🍰 MY FAVE CHEESECAKE RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pan of hot water in bottom of oven for more even baking and crack prevention.

2. Cover bottom of 9-inch springform pan with foil to keep it from spilling out the sides. Fold the excess up the sides (about 2" excess foil is ideal), and spray with your fave non-stick.

3. Grind graham crackers in a food processor or crush to fine crumbs with a rolling pin (in a bag, of course, or else yikes).

4. Mix crust ingredients and pat only on the bottom of your prepared pan.

5. In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth ~ about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a flexi spatula.

6. Add sugar and cornstarch and beat again, scraping a few times. The mixture should be smooth.

7. Add vanilla, eggs and egg whites two at a time. Beat until creamy.

8. Slowly add the cream and beat only enough so there are no lumps and the filling is nice and fluffy. (Don't beat too much, or it'll crack, as mine usually does.) Scrape as needed.

9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.

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NOTE: Once the timer goes off, I crack the oven door open and let the cake "cool" in there for at least 30 minutes. Then I unsnap the spring part of the pan and carefully remove it, scoot the cake onto a plate in the fridge, and cover it with a classy AF microwave cover overnight.

The next day I gently place a 2nd plate face-down on top of the cake, flip the whole contraption over VERY carefully, remove the bottom of the springform pan (with the foil), put the original plate back on the cake - this time directly on the graham cracker crust), THEN gently flip it back over for display.

Surely there's a better way. 🙃

You can get as fresh and fancy as you'd like with your toppings - supreme strawberry, fresh pineapple, caramel, chocolate chips... get creative and live your best cheesecake life.

I keep this "topping" bit VERY simple.

It's more of a strawberry SOUP, really, as some of us enjoy a bucket of strawberries with a side of cheesecake:

Don't tell Martha.

To make it, I put frozen (partially thawed at room temp) strawberries in blender and add hot water as needed to get the job done.

I repeat till it looks smoothie-like, and we store in an easy-pour container as long as the cheesecake lasts...

WHICH IS NEVER THAT LONG. 🤗

Takes anywhere from three to four bags to make more than enough for us.

Your berry mileage may very.

If you give this recipe a try, I wanna know!

Send me a note via email.

Also, if you haven't yet - let this be your sign to document your fave recipes somewhere that's easy to reference and share with fam and friends.

Could be a Google doc, a social media post, or a group text.

I'll always be grateful to Jenn for sharing this gem with us all those years ago.

It's one rare treat we ALL enjoy together.

Hope it brings some joy to you and your crew too. 🍓