Cheesecake Recipe

The Honeymaid Graham Crackers have a great recipe on the side of their box for an awesome cheesecake. I have only been able to make them once without the middle cracking so buy some fruit to go on top if you want to hide an ugly top! Just in case lol!

Betty Crocker has a recipe online. I've been making it for like 8 years now, my cousin had me make for her husband's groom's cake. It is easy, but total takes 8 hrs to set, after baking for an hour or so. I usually make it the night before I will need it. It has white chocolate in it. I say it is easy, but I love to bake, so to me it is. ;)
Go to www.bettycrocker.com- look up 'Heavenly Cheesecake' and you will NEVER make another cheesecake recipe again! It makes a good size cheesecake. I make it for all holidays now, by request!

As suggested below, use the springform pan. Also, I don't do a water 'bath' but I put a small cake pan filled with water and put it on the lower rack.

Fyi- I'm not a big cheesecake fan, but I love this one. :)

There is also a recipe on there called 'Momma's Cheesecake' that my husband likes. More complicated, more steps, REALLY BIG cake! It calls for nuts. I didn't like it, it comes from the 'southern cookbook' or something like that. But, as mentioned above, I'm not a big cheesecake fan. He's asked me to make it for his birthday a few times though.

When I'm looking for new ideas, I always go to www.bettycrocker.com- love that site!

Okay this is the best plain cheesecake I've made or eaten...it is super delicious and gets rave reviews every time! It is easy but a tiny bit time consuming. Once you make it once though it will get easier and I think the extra steps are WELL worth it.

Crumb Crust
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
5 T unsalted butter, melted

Filling
16 oz cream cheese at room temp.
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1.5 t pure vainlla
2 eggs at room temp

topping
8 oz sour cream at room temp
3/4 teasp vanilla extract

To make the crust prehead the oven to 350 F. Place an 8" springform pan on a jelly roll pan and set aside

In a mediumm bowl, mix the grham cracker crubs, sugar, and butter until well blended and crumbly. Transfer the mixture to the springform pan and , using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingertiprs, lightly press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan. Bake until set and fragrant, about five minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

To make the filling: In a food processor or stand mixer combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Incorporate the eggs until fully blended. Pour into the springform pan.

Bake in the center of the oven until the top just begins to brown and the center jiggles slightly, 35-40 minutes

To make the topping: Meanwhile in a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream and vanilla until blended.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and drop spoonfuls of the toppings around the egde of the cake , then gently spread it to cover the cake evently. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Using a paring knife, loosen the sides from the inside edge of the pan. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap, and chill the cheesecake for a at least 6 hours or ovenight. To serve, gently unlatch the sides of the springform pan and cut ehe cake into thin wedges. Serve at room temperature. Store, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Just a tip- my mom used to always make a terrific cheesecake and the one thing I learned is make SURE you bake it in a springform pan!!! (the kind where there is a fastener on the side to open up to pop the pan when the cake is done.)

If you bake it in a water bath ( just a bigger pan with a little bit of water in it and you sit the cheesecake pan in the center) as the cheesecake cooks, the heat from the oven will evaporate the water and keep your cheesecake from cracking on top!

There are tons of good recipes online too- good luck! They really are not hard to make at all :)

I second the mom that said spring form pan!, gotta have one they make impressive cheesecakes.!.....cheesecake is my absolute favorite dessert so i have done very many recipes trying to come up with great ones and have discovered a few things. The cream cheese needs to be warm to mix in your sugar and other flavoring(i use a saucepan filled with boiling water with a metal bowl on top), it needs to be blended fine then only after the heat is cut off add beaten egg yolks(i use cornstarch instead because we are vegetarians) and sour cream.

sour cream is a must,
when you cook it make sure it still jiggles when you take it out
graham crackers and oreos without the icing crushed up make the best crust blend with butter till it looks grainy and press it into spring form pan, cook it a little first before you pour in the filling.
plain cheesecake is awesome with a real vanilla bean split open and put in the filling.

the amount of ingredients is never exact with me when it comes to things like this

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/philadelphia-classic-...
Make the cookie crumb crust with crumbs, real melted butter and brown sugar (Sooo much better than the store bought cardboard thing)
One tip I can give you is put a pan of HOT water in the oven before you put your cheesecake in. It prevents the top from cracking.

I know you wanted plain, but even with the cup of maple syrup in this one the maple flavor was very mild - just a different kind of sweet. I made it for Thanksgiving and it got rave reviews (it was so good I ate it for breakfast the next day).

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Vermont-Mapl...

This is a Paula Deen recipe. It's sooo easy and sooo yummy!

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs and mix well. Pour inro crust.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set. Cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.