Perfect Cheesecake

THIS. This was our Christmas dessert this year. It's dangerous making a cheesecake for three people. Half of it is in the fridge beckoning me at this very moment. "Bridget...eat me! I won't go straight to your thighs; I promise." Besides being delicious, cheesecake is a liar.

I created this recipe a few years ago for The Pioneer Woman Food & Friends, but somehow I never put it on the blog. Please forgive me.

Oh, and if you'd also love a CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE, please see this recipe for Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake!

This cheesecake is, as the title suggests, perfect. It's creamy, it's luscious, it's fluffy. This cheesecake is rich without being too heavy. It's sweet, but not overly so.

There are a few secrets to making it...including a water bath...follow them and the cheesecake bakes beautifully and without cracking every time.

Don't worry; it's not complicated. You'll pour the filling into the (foil-wrapped) springform pan and place that into a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan into the oven and quickly pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1 inch up the foil-wrapped springform pan.

HINT: check to be sure that your springform pan will fit into your roasting pan BEFORE making the recipe. Ask me how I know.

Classic Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Cookie Crust

Crust:

2 cups gingersnaps crumbs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch fine sea salt

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 & 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) Greek yogurt (2% or full fat), room temperature

Topping:

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the bottom of a 9” springform pan.

In a blender or food processor, pulse the crust ingredients together until combined. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven onto a cooling rack.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until no lumps remain. Add in the sugar and salt; continue mixing on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. Continue scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add in the lemon juice, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. (Stir the yogurt first if it has separated while coming to room temperature.) Mix just until combined.

Pour the filling into the pan and place it into a large roasting pan. Place the pan into the oven and quickly pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1 inch up the foil-wrapped springform pan.

Bake for 55-70 minutes or until the cheesecake is set on the sides and just jiggles a bit in the center when the pan is shaken. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place back in the warm oven. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin knife along the edge of the pan. Let the cheesecake continue to cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for several hours to chill completely.

Before serving, make the whipped cream:

Place a mixing bowl and mixer’s whisk attachment in the freezer for a few minutes. Pour the whipped cream into the chilled bowl and add the sugar and vanilla. Beat just until stiff peaks form. Place in a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Run a thin knife along the edge of the pan once more before removing the sides from the pan. Pipe whipped cream across the top. Serve with more whipped cream on the side if desired.

You are going to LOVE it. Serve it for New Year's Eve or New Years Day. Such a treat...with or without any toppings.

*portions of this post were originally posted here.