Baking trials: What's the best way to keep cheesecake from cracking?

There’s nothing like a perfect cheesecake, its smooth top promising a rich, creamy dessert. But how disappointing it is when that beautiful cheesecake develops a deep crack right down its middle!

There are a number of reasons cheesecake cracks, either while baking or afterward. But let’s skip the science and jump right to the solution.

PJ Hamel

What’s the best way to prevent cheesecake from cracking?

One of the biggest causes of cracking? Overbaking your cheesecake, which will almost certainly cause it to crack. There are several tricks you can use to prevent overbaking, and we were curious: Is one better than the other? Do any of these options not work? So we tested them with our NY Cheesecake recipe, and here are the results, ordered from least to most effective.

Third runner-up: Bake cheesecake as you would any cake

To successfully prevent cracking, this basic method requires an accurately calibrated oven and a very watchful eye on the cake as it approaches doneness.

• Method: Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan, place the pan in a preheated oven, and bake as your recipe directs.  
• Pros: It’s simple, no different than baking any standard cake.
• Cons: Preventing cracks is tricky, as it demands exquisite timing. Too long in the oven and the cake will crack. Not long enough, it’ll be liquid in the center. There’s a very short window of time — literally just a few minutes, at most — when the cake is baked all the way through without being overbaked around the edges. 
• Verdict: Preventing cracks is do-able, but you’ll need skill and experience as well as a bit of luck.
• Rating: 5/10

PJ Hamel

Second runner-up: Bake cheesecake with steam in the oven

Some bakers like to add steam to their oven as the cheesecake bakes. While steam won’t prevent overbaking, it’ll help keep the cake from drying out as it bakes. And the more humid the oven environment, the less likely the cake is to crack.

• Method: Place a roasting pan on the lowest rack of your oven; fill it halfway with simmering water, similar to how you'd create steam for bread baking. Position the cheesecake on a middle or upper rack above the roasting pan. Bake as your recipe directs.
• Pros: Steam helps keep the cake from drying out.
• Cons: Steam does nothing to address the chief reason a cheesecake cracks: overbaking. 
• Verdict: Steam baking helps keep your cake moist, but doesn’t prevent overbaking and provides nowhere near the non-crack guarantee you’re seeking.
• Rating: 5.5/10

PJ Hamel

First runner-up: Wrap your pan in cake strips before baking

Cake strips, insulating lengths of cloth that fasten around your pan, help keep the edges of a standard cake from setting too quickly, which is what causes undesired doming. While not intended for cheesecake, the strips are somewhat effective at slowing down how quickly the outer portion of your cake bakes — giving you a better chance for the center to be set without the edges being overbaked. 

• Method: Submerge strips in water for 10 to 15 minutes before using; you want them good and soaked. If you have two sets of strips, use them one atop the other; doubling the insulation will provide better protection for your cheesecake. Wrap the strips around your pan before pouring in the batter. 
• Pros: Strips are inexpensive, easy to use, and somewhat effective at preventing overbaking.  
• Cons: During the fairly long time cheesecake needs to bake, particularly a deep cake, the strips dry out and lose their effectiveness.
• Verdict: They’re a definite plus, as they promote even baking and lengthen the “window of perfection.” While not foolproof, they’re better than nothing — if you have them, feel free to use them! 
• Rating: 7/10

PJ Hamel

The winner: Bake cheesecake in a water bath

Centering your cake pan in a larger pan of hot water promotes a slow, even bake. Sometimes, the classic methods really are the best. 

• Method: Set the filled cheesecake pan in a larger pan of very hot water; your hottest tap water is fine. The water should come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Note: If you’re using an older springform pan, wrap the outside in aluminum foil to prevent any potential leaks.
• Pros: A generous water bath is a better insulator than cake strips; the water continues to insulate the cake all the way through the bake.
• Cons: This method can be finicky: wrapping the pan in foil (sometimes necessary with older pans), finding a shallow pan large enough to hold the cake pan with plenty of clearance, and dealing with moving a heavy, water-filled pan in and out of the oven.
• Verdict: It may take a bit more effort, but baking in a water bath is the most reliable way to prevent overbaking and keep your cheesecake from cracking. There’s a reason it’s called for in so many recipes — it really does work.
• Rating: 9.5/10

How do you know when your cheesecake is baked through, but not overbaked?

Your cheesecake is done when the outer edge is firm and the center is just barely set. But what does that mean in practical terms?

Measuring the temperature of the filling is the best way to gauge doneness. Insert a digital thermometer halfway deep into the filling. Cheesecake that’s baked all the way through without being overbaked will be a maximum of 175°F about 1" in from the outer edge, and at least 150°F in the very center.

Photography by Kristin Teig; food styling by Liz Neily

More tips to keep cheesecake from cracking

While overbaking is the chief cause of cracked cheesecake, here are some other factors that might promote cracking, plus how to deal with them:

Using a lower-moisture recipe: Cheesecake recipes that call for only cream cheese, eggs, and sugar are more prone to a cracked surface than those that include an additional liquid, such as sour cream or heavy cream. The more liquid in the batter, the moister it’ll stay as it bakes, and the less likely it is to crack. In addition, a cheesecake recipe that makes a thinner cake in a shallower pan — e.g., a pie pan instead of a springform — is less apt to crack, since it bakes more evenly from edge to center. 

Overmixing: Beating the cream cheese, eggs, and sugar too long or vigorously introduces air to the batter, which weakens the cake’s structure and makes it more prone to cracking. Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at warm room temperature before you begin, and beat slowly, just until the batter is smooth.

Cooling too quickly: Pulling your hot cheesecake out of the oven and setting it in a cold, drafty place to cool encourages it to shrink, which can cause cracking. Underbake your cake just slightly and allow it to cool gently in your turned-off oven. (Crack the door open a few inches.) Or cool it slowly in a warm, draft-free spot, such as your microwave: Place a cup of water in the microwave, heat for a couple of minutes, then turn off. Place the cheesecake in the microwave, where it’ll remain both warm and moist as it gently cools.

Photography by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Erin Jeanne McDowell

Looking for a tasty variation on the classic vanilla cheesecake? Try these popular recipes: sweet-tangy Lemon Cheesecake, perfect with fresh berries; decadent Chocolate Cheesecake; rich Caramel Pecan Cheesecake, or double-decker Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie!

Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.