This New York Style Cheesecake is a recipe that comes from my mother, the baker with 15 years experience!

New York Style Cheesecake with Strawberry + Raspberry Sauce | Recipe from Sweet-Remedy.com

My mom worked in a bakery for 15+ years. As a result, she hates to bake. When I started to bake and wanted to learn how things worked in the kitchen, she would just make a face and reluctantly answer questions. I think she secretly likes to field baking questions from me.

This cheesecake recipe comes from our Family Reunion Cookbook and was submitted by my mother, probably unwillingly. (Just kidding!) I added the strawberry and raspberry sauce topping as my own little spin on things.

I know mom is perfectly content with a plain cheesecake, but sometimes I need a little something else. Usually, that little something else is peanut butter and chocolate but this strawberry and raspberry sauce will do just fine.

Being from New York, I’m partial to the New York Style of cheesecake. What is the difference, you ask? I think the main difference is that the New York style doesn’t use a water bath. Just the fact that it has “New York” in the title wins me over.

As much as she resisted helping me in the kitchen, I have learned so much from my mother while slowly teaching myself how to cook. While I was selling baked goods at the farmers’ market, she would help me bake if I had to work or if I was sick. She’s made cookies for me to sell countless times because I had some other obligation. She’s a lifesaver and I adore her!

Thanks for all of your help, in and out of the kitchen, Mom!

Yield: 8

New York Style Cheesecake

No Ratings

You can replace the strawberry and raspberry sauce with any mixture of fruit you'd like. If you'd prefer chocolate or peanut butter (or both) feel free to give that a try!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 2 hours

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter

Cheesecake

1 lb cream cheese
1 lb cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar (unrefined)
4 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 pint (8oz) sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted

Strawberry + Raspberry Topping

1 cup strawberries
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Crust

Preheat oven to 325 ° F and grease a 10" springform pan with butter.
Crush the graham cracker crumbs in a food processor or fill a plastic bag with graham crackers and use a rolling pin or your hands to crush into fine tiny pieces.
Place crumbs in a medium bowl and add melted butter until completely combined.
Press crumbs into the bottom of the greased springform pan using your fingers.
Place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool before adding any filling.

Cheesecake

Cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Put cottage cheese through a sieve and add to cream cheese mixture.
Beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla extract and stir.
In a separate bowl, stir flour and cornstarch together.
Add the dry ingredients to the cream cheese mixture.
Add the melted butter and stir. Finally, add sour cream and mix well. (you can use a hand mixer.)
Pour into the greased 10" springform pan. Bake at 325 ° F for one hour.
Shut the oven off and leave it in for 2 more hours.

Strawberry + Raspberry Sauce

Cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes or until water begins to evaporate while slightly crushing fruit with a whisk.
In a medium saucepan combine the strawberries, raspberries, cornstarch and water.
Cook until mixture thickens and cornstarch is dissolved, whisking vigorously.
Let cool and serve with sliced cheesecake.

Best Cream Cheese for Ultra-Creamy Results

The cream cheese you choose really does matter for getting that silky, dense texture New York cheesecake is famous for. Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable—it should be soft enough to break apart with your finger, not melted, which means taking it out of the fridge about an hour before baking. I always go for full-fat brick cream cheese (Philadelphia is reliable) rather than whipped varieties, since whipped versions have air already beaten into them and will give you a lighter, fluffier texture than what we’re after here. Avoid the temptation to use a mixer on high speed when beating the cream cheese, as this incorporates too much air and can lead to cracking on top—instead, use medium-low speed and just mix until smooth and combined with each ingredient.

Water Bath vs. No Water Bath Method

The biggest distinction between New York style cheesecake and other varieties is that New York style skips the water bath entirely, baking the cheesecake directly in the oven. This method creates a firmer, denser crumb with slightly darker, more caramelized edges—something that’s pretty hard to achieve with a water bath, which keeps the whole cake cooking at a gentler, more even temperature. While water baths prevent cracking and create a silkier texture (great for other styles like Italian or Greek cheesecake), the New York approach embraces a bit of rustic charm and a more substantial bite. If you’re looking for that classic New York deli feel, skip the water bath and let your oven do its thing—just keep an eye on the top so it doesn’t brown too much, and don’t panic if a few tiny cracks appear.

How to Prevent Cracks in Your Cheesecake

The secret to crack-free cheesecake is understanding that cream cheese is sensitive to temperature shock—rapid cooling causes the surface to contract and split. My mom’s trick is to let the baked cheesecake cool gradually in the turned-off oven with the door cracked open for about an hour, which prevents that dramatic temperature drop. After that, refrigerate it for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, so it sets gently without stress. If you do get a few small cracks, don’t worry—they’ll be hidden under the fruit sauce topping, but the gradual cooling method makes them rare anyway.

Make-Ahead Tips for Perfect Cheesecake

You can prepare this cheesecake up to two days in advance, which actually works in your favor—the flavors deepen and meld beautifully as it sits in the fridge. Since we’re skipping the water bath method, there’s no steam to worry about, making this style more forgiving for make-ahead baking. Just wrap the cooled cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and store it on a shelf in your refrigerator (not in the freezer section where temperature fluctuations can cause cracking). Add your strawberry and raspberry sauce topping just before serving to keep it fresh and vibrant. Pro tip: let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving—it’ll have a creamier texture and the flavors will sing.

Topping Variations Beyond Strawberries

While the strawberry and raspberry sauce is lovely, this cheesecake is incredibly versatile when it comes to toppings. If you’re a chocolate lover like me, a silky chocolate ganache or fudge drizzle transforms the dessert into something decadent, and you can pair it with fresh berries if you want a fruit element. For a more elegant presentation, try a homemade blueberry compote, a tangy lemon curd, or even a salted caramel sauce—all of which complement the rich, creamy filling beautifully. The beauty of a plain New York cheesecake is that it’s a blank canvas; you can match your topping to whatever flavors you’re craving or what’s in season at your farmers’ market.

Troubleshooting Dense or Grainy Cheesecake

A dense or grainy cheesecake usually means one of two things happened during mixing or baking. First, you may have overmixed the batter after adding the eggs—this incorporates too much air that then deflates unevenly during baking, creating a dense crumb. Second, if your cream cheese wasn’t softened to room temperature before mixing, you’ll get lumps that create a grainy texture even after blending. The best prevention is to let your cream cheese sit out for at least 30 minutes before starting, mix on low speed once you add the eggs, and avoid using a food processor which can overwork the batter. If your cheesecake also cracked on top, that’s a sign of overbaking or temperature shock—next time, turn off the oven and crack the door open for 15 minutes before removing it to cool gradually.

Storage Tips for Fresh Cheesecake

Store your cheesecake in an airtight container on the middle shelf of your refrigerator where the temperature stays most consistent—it’ll keep for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze it, wrap the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn; it’ll stay good for up to a month. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge before serving, and avoid keeping it near the back wall or door where temperature fluctuates. Pro tip: if you’ve already cut into the cake, cover the cut surfaces with plastic wrap directly against the cheesecake itself so it doesn’t dry out as quickly.

How to Fix Cracked Cheesecake (And Why Water Baths Help)

The biggest culprit behind a cracked cheesecake is uneven heat distribution and rapid temperature changes—which is exactly why New York style skips the water bath and relies on a slow oven instead. Since we’re not using that protective water bath here, you’ll want to bake low and slow at 325°F and resist the urge to open that oven door. If cracks do happen, don’t panic—a fruit topping like my strawberry-raspberry sauce will cover them beautifully, or you can smooth a dollop of sour cream over the top once it cools. The real trick is letting your cheesecake cool gradually in the turned-off oven for an hour before transferring it to the fridge; this gradual temperature drop prevents the dreaded cracks from forming in the first place. Once you nail this technique, you’ll have a gorgeously creamy, crack-free cheesecake every single time.

New York Style Cheesecake