THE BEST HOMEMADE CHEESECAKE
The Best Homemade Cheesecake - get the secret for the lightest and fluffiest cheesecake ever!
I've been making this cheesecake for years. The recipe came from a parent when my Mom taught school. This is truly The Best Homemade Cheesecake recipe on the planet! Chicken Legs says this is the best dessert that I make. He said other desserts are good, but this is the best!
What makes it so great? It is super light and fluffy. How does it get that way? The egg yolks are beaten in with the cream cheese and then the whipped egg whites are folded into the batter. That makes all the difference.
I took this cheesecake down to my parent's house for Christmas. I hadn't made it in a long time, and I won't be waiting so long to make it again. It tastes amazing! The cheesecake can be made ahead of time and frozen until you are ready to serve it.
The Best Homemade Cheesecake
prep time: 10 MINS 
cook time: 30 MINS
total time: 40 mins

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
  • 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
Filling
  • 3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Crust: Combine all ingredients and press against sides and bottom of 9-inch springform pan. (I use a measuring cup to do this - works great!)
  3. Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar, 4 egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla.
  4. In another bowl, beat 4 egg whites until stiff and creamy. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust in springform pan.
  5. Bake for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour with the door closed.
  6. Freeze several hours before serving. Remove from freezer and remove from pan before allowing the cheesecake to thaw.