I have tried dozens of cheesecake recipes over the years and my favorite is the recipe for the first one I ever made. I found the recipe for Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake in the first edition (1963) of McCall’s Cookbook that I received from my grandmother at my bridal shower. It was a very popular cookbook and I’m sure everybody who got married in the 60’s got one as a gift on some occasion. This cake is big and heavy (2-1/2 pounds of cream cheese and 7 eggs), New York style, dense and rich, and if you ever try it you won’t forget it.
Lindy’s Cheesecake has a long history in New York when Leo Lindermann opened his first deli on Broadway in 1921. If you are interested in the history of this famous dessert you can read about it here and here. Cheesecake has been a part of America’s culinary history since the early 1730’s but didn’t evolve into the cheesecake we know today until the development of cream cheese around 1910.
The original Lindy’s cheesecake has a cookie crust. I tried it several times and never cared for it. It isn’t possible to get a nice crisp crust so I substituted a graham cracker crust early in my baking days and have used it ever since. I found a big box of Biscoff cookies at Costco recently and made a crumb crust of them instead of the graham crackers. The crust was more flavorful than one made with graham crackers, but I like the nuttiness of the graham flour and will stick with that in the future. The cake is all about the incredibly delicious filling so I never get any complaints about the crust I use. I have included the original crust in the recipe so you can try it if you are curious.
This cheesecake is easy to make. The trick is baking a cake that doesn’t crack. Let the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs stand at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before using. After adding the eggs, do not over beat or the air will cause a crack in the center. Baking at too high a temperature or over baking also contributes to cracking. Baking in a water bath reduces the possibility of cracking and produces the creamiest texture. I try all these techniques and, as you can see in the photos, my cake has the Grand Canyon running down the center. It usually doesn’t matter because a topping covers it up nicely so don’t worry about it.
I made this cheesecake for my daughter’s April birthday and passed a selection of toppings rather than choosing one for the top of the cake. Homemade caramel sauce was delicious and sliced strawberries are always a winner. I cut small pieces because we had a big platter of fried razor clams and roasted asparagus for the birthday dinner. If you have never made a New York style cheesecake I urge you to try it. It’s truly one of the most wonderful desserts and is so easy to make at home.
- 1 cup flour
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- (A graham cracker crust can be substituted for the cookie crust)
- 2½ lb. cream cheese, softened
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1½ tsp. orange zest
- 1½ tsp. lemon zest
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 5 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Cathy, looks delicious. I have been reading up on the cracking and thought next time I make cheesecake, I would try a couple of the tricks. Using a waterbath, not beating the eggs too much as that invites too much air into and batter and no overbaking, but opening the door a crack after the oven is turned off and leaving the cake in the oven an extra hour as temperature change too quickly can cause cracks. All that being said, I have no problems with cracks, but you know how those compulsive people/bakers can be. 😉
Susan recently posted..Vietnamese Steak with Cucumber Salad
I’m going to try leaving the cake in the oven to cool down. That makes a lot of sense to me. My cake wasn’t cracked down the middle when I took it out of the oven. It happened as it cooled. Please let me know if you try this, Susan. It may be awhile before I make this recipe again. As much as I love it I always eat too much of it. Thanks for your comment. As my family says, the crack doesn’t change the flavor one bit.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
cheesecake cracks on the top because its over cooked u are tto take it out when the edges are a little brown but the inside is still soft & jiggley . thanks billy try it it works it finishs cooking as it cools & sets up
Hide it from me. I’d eat at least 1/2 of it.
I’d love to try razor clams too. See them on the cooking shows, but have never had them available to us.
Beautiful cheesecake. It’s rainy here in Mississippi today.
You aren’t alone, Ramona. I ate way too much of it. I hope you can try razor clams some day. They are unbelievably delicious.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
It looks absolutely fantastic Cathy..
The real deal..
I like Biscoff too..but it does change the traditional cheesecake taste..I agree with you..It’s like the real thing doesn’t need extra jewelry;)
So many opinions re cracking..I too have read make sure your cheese is as soft as can be and don’t overbeat..leave it in the oven door open to cool..
Personally a water bath..twice..mine have gone swimming..nothing worse that a wet crust..such a waste..most recently I read on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe..that she fills a vessel with water.. instead of putting the cheesecake in the bath..and the cranking door tip..I will try the moist trick..to see..Cracked or not though..I would gobble up that cheesecake ..a sliver..in an instant!
Of all the cookbooks I own, I don’t have the McCall’s one, Cathy. Thank you for sharing the recipe and your review on the crust. I’d lve a piec of cheesecake right now with my cuppa tea.
The very first cheesecake I made was New York style and it’s till my favourite!
Mine too, Lynn. There is no substitute for 2-1/2 pounds of cream cheese.
Love cheesecake, but clearly I cannot be trusted to make one unless I was taking it somewhere. (I tend to level it until it is all gone.) 🙂 Now if I was taking it, this one would be “the one”.
I hear you Madonna. I could eat the whole thing, one small slice at a time. This dessert needs an occasion with lots of people so that doesn’t happen.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
This is the recipe we have used at out house for years but with a graham cracker crust My daughter recently changed to gluten free cooking so I bought gluten fee gingerbread cookies ground them up and made the crust from that It was really quite good that ginger made it spicy She also used King Arthur gluten free flour for the 3 tbsp of flour in the cake Never know the difference
Good to know, Betty. My family doesn’t have gluten issues but I know that many readers do. Thanks for sharing this info. Have a great holiday weekend. Thanks for your comment.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
Oooh, what a gorgeous cheesecake! I tried this recipe before I had my blog and burnt the heck out of my crust. I think I’ll take a cue from you and make it with a graham cracker crust 🙂
Liz recently posted..Coca Cola Cake
looks great and fun cookbook nice memories
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Thanks, Rebecca. Have a good holiday weekend.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
It has been ages since I last baked a cheesecake. Must find time to give this a try as I love the smooth and creamy texture of your cheesecake.
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Asparagus with Truffle Oil, Egg and Tomato Dressing
I haven’t made cheesecake in so long but I do love it! It makes such a lot that I need to figure out how to make a small recipe version. My favorite recipe, that I got from a friend many, many years ago is quite similar and has a graham cracker crust. I can almost taste it. Love your toppings!
Susan recently posted..Rhubarb Custard Torte
I have cut this recipe in half with good results, Susan. I make this when I know I’m having a group for dinner. There is never any left because everybody wants to take a piece home. Another good reason to leave the topping off is that it keeps better – usually a day or two longer than it would with a topping.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
My first wife used to make this and it is the benchmark for me when it comes to cheesecake but I never alter the flavor with a topping.
Larry recently posted..Two Rivers Landing RV Park – Low Country Boil
This cake is so good it really doesn’t need a topping. So often the old fashioned recipes are the best.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
This is truly the best cheesecake ever. I’ve had it several times and would love to make it, but have to wait for a special occasion. Otherwise, I’ll be shopping for the next size up at the clothing store.
I hear you, Linda. It’s so easy to eat a huge portion of this cake, one tiny sliver at a time. It’s just too good to resist.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
Yum! Cheesecake is one of my fave desserts! Never matters to me if it is flawless or has a crack on top. I haven’t made one in quite a while, because my portion control goes out the window, here. 🙂
~Judy
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I have the same problem, Judy. I just can’t leave a cheesecake alone. Even if I tried I couldn’t.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Lindy’s Famous Cheesecake
I love cheesecake, so I’ll have to try this one! The one I usually make has sweetened condensed milk in it.
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I am such a fan of sweets, but I must say cheesecake is way down the list. However, if someone made this for me and served it with caramel sauce and fresh strawberries I would love it. It looks beautiful.
I love Lindy’s cheesecake! Have you ever tried making the crust with zwieback? Pricey but delicious! Your blog is a dangerous place to visit for me! Since my silent heart attack I haven’t had a dessert except sugar free pudding! No fun!
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I’ve been making a similar cheesecake for over 40 years. I always took the easy way out and used canned pie filling on the top, both for taste and to cover any cracks. Gingersnaps also make a great crust (also for pumpkin pie).
I found the recipes in a McCall’s Holiday Cokking magazine in the 70’s. I thought the crust has chopped up nuts in there as well.
I lost my one and only cookbook. It also has a great recipes of fruit cake as well. Can you tell me what year is that Holiday Cookbook. I remember soaking the nuts and fruits in brandy and sherrys for a few days. That is way better than the ones you buy from the store.
Thanks for publishing it.
I haven’t seen McCalls Holiday Magazine. The cheesecake recipe is in their cookbook, 1963 edition. I’m going to look for the fruitcake recipe. It sounds delicious. Happy New Year.
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