Recipe: Easy Double-Crust Cheesecake

I love a good cheesecake. Both my Easiest Oreo Cheesecake and Easy Caramel Pecan Cheesecake are always big hits. But regardless of just how delicious your cheesecake filling is, it’s just not a cheesecake without the perfect crust.

And if I’m being totally honest, that crust is usually my favorite part. I’m the one who slices the cheesecake and steals a piece of crust or two off the other pieces just so I can have more crust. You know you’re guilty, too.

So when I saw a recipe for a cheesecake with crust on both the top and bottom a few weeks back on Facebook, I knew it had to be in my future.

When I took my classic cheesecake filling and sandwiched it between a nearly triple portion of my graham cracker crust recipe, something magical was born.

And, y’all … I’m kind of obsessed with this.

Now, I hate dealing with a water bath, so I made this recipe without one – just like my other cheesecakes.

Water baths slow the cooking process down to keep the top level and prevent it from cracking. (It also helps a little with the texture.) But since we’re topping this cheesecake with a crust, we don’t have to worry too much about looks.

If you’re feeling like an overachiever, you can absolutely use a water bath for this recipe; you’ll just need to adjust the cooking time.

How do I tell if my cheesecake is done?

Most folks test cheesecake doneness by giving it a little shake or tap. The top should be mostly set with a little jiggle right in the center.

I prefer to use an instant read digital thermometer and take the cheesecake’s temp right in the center. You’ll want the cheesecake to be right at 145 degrees.

The problem with this, of course, is that it leaves a hole in your cheesecake. But if you have a topping going on the cheesecake, you can fill that small hole with the topping. In the case of this recipe, you can simply scoot a little bit of that top crust over to fill the hole.

Easy Double-Crust Cheesecake

Click here for a printable version.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 (14.4-ounce) box graham crackers (or 4 cups graham cracker crumbs)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted (12 tablespoons)

For the filling:

• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Crush the graham crackers to fine crumbs using a food chopper, food processor or by placing the crackers in a large zip-top bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
• In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, salt, sugar and butter. Mix to coat the crumbs in the butter.
• Add about 3 cups of the crumb mixture to the springform pan and use a dry measuring cup to firmly press the crumbs in the bottom and on the sides of the pan to create the crust.
• In a mixer, add the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth.
• Add the eggs and mix until combined and smooth, being cautious not to overmix.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
• Add the remaining 2 cups of crumb mixture evenly over the top of the filling and lightly pat down.
• Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until the cheesecake is set to about 1 inch in from the edge. The center will still be jiggly. (You can also use an instant read thermometer to check doneness in the center of the cheesecake. It should read about 145 degrees.)
• Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least four hours before slicing and serving. Keep chilled.

 This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out ”The Southern Bite Cookbook.”