Cheesecake has been one of my favorite desserts throughout my life. It’s a delicious sweet and tangy dessert that has perfectly thick, creamy texture. Also, it is typically served on graham cracker crust which brings it all together.
I decided it was finally time to put a sous vide twist on a classic New York cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. I wanted to create a sous vide cheesecake recipe that is simple to make and consistent every time. And boy, this is it. The flavors are spot on, the texture is perfect, and the graham cracker crust on top is delightful. Give it a try now.
Packaging
An essential part of cooking sous vide is putting ingredients in an air-tight bag or container. The two most common techniques to package your ingredients are vacuum sealing and using the water displacement method.
However, in this recipe, we keep things simple by using canning jars. Just add all the ingredients into canning jars, tighten the lid, and drop the jar in the water bath.
Time and Temperature
Through lots of R&D, we’ve found that cooking the cheesecake at 80C/176F for an hour and a half is the perfect combo. This time and temperature gives the cheesecake that delicious, creamy texture that you are seeking. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule).
Once the cheesecakes are done cooking in the sous vide, please chill for at least 6 hours for the dessert to set.
Special Equipment
Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule.
12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a large batch of cheesecakes in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.
Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for hours care-free.
Mason Jars – For this recipe, you are going to need 4 oz. canning jars. We prefer using the king of mason jars, Ball, for the job. Ball mason jars are reliable, so you can rest easy knowing the lid will remain sealed while submerged.
Check out our full list of recommended gear here.
Unreal Sous Vide Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 8 oz. cream cheese packages
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
Crust
- 9 graham crackers
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 5 Tbsp salted butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Preparing the Cheesecake
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Set sous vide machine at 80C/176F.
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In food processor or mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla. Mix until ingredients are combined and cream cheese is softened. Scrape down sides, add in buttermilk and mix again until ingredients evenly incorporated.
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Pour an equal amount of cheesecake filling in each canning jar, and screw on the lid of each jar (see note). Gently submerge the entire jars in the bath using rubber tongs, and set a timer for an hour and a half.
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Remove from bath and let rest on counter top for 30 minutes to cool. Once cooled, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours to set the filling. When ready to serve, garnish with the crust (recipe below) and your favorite toppings. Now enjoy these heavenly treats straight from the jar!
Preparing the Crust
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Preheat oven to 163/325F.
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In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely crushed. Add sugar and cinnamon and mix until ingredients are combined. Slowly pour in melted butter to mixture while pulsing. Alternatively use a bag to crush the graham crackers then stir in the sugar, cinnamon and butter by hand if you don't have a food processor!
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Spread mixture in an even layer on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
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Remove crust mixture from oven, and set aside to cool.
Recipe Notes
- The lid should not be put on too tight or the air pressure will not be able to release, causing the jars to shatter in the water. Try only using your fingertips when attaching the lid.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days
Fantastic recipe. Had no idea you could make cheesecake in sous vide, and this was exactly what I wanted.
Holy cow this cheesecake was amazing. Like restaurant quality. Blown away.
Thank you for this recipe – it’s absolutely brilliant. When topped with a mixed berry compote this is the nicest cheesecake I’ve ever had! The individual jars make it so easy to prepare ahead too (and look very cute) 🙂
I have not tied this recipe yet but the first picture looks like it has the graham cracker crust on the bottom and a sprinkle on top yet the recipe does not say to put a layer of graham on bottom, please reply. Thank you.
Hi Mary, the graham cracker crust should be sprinkled on the top. The first photo was from a test runs where I put graham crackers on the bottom, but I found that it made the graham cracker mixture soggy. SO I recommend just sprinkling on the top once it is done in the SV :).