Cooking with Mamma C

Recipes from My Italian-American Kitchen

Navigation
You are here: Home / Dessert / Cakes / Mom’s Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

Mom’s Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

24 Comments

You have to try Mom’s Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping! It’s baked in a 9×13, has a super creamy texture, a refreshing tang and the best, buttery graham cracker crust!

Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - A beloved family favorite! You'll make this 9x13 cheesecake again and again!I never thought Mom would share her cheesecake recipe with me, let alone allow me to publish it on my blog. This is big, folks.

You’ll want to print this one for keeps. This 9×13 cheesecake with sour cream topping has been devoured at countless New Year’s Eve celebrations, graduations and who knows how many dinners. Mom’s probably made it nearly 100 times.

She got a version of this recipe from a friend many years ago, then adapted it along the way. After hearing all of the changes Mom made, I informed her this indeed was her recipe now.

Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - This 9x13 cheesecake recipe is a keeper! A family favorite dessert you'll make again and again.

So, what’s special about this cheesecake?

  • Mom’s graham cracker crust isn’t dry. Extra butter (Mom uses margarine) produces a moist crust that gets even softer after a couple days. (I wish I knew Mom’s secret years ago; it would’ve spared me the sandy results I always got by following standard graham cracker crust recipes.)
  • This cheesecake is extra creamy, thanks to half and half. Mom even increased the amount of half and half from the original recipe.
  • The sour cream topping isn’t baked — it’s fresh sour cream lightly sweetened with sugar and spread right on the cooled cheesecake, greeting your taste buds with a refreshing tang.

Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - A beloved family favorite! You'll make this 9x13 cheesecake again and again!And I love the convenience of using a 9×13 here instead of a springform pan, which can leak. (I use a 9×13 with square edges, similar to this one. That’s an affiliate link.)

Plus…no water bath is needed; this cheesecake won’t crack at the low temperature Mom recommends. And the sour cream topping would cover it anyway.

This cheesecake is quite different than the Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake so many Cooking with Mamma C readers love (me too!) That one is gluten free and has a very airy texture, compared to this super creamy one. But, both cheesecakes are outstanding and worthy of a place in your recipe collection.

Mom always slices her cheesecake into dainty squares, unlike my lasagna-slab portions you see here. (Hey, I had to fill up the plates for the photos, you know?)

Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - The best 9x13 cheesecake! This dessert is always a hit!

And Mom simply serves her cheesecake with sour cream topping, unadorned. It’s delicious like that, but I have to say, it’s fabulous with fresh blueberries on top! I added them for a pop of color, but loved the way their crisp, juicy texture complemented the creaminess of the cheesecake.

I bet other berries would work well too. Maybe these Italian Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon? You’ll have to experiment.

And invite me over.

Enjoy!

(Recipe Source: Barely adapted from my Mom’s recipe. She says she makes her crust with margarine, instead of butter, to produce a softer result. Mom’s recipe has several adaptations from the original one she received from a friend.)

 

Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - A fabulous recipe for a 9x13 cheesecake with a graham cracker crust! The perfect dessert for parties and holidays.
4.58 from 7 votes
Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping - A beloved family favorite! You'll make this 9x13 cheesecake again and again!
Print
Mom’s Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
My Mom's Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping is a huge family favorite! Make it at least a day before you need it.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesecake, graham cracker crust, sourcream topping
Servings: 16 -20
Calories: 472 kcal
Author: Cooking with Mamma C
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (buy crumbs or crush 14 long crackers)
  • 12 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cheesecake
  • 3 8-ounce cream cheese blocks (softened; use full fat)
  • 3 jumbo eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups half & half (full fat)
Sour Cream Topping
  • 1 pint sour cream (full fat)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Garnish
  • fresh blueberries for serving (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Set out your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature for an hour before using them.
  2. To make the crust, crush your crackers, if needed, by placing seven cracker sheets at a time in a sealed plastic bag. Crush them with a rolling pin.
  3. Add your crumbs to a small mixing bowl. Melt your butter in the microwave or a pan on the stove and add the melted butter to your crumbs. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir your crust mixture until it's blended well, and all the crumbs are moist.
  4. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and press it evenly onto the bottom surface, not the sides. Set the crust aside to be baked later with the cheesecake filling.
  5. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. To make the cheesecake filling, add your softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Beat the cream cheese until it's thick and creamy, getting rid of any lumps as best you can.
  6. Add your room-temperature eggs and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Beat until blended and no lumps remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  7. Add your flour and vanilla. Beat to blend.
  8. Add your half & half and beat at a low speed (to avoid splashing). When the mixture is blended, beat it some more until you see some bubbles on the surface.
  9. Pour the batter over your unbaked graham cracker crust. Bake the cheesecake for 45-50 minutes, until it's set.
  10. Let the cheesecake cool on a wire rack. Wait at least 30 minutes before adding the sour cream topping.
  11. To make the topping, add your sour cream to a small mixing bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of sugar. When the cheesecake is cooled off, spread on your sour cream topping.
  12. Cover the pan with foil (be careful not to let the foil touch the cheesecake surface) and refrigerate the cheesecake overnight. Serve the cheesecake chilled, with fresh blueberries, if desired.
  13. Store the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Recipe Notes

This cheesecake needs to be made at least a day in advance but tastes even better 2-3 days after you make it, as the crust softens. We've never tried freezing it and haven't stored it in the fridge beyond three days.

Nutrition Facts
Mom’s Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping
Amount Per Serving
Calories 472 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 52%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 328mg 14%
Potassium 172mg 5%
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Sugars 28g
Protein 6g 12%
Vitamin A 23.4%
Vitamin C 0.7%
Calcium 12.1%
Iron 4.9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Comments


  1. Oh my goodness! I just made this for my daughter’s birthday. She requested cheese cake and I had never made one. Which is surprising,, as I love to bake and cook. I scoured the Internet- kept going back and forth between no bake and baked. I settled on this one. SO glad I did!! I accidentally (happily!) used heavy cream instead of half and half- still amazing!! I’m at so happy at how well this turned out. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply


  2. I have been cooking and baking for years, I followed this recipe to a T and the cheesecake mixture was so watery! It took way over 50 mins to set…. closer to an hour and a half. It’s cooling now but man I hope this is good, otherwise that was a lot of work and wait for nothing.

    Reply

    • Hi Chris – We’ve made this cheesecake 100 times without issue, so I’m trying to figure out what went wrong for you. Is your oven working correctly? I hope the cheesecake turned out good, once it set for you.

      Reply


  3. Hello Andrea :o)

    I read dozens of cheesecake recipes, specifically looking for one with an uncooked sour cream topping… and yours was the only one! It sounded delicious, so I tried it.

    The directions were easy to follow and the cheesecake turned out great! It is moist, flavorful, holds together very nicely, makes a lot and it looks so pretty.

    My family has been enjoying it for the past few days. I just wanted to thank you and let you know that I appreciate your heritage of cooking and your blog very much. You rock!

    Dianne in Albuquerque, NM :o)

    Reply

  7. I’m totally one of those freaks that doesn’t care for cheesecake, but I have to be honest with you, I’d have a piece of this. I think my issue with cheesecake has always been how damn tall the cakes are, and gosh, it’s too much! They’re so rich! But these squares look nicely balanced, and like they’d allow me to enjoy my dessert experience. Lol. So seriosuly, way to go — you just might have converted a cheesecake naysayer 😉

    Reply

  8. Oh gosh, cheesecake. My favorite. I can’t believe you are tempting me like this. It’s summer and I’m trying so hard to be good, but failing miserably! I love that you used a regular baking dish instead of the springform pan. I’m totally going to try this!

    Reply


  9. This cheesecake looks amazing! I was really confused by the sour cream topping at first but your description sounds so unbelievable and I bet it pairs perfectly with the cheesecake. I can just imagine eating this with my family at the holidays. Thanks to your mom for letting you share this with us all!

    Reply

  11. I love family recipes like this! It’s so special to make something and know that you’re continuing this tradition and can simultaneously remember all the lovely occasions when it was enjoyed in the past. This looks really tasty, and I love how simple it is – perfect for feeding a crowd!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Posts

Photo of sheet pan with baked Lemon Parmesan Cod with Garlic Butter
Make these gluten-free Baked Parmesan Crisps for an easy appetizer, snack or to top your soup or salad! I flavor mine with garlic powder and paprika, but they're good plain too.
Homemade Italian Bread - Crusty, delicious and so easy! #bread #dough