was happy which is really all that matters.

I wasn’t even going to post it originally because it seemed to simple, but we all loved it so much I had to share the recipe with you. It is slightly adapted from his Mom’s recipe, but he said it tasted just as good so that made me happy. Enjoy!

PS: One of the best things about this cheesecake is that it is virtually “crack-proof.” You know those dreaded cracks that sometimes form on the top of cheesecake? Well even if that happens in this case, the sour cream topping smooths right over it and won’t crack with you bake it. Yay!

Classic Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

Classic Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1½ cup crushed Graham Crackers (about half a box)
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup sugar

Filling:

  • 2-8oz packages of cream cheese at room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs - at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Sour cream topping:

  • 1 pint sour cream
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Crust- Preheat oven to 375. Put half of the box of Graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until finely ground. Measure out 1½ cups into a medium sized bowl.
  2. Stir together the crumbs and the sugar, and then evenly pour the melted butter into the mixture. Stir using a fork until everything is evenly blended.
  3. Pour crust mixture into a 9 inch springform pan. Press it evenly around the bottom and and inch up the sides until an even layer is formed. (I used the bottom of a cup for this) Set aside.
  4. Filling: In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium to medium-high speed. Once fully combined, add the vanilla and one egg. Blend until smooth and fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl down from time to time to ensure everything is being mixed together. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly each time. (Don't mix on high speed - this will incorporate too much air into the batter and the cheesecake won't be as dense once it bakes.)
  5. Pour mixture over the crust. Gently tap the pan to encourage any air bubbles to rise to the surface.
  6. Place the cheesecake into a preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles when gently shaken. Once the first layer has baked, let it cool for at approximately 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450° F.

For the Sour Cream Topping:

  1. While the cheesecake is cooling, whisk the sour cream, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Once the cheesecake has cooled for approximately 15 minutes, pour the sour cream topping over top. Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, smooth out the surface.
  2. Place back into the oven (remember the heat should have been increased to 450° F) and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to let cool to room temperature.
  3. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight to set. *Don't put cheesecake in the fridge until it has cooled to room temperature.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Andy's Mom!

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Comments

  1. This post made me laugh! my husband is exactly the same. I always dream up extravagant cakes for him months in advance and when it comes around to it he just wants a chocolate cake with smarties on (like m&m’s)!! I’m sure your boyfriend was more than happy with it though, even if your food blogging self wasn’t happy posting it! I think it looks great!

    Reply

  3. Aww, isn’t that always the way? Now imagine you have not just the grown boy “mom’s cheesecake” factor….but then ..a 4 year old and one year old too. lol! Welcome to my world.

    I rarely make what I want to make anymore..and when I do…it’s usually fattening or a drink to numb all the chicken nugget requests I get. Oy! (disclaimer) Love them dearly and they are my everything.

    Reply

  5. I have never seen a sour cream topping on a cheesecake before – glad he was happy! Must be something about Men – my husband is the same way – just he basics. And I second Kate’s comment from above – the kids don’t help. This morning my 6 year old wanted pancakes for breakfast – I thought, great! But no, he wanted the frozen kind you microwave, not the fun ones I was dreaming up – urgh!

    Reply

  7. He sounds like my husband-we go to 31 flavors and all he wants is chocolate. Sometimes plain is good, but not all the time. It has been so long since I have had cheesecake-plain would suit me just fine! Great post.

    Reply

  8. With all the delicious flavors out there, my husband always answers ‘devil’s food cake’ when I ask him what kind of cake he wants! This cheesecake sounds yummy… Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing…

    Reply

  14. Hi! I’ve never baked a cheesecake before and i’m kind of confused about the baking instructions. So the cheesecake stays in the oven for 25 minutes at 275 degrees and then I increase I take it out/ cool it/ put it back in into an oven at 450 degrees?…

    Reply

  15. Re: above comment: Yes- you bake at 375 and then while the cheesecake is cooling, you prepare the sour cream topping and raise the temp up to 450! Put it back in for about 10 minutes while the topping sets. :)

    Reply

  16. Hi there – thanks for the recipe, and what a great website! I love hearing all the tips you have for baking.

    I just had a question about the topping for this recipe: did you use full-fat sour cream, or did you go for a lighter version? I’m assuming, as always, full-fat is better :) However, sometimes my arteries ask for a bit of a break.

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  17. Jane- so sorry I JUST saw your comment! I am not sure if you even still care but I recommend either full fat or low fat. Not non-fat. Enjoy!

    Reply

  18. this is my grandmother’s recipe. She came over to the UK from middle europe in the 1930s. Her cheesecake had the sour cream topping, and ever since i tasted it I have little time for any other recipe!

    Reply

  20. Looks amazing! I’m wondering though, what would it taste like/ be like if you substituted the sugar for icing sugar? What would the difference be?

    Reply

  23. Oh, I have been trying to find my mom’s recipe, now lost, from the 1960s, and I think this comes close. We will see!

    Reply

  24. Oh Baker Chick, I am laughing so hard. I had to read this to my husband, the cheesecake hound. Yesterday was his 50th birthday and all he wanted was his MOM’s cheesecake. This recipe of course. I have come close before but never gotten it exactly right. Not being a much of a baker the fact that “cool 15 minutes before spreading the sour cream” is omitted on most of the recipes really made an ugly mess of my last try. Lets see how this one turns out. cheers!

    Reply

    • Can we make this in 4 inch pans?? And can we add flavors putting a little jelly or Coco powder??? Any tips for making flavors?? Husband loves plain I like flavors lol can’t wait to try this!!

      Reply

  28. This recipe is AWESOME! I made one for a Christmas dinner party last week. My boss had requested a sour cream topping because that’s how his mom used to make it. And when searching I found your blog! I had never made a cheesecake before, so had no frame of reference. All I can say is, wow! Everyone loved it. My boyfriend said it was the best cheesecake he’s ever had! :) haha. I’m actually baking another right now for a Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow with friends. Thank you for such a great recipe!

    Reply

  29. Since Thanksgiving I have made this cheesecake about 8 times. Every time it comes out exactly the same…ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Everyone who has tried it thinks it’s one of the best cheesecakes they’ve ever had and I have to agree. Thank you for posting this recipe!

    Reply

  30. I did what you wanted to do

    Coconut and Graham Marsala in the crust, used two cups so added 1/4 cup Coconut Oil to crust

    Added 2 T Orange Liqueur to filling, only 1/4 cup sugar

    Then 1 T Ginger, 1 T Lemon Curry to sour cream topping

    Had 1/2 C topping left so added Coconut, Crystallized Ginger and chopped prunes to the crumbs and sprinkled that on the top

    After 10 min @ 425, reduced heat back to 350 and had to bake for another 30 min till no jiggles in center

    Fantastic !

    Reply

  31. I have made 3 of these. These are the best. Never baked before but this turned out spectacular. thank you so much!! This was something that my Aunt used to make and I was never ever able to find again. Wow.

    Reply

  33. Okay, so I made this recipe in November. But my mom doesn’t like vanilla so she requested a lime cheesecake! I added some fresh lime juice and lime zest into the cheesecake and topping. It was amazing! I lose this recipe so much!

    Reply

  34. I’m hosting a party on Thursday. I feel inspired. But any advice on how to turn the sour cream topping into a chocolate sour cream topping? Would I just combine melted chocolate with sour cream and then bake for 10 minutes?

    Reply

    • Can we make this in 4 inch pans?? And can we add flavors putting a little jelly or Coco powder??? Any tips for making flavors?? Husband loves plain I like flavors lol can’t wait to try this!!

      Reply

  35. Try putting a little liquor of your choice – Frangelica or Bailey’s or Kahlua all make a nice addition to the sour cream topper and add just a hint of the flavor

    Reply

  36. This is the exact cheesecake my husband brought to our marriage via his mother. He has actually won two different contests baking it!

    Reply

  37. This cheesecake looks delicious! I enjoy plain cheesecake as well, no toppings. I will have to get my sister to make this for my birthday!

    Reply

  38. This cheesecake is what one my future in-laws over. Tip to all women – find out your future father-in-law’s favorite dessert, then make it over and over forever haha

    Reply

  39. Just wanted to say thank you. This is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made. I had to sub half plain yogurt for the sour cream (ran out), and I accidentally doubled the sugar in the topping lol.. But the taste and texture was PERFECT! I’ve shared your recipe and link with friends. Will be making it again very soon. Thanks!

    Reply

  41. I have been looking for a recipe with sour cream topped cheese for a long time. My Mom made this cake when I was a little girl. (68 years ago). All I remembered were the ingredients for the topping, but no measurements. I knew she originally got the recipe from phidelphia cream cheese box, but the quantities the cheese came in were smaller than today.
    Thank you so much. I am very happy! Penny

    Reply

  42. “Almost” identical to the 100yr old family recipe I use all the time, by far one of the best cheese cakes ever!!

    Reply

  43. My cheesecake looks lovely, but the sour cream topping cracked. I have made many cheesecakes and have never had the topping crack before. I bought a new spring form pan, that is the only difference. It is not a big deal, I will cover it with berries, but I wonder why the topping would crack?

    Reply

  44. Decided last minute that I wanted to make a cheesecake. I had a cheesecake very similar to this at my Thanksgiving this year. I followed your recipe and it came out wonderful. I was always afraid of making cheesecakes because everyone said they were a lot of work. You recipe is quick and easy.
    Thanks ;)

    Reply

  46. This is the closest recipe to my mom’s that I have found. She used powdered sugar with the sour cream topping part because it was smoother. I will try turning the oven up to 450 for the finish bake! My adult kids always ask for this cheesecake for their birthdays!

    Reply

  48. Question if I freeze this can I add the sour cream topping later? Would I still back for 19 minutes after I get the cheesecake defrost over night?

    Reply

  49. My mom added lemon zest to the crust and to the lower cream cheese level and I do too. I also reduce the sugar. So good!

    Reply

    • My Mom also added grated lemon zest … it gives it just that special “je ne sais quoi” touch that makes it taste heavenly. We lost my Mom very recently, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find the recipe. I’m sure she originally found it on the graham crackers box (before you could buy the cracker crumbs, and you had to crush the cracker/cookies yourself)… and I believe they called this recipe “Super Cheesecake”. I like that: my Mom was a baking SuperHero !! Thank you for sharing this recipe, with picture (my mom just made it in a regular pie pan)

      Reply

  51. Can we make this in 4 inch pans?? And can we add flavors putting a little jelly or Coco powder??? Any tips for making flavors?? Husband loves plain I like flavors lol can’t wait to try this

    Reply

    • Yes! I commented in a different thread- sorry you didn’t see it. Just adjust the baking time. For mix ins, some jam swirled in should work out well!

      Reply

  52. Found your recipe several years ago and have never commented, but just want you to know that about 2-3 times per year I come back to it to make this amazing cheesecake. It’s my husband’s favorite (and mine too) and our guests always rave about it. My grandma always made sour cream cheesecake and my mom said this recipe is definitely similar to the one my grandma used. About to make this now for Thanksgiving, as I do every year. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  53. Soo I just checked and yup, this is MY mother in law’s recipe as well. It’s very old so maybe there was a cookbook or magazine that put this out decades ago? I know I made this a minimum of 20 years ago.

    Thanks for sharing as now more people will experience the goodness of true, simple cheesecake with that glorious sour cream topping!

    Reply

  54. Wow – this sounds wonderful! I’ve been wanting to try making spaghetti squash at home for a while, and this sounds like the perfect way to try it. Thanks for the cutting tip as well!

    Reply

  55. Can the topping be brushed on the cheesecake AFTER it has been cooled. Kinda like drizzling a topping on a cinnamon role? Or does it have to be warm when applied

    Reply

  56. my phone is acting up so I apologize of this was already asked..
    1. What does baking the topping do to the cheesecake? vs Just putting on before refrigerating?
    2, Am I reading this right? Take cheesecake out.. let cool.. then add topping then put back in oven for 10 mins? If so, how long do you leave it cool for?

    Reply

  57. With this recipe Can you add any fruit to the sour cream filling ? I was wondering. My grandmother had a recipe exactly like this but I could add any berry or anything to it? I remember her using it for apple once it was awesome

    Reply

  59. I made this recipe for my first dinner party 55 years ago when I was a first year teacher — can’t remember the rest of the meal but we were dirt poor so it was probably something like spaghetti — Will be making it for a rooftop, social distanced dinner with friends this Thursday — so happy to find the classic with sour cream topping again — I have fresh local strawberries to serve over it.

    Reply

  60. I am just making this one for the first time. The only thing I changed is I doubled the vanilla and made a gluten free crust (as I am not eating wheat). For the crust I used lemon vanilla gluten free cookies mixed with crushed walnuts and a dash of coconut sugar. Used a hand blender to combine with the butter. It tastes great as is so I am hoping it works as the base! Can’t wait to try it tonight. I made strawberry coulis as that is my favourite. Strawberries, butter, vanilla and raw honey cooked on low in a pot ’til softened – then blend with the hand blender until creamy. Thanks for the recipe :)

    Reply

  61. I stumbled across this recipe a few years back and never have got around to a review, but I figured it has been long overdue. Let me start by saying this recipe is relatively easy with excellent results every time compared to others that involve too many steps, such as a water bath. This cheesecake is the epitome of delicious. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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