Sour Cream Cheesecake

Sour Cream Cheesecake is an elegant dessert that can be served with fresh fruit or sweetened fruit in syrup on top. Want to know the best part? Not only is it delicious but it is the best cheesecake recipe I have ever made!

Easy Cheesecake Recipe

Sour Cream Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts! I love it topped with fruit – especially strawberries and blueberries.

After all, what can beat the smooth creaminess of Sour Cream Cheesecake? Not much!

Add a cup of coffee and it’s a win-win.

Now, if you have the idea that a cheesecake takes a special talent to make – think again!

Like I said, this Sour Cream Cheesecake recipe is an easy cheesecake recipe that even a beginner cook can make it successfully – Reeeeaally!

I have been inspired! I like to jog on my mini-trampoline while watching a show on Netflix – it helps pass the time and I forget I am exercising!

Well, I finished all the Hawaii 5-0 episodes I could find, and so started looking for something else. That’s when I discovered The Great British Baking Show.

If you are not familiar with it, let me share a bit about it. The season starts with 13 bakers in a weekly competition. One is dismissed at the end of each week.

It’s such a positive show and full of so many nice chefs! I love the fun competitive spirit that they have, while still helping and supporting each other.

In the final episode of the season, three bakers remain. Throughout the season, each weekly competition consists of three challenges – a signature bake, a technical challenge and a show stopper.

Guidelines are given for each challenge – flavors and ingredients to be used. But, it is up to each baker as to how to do the baking itself.

Sour Cream Cheesecake – Necessary Tools

One thing I have learned from watching the baking show is that having the right tools is important to the final presentation.

You wouldn’t make an Easy Pie Crust Recipe without fully iced water, would you?

A spring-form pan makes all the difference in a cheesecake and helps make this an easy cheesecake recipe because it comes out of the pan clean, looks great and tastes even better!

If made in a traditional pan, the crust of a cheesecake sticks and is difficult to remove. So, the final appearance is lacking!

A spring-form pan lends the structure needed that keeps the cheesecake light and fluffy but still… you know…. not falling apart.

While this step is not necessary, I also line my spring-form pan with parchment paper. It just gives the added assurance that it will come out nicely.

I am aiming for a Show Stopper type of look here and that is what this easy cheesecake recipe gives.

Best Cheesecake Recipe Eeeevvver!

Wondering what the rest of the family thinks about this Sour Cream Cheesecake, especially since there are so many boys in my family?

I ask because lots of people consider cheesecake a light, fluffy dessert. To put it another way, a girly dessert. I disagree and so do my boys.

Let me put it this way: I normally make two cheesecakes at a time and they are both eaten completely – in one sitting!

That says it all – this recipe is a definite winner – the Best Cheesecake Recipe Ever!

Sour Cream Cheesecake – The Best Cheesecake Recipe Step by Step

To Make the Crust:
Grind cookies fine in a blender. You can also put them in a ziplock bag and roll them with a rolling pin. Photo 1
Add the butter and mix well. Photo 2
Press into the bottom of a 9″ spring-form pan. Photo 3
Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

To Make the Filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth with hand mixer. Add the sugar and sour cream and mix well. Photo 4 – 5
Add the eggs and vanilla – mix until smooth. Photo 6 – 7
Pour into the pan and smooth the top. Photo 8
Ready to bake!

Tips For Making Sour Cream Cheesecake

• You can swap graham crackers for any cookies such as ginger snaps or oreos
• Try adding lemon or orange zest
• Top with your favorite fruits

Why Does My Cheesecake Crack?

There are two main reasons that a cheesecake forms cracks along the top.

1. Overcooking
2. Cooling too fast

How can Sour Cream Be Used in Baking?

What if you don’t have the proper baking ingredients? What can be used? If you don’t have a cup of regular cream, you can easily use sour cream.

The best thing about using sour cream, is that you probably already have it in your fridge. Which means you most likely won’t have to run to the store to get any ingredients. 

If you’re baking with sour cream, don’t leave it sitting out for more than 2 hours. It needs to be stored in the fridge. 

What Can I Do With Too Much Sour Cream?

What if you have too much sour cream, what can you do it? It is amazing what you can do with left over sour cream.

You can:

• freeze sour cream
• use sour cream in pancake mix or waffle mix 
• add to cheesecake too as seen in this recipe
• use in other baked goods

Use as a topping in soups – here are a few of my favorites:

• Best Broccoli Soup
• Moroccan Carrot Soup
• Mexican White Bean Soup
• Lentil Soup recipe

When you open up sour cream, it’s good for about 3 weeks if kept in the refrigerator. 

How Do You Know if Sour Cream is Bad?

How do you know if the sour cream in your fridge has gone bad? There are actually 2 stages – a warning stage and a just plain bad stage.

First, if you open the container and there is a liquid water layer – it has separated and is not bad but should be used within a few day. I normally pour the liquid off and use the sour cream.

When sour cream has gone bad, it has an odd smell, mold is growing on the surface and there is a sharp taste to it. At this point, I throw it out.

If you’ve tried this Sour Cream Cheesecake (Best Cheesecake Recipe ever!) or any other recipe on Cultured Palate please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YouTube and TWITTER.

3.96 from 25 votes

Print

Sour Cream Cheesecake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Perfectly creamy, you'll want this on your holiday table.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert, easy cheesecake, easy cheesecake recipe, sour cream cheesecake recipe

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 382 kcal

Author: Cultured Palate

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 c. graham cracker crumbs

Filling

• 2 Tbsp butter melted
• 16 oz. cream cheese softened
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 2 c. sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

Instructions

For Crust

1. Grind cookies fine in a blender. You can also put them in a ziplock bag and roll them with a rolling pin.
2. Add the butter and mix well.
3. Press into the bottom of a 9" spring-form pan.

4. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Filling

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth with hand mixer.
2. Add the sugar and sour cream and mix well.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla - mix until smooth.
4. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.
5. Bake at 350F for 30 - 40 mins.
6. Turn oven off and leave in oven 1 hour to set.
7. Remove and chill in frig. until firm - about 3 -4 hours.

Recipe Notes

Tips For Making A Sour Cream Cheesecake

• You can swap graham crackers for any cookies such as ginger snaps
• Try adding lemon or orange zest
• Top with your favorite fruits

Nutrition Facts

Sour Cream Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 382 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 13g65%

Cholesterol 108mg36%

Sodium 315mg13%

Potassium 157mg4%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 870IU17%

Vitamin C 0.3mg0%

Calcium 102mg10%

Iron 1.2mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What Do You Top Your Cheesecake With?

Leave a comment – I would love to know!

Pin It!

I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post.

Dina-Marie, RN and founder of Cultured Palate has learned the importance of diet for health - the hard way! As the mom of 10, and leaving the corporate world to start a vineyard, she knows the value of simple living and you can too! Dina-Marie and Cultured Palate's medical advisors, Dr. Dalton and Dr. O'Connor, want you to have accurate information at your fingertips.