Our Best Cheesecake

photo by:kraft

Better than all the rest. What else can we say? How about this: It's a rich, creamy, cherry-topped showstopper that's so easy, even beginners can pull it off.

time

prep:

15 min

total:

5 hr 25 min

servings

total:

16 servings, one slice each

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What You Need

1-3/4

cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/3

cup margarine or butter, melted

1-1/4

cups sugar, divided

pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

tsp. vanilla

eggs

can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling

Make It

PREHEAT oven to 350°F if using a silver 8- or 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 8- or 9-inch springform pan). Mix graham cracker crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Press firmly onto bottom and 2-1/2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese and the remaining 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour into crust.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Turn oven off. Open oven door slightly. Let cheesecake set in oven 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Loosen cheesecake from rim of pan; remove rim. Top cheesecake with pie filling just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Substitute

Prepare as directed, using PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese.

How to Easily Cut Creamy Desserts

When cutting creamy-textured desserts, such as cheesecake, carefully wipe off the knife blade between cuts with a clean damp towel. This prevents the creamy filling from building up on the blade, ensuring nice clean cuts that leave the filling intact.

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a cook

posted:11/28/2008

This recipe was great. I prepared how it said, then cooked it for an hour and 5 minutes, let it set in the oven (without the door propped) for an hour, let it cool on a rack for an hour then popped it in the refrigerator overnight. Very few cracks and the center sink a little bit but it tasted great and it was a serious success!!

zachrissy

posted:11/28/2008

I followed this recipe exactly as stated, except for baking it an additional 10 minutes because I knew it was not done. It looked okay right before I turned the over off, but when I came back and looked at it, the whole inside had fallen in. Ok, not terrible that it fell, it made for a good spot to load strawberries in the middle, but still it was a very ugly cheesecake. On top of that, when we tasted it, it tasted just like sweetened ricotta cheese, texture and all. I left in in the fridge over night and served it for Thanksgiving, but it was still not up to par. It still had a ricotta texture. I have no idea how first timers who have made this have had it come out perfectly. I don't see anything I did wrong, so I will just say I did not like this cheesecake and will not make it again. It is by far, not your best cheesecake.

a cook

posted:11/26/2008

Very first time I ever made a cheesecake and it came out perfectly!!! Everybody loved it.

ishelby

posted:11/11/2008

Wonderful, easy, the only problem I found was my husband. He didn't want to wait for the cheesecake to cool.

Baneely

posted:10/15/2008

Perfect. My young adult group was very impressed :)

theirwifenmom

posted:8/13/2008

I made this cheesecake for my husband's birthday party and it was a big hit. I've been asked to make it often since. And I've made it a couple of times with reduced fat Philadelphia cream cheese [nufanchel (sp)] and it was still great: you couldn't tell the difference.

ragga21

posted:8/3/2008

We made this for our weekly get-together and everyone gushed about how great it tasted. Definitely will make again, way better than restaurant or store-bought cheesecake. Warmed some grape jelly for a topping; superb!!!!

fishkisses1026

posted:6/25/2008

Everyone loved this one, but I thought it would have been a lot creamier. I would still make it again. It had that great cheesecake taste.

a cook

posted:5/30/2008

Awesome recipe. The water bath definately helped with cracks. Each time I serve it and a new person tries it I am told that it is the best they every tasted. My question is that I am making mini pastries for my daughter's graduation party. Do you think that these would bake well in paper cupcake liners?

pudd6

posted:4/13/2008

I made this for a friend birthday and it was a hit. Very easy and would make it again for sure