My younger daughter is the Queen of Cheesecake around here. She loves her cheesecakes, and has amassed quite a collection of hits: Bourbon Peach Streusel Cheesecake; Boozy Nutty Pumpkin Cheesecake; Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake; and S’mores Cheesecake! She calls this cheesecake—my cheesecake!—the Boring cheesecake…hmpffff.

Nothing is boring about this cheesecake—it’s a classic! A New York-style cheesecake with a sour cream topping and a raspberry drizzle! It’s PERFECT and it’s my favorite 🙂

I found this recipe in a book I read years ago, Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and the author obtained the recipe from the back of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese box! I also found the recipe for my Lemon Bundt Cake from the same book 🙂

My additions to the Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe are the Oatmeal-Graham Cracker Crust and the Raspberry Sauce, which fancy people might call a raspberry coulis.

Start this recipe one day in advance; the cheesecake needs to rest overnight in the refrigerator before serving. This recipe is easier if you have a food processor and a springform pan, but if you don’t, feel free to improvise! Beat the graham crackers into submission by placing them in a Ziploc bag and whacking them with a rolling pin or skillet. Then, put the crumbs into your mixer to combine with the butter to make the crust. No springform? Use your largest pie plate or a 9″ or 10″ cake pan.

New York Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

AKA Mom’s Boring Cheesecake

For Oatmeal-Graham Crust

• 14 Honey Graham Crackers—approximately 1½ packages—not boxes!
• ¾ cup Old-Fashioned Oats—not instant!
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 cube) butter, melted
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Blend graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, and salt in food processor until crackers are finely ground.
3. Pour in melted butter and vanilla and whirl until moist crumbs form.
4. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9″ or 10″ springform** pan—I prefer 10 inch. Press crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides—crumbs shouldn’t go all the way up the sides, maybe just an inch or so.
5. Bake crust at 350° for 12 minutes, or until a nice golden brown.
6. Set aside to cool while making the cheesecake filling.

For the Cheesecake filling

• 36 oz. cream cheese (4 boxes), at room temperature <—this is a must!
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar

1. If your cream cheese is not at room temperature, do not start!
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Whip the cream cheese, salt and vanilla together until smooth.
4. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Slowly add in the sugar.
6. Pour mixture into cooled graham cracker crust.
7. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, careful not to overbake or underbake—the center of the cheesecake should slightly jiggle when pan is shaken.
8. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
9. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

For the Sour Cream Topping

• 16 oz sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Stir sugar and vanilla into sour cream
2. Spread over cooling cheesecake, being sure to have an even layer with no bare spots.
3. Bake in 450° oven for 5 minutes or just until topping has set.
4. Remove from oven and cool completely
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Serve with Raspberry Sauce, if desired.

For the Raspberry Sauce

• Approximately 3 cups fresh raspberries—12-16 oz.
• 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, mash together raspberries, powdered sugar and lemon juice, stir and mash until raspberries start to release juice
2. Raise heat to high, so that the mixture simmers, stirring and mashing constantly
3. Simmer for 1 minute, or until mixture is slightly thickened
4. Strain sauce through a fine meshed sieve to remove all seeds.
5. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
6. Makes about 1½ cups

Enjoy! And be sure to tell Abby that this cheesecake is not boring! Thanks! 🙂