Like mother, like daughter. I have no idea where that saying originated. Sometimes it is spot on. Other times, well, not so much. I remember when I was a kid and my Oma came for a visit. Mom was so excited to show her the house that she ran into the sliding glass door. We kidded her about it for years. Then guess what? Right after we added the sunroom to our house, I ran into the sliding screen door. When it comes to cheesecakes, my mom always had success. I’m the opposite. There was yet another disaster in the making of Sour Cream Cheesecake.
First a little back story on my mom’s cheesecakes. There were two she made for years. One recipe I’ve shared before as Mom’s Cheesecake. If you look at that post you will see the disasters I had making it. The other recipe is the one I’m sharing now. It’s my mom’s favorite. And sure enough, the first one I made was a complete disaster. There were cracks so deep they almost went down to the crust.
Even the crust went wrong. The graham cracker crust didn’t hold together after baking. It was a crumbly mess. I had no idea why the filling cracked so badly. I followed the recipe exactly. The cheesecake puffed up so much while baking it rose higher than the sides of the pan. Then it fell and cracked within a few moments after taking it out of the oven. I posted the failed cheesecake photo on Instagram and Facebook.
It’s good to have foodie friends. My fellow food bloggers saw the failure and offered advice. I had a lengthy discussion with Anita of Hungry Couple. She suggested a completely different method for mixing the batter. So off to the store I went to get the needed ingredients. The next morning I baked the second one. It was a total success.
What changed in the process? For the crust, I slightly reduced the amount of graham cracker crumbs and increased the amount of butter. For the filling, I used a food processor instead of a mixer. For baking, I opened the door slightly during the last 10 minutes. That may sound odd. The original recipe said to turn off the oven after 35 minutes and let it stay in the oven for about 30 minutes. So the change was after 20 minutes I opened the oven door a little to let the temperature slowly come down.
How is Sour Cream Cheesecake? Oh, it’s super creamy and silky smooth. You know what makes it so creamy? It’s the sour cream. There is 24 ounces, yes, 3 cups, of it in the mix. I even called my mom to check if it wasn’t a mistake on the recipe. It seemed like too much. She confirmed it is the correct amount. Serve it plain like my mom prefers, with fruit, or your favorite topping.
What is your mom’s favorite food? Sunday Supper tastemakers are sharing recipes for their mom’s favorite. Scroll down to see the list. Also look at a few more of my mom’s favorites; Sauerbraten, Spaetzle, German Potato Salad, and Chocolate Pecan Torte.
Sour Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 24 ounces sour cream
Instructions
For the crust:
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Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
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Stir together graham cracker crumbs, pecans, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir to combine (crumbs will be moistened).
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Press mixture firmly in the bottom and about halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
For the filling:
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Place filling ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Add them to the bowl in the order listed starting with cream cheese and ending with sour cream. Process until smooth.
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Pour filling into crust. Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes.
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Turn off the oven. Do not open oven door for 20 minutes.
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Open oven door slightly (about 2 inches). Let cheesecake remain in the oven with the oven door slightly open for 10 minutes.
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Remove cheesecake from oven and place on a wire rack. Run a thin knife between pan and crust.
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Cool cheesecake in the pan to room temperature then chill overnight. Run a thin knife again between pan and crust before removing side of pan and serving.
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Keep cheesecake covered and chilled when not serving.
Recipe Notes
Time stated does not include time for cooling and chilling cheesecake.
Mother’s Day is coming soon. It’s a time to celebrate special women in our lives. One way is to make something they really enjoy. Perhaps it could be one of these mom’s favorite recipes:
Starters (Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast):
- Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal by Cooking With Carlee
- Frozen Pina Colada by The Redhead Baker
- Goats Cheese Rolls with Honey and Thyme by Manu’s Menu
- Mom’s Banana Bread by Family Around the Table
- Mom’s Famous Poppy Seed Bread With A Citrus Glaze by And She Cooks
- Mom’s Wine Spritzer by Momma’s Meals
Salads, Side Dishes, and Sauces:
- Asiago Bruschetta Roasted Asparagus by Flavor Mosaic
- Italian Country Salad by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Mom’s Cucumbers in Vinegar by Simple And Savory
- Mom’s Homemade Perogies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mom’s Potato Salad by Palatable Pastime
- Polish Haluski (Pan Fried Noodles & Sauerkraut) by The Crumby Cupcake
- Spinach Salad with Simple Vinaigrette by Cooking Chat
- Zippy Barbecue Sauce by Amee’s Savory Dish
Main Dishes:
- Chicken and Egg Salad Sandwich by The Freshman Cook
- Grilled Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce by Casa de Crews
- Fried Smelt by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Granny Smith’s Meatloaf by Get the Good Stuff!
- Jean’s Best Vegetable Soup by Food Lust People Love
- Lemon & Garlic Herbed Roasted Chicken by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Mama’s Favorite Southern Fried Chicken by The Chef Next Door
- Mom’s Cheese & Onion Enchiladas by The TipToe Fairy
- Mom’s Lentil Toastadas by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Mom’s Moussaka by My Life Cookbook
- Shirley’s Potato Soup by Our Good Life
- Mom’s Spare Ribs To Go by An Italian in my Kitchen
- Mom’s Sukiyaki: Japanese Beef and Vegetables Hot Pot by Asian In America
- Myra’s Super Supper by Tramplingrose
- Pizza Meatloaf by A Mind Full Mom
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls by Cookin’ Mimi
Desserts:
- Apple Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Apple Crisp by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Baklava by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Brown Sugar Pudding by Un Assaggio of Food, Wine & Marriage
- Butter Balls by Feeding and More
- Carrot Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by Pies and Plots
- Chocolate Cherry Truffle Cheesecake by What Smells So Good?
- Crustless Pecan Pie Rice Pudding by Desserts Required
- Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Chocolate Buttercream by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Easy Classic Date Squares by She Loves Biscotti
- Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cake by What The Fork Food Blog
- Homemade Chocolate Cherry Candies by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Hungarian Crepes: Palacsinta by My Gourmet Connection
- Lemon Cookies with White Chocolate and Mint by The Finer Cookie
- Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze and Roasted Strawberries by Turnips 2 Tangerines
- Mom’s Apple Pie by Wholistic Woman
- Mom’s Famous White Icing by Monica’s Table
- Moms Mayonnaise Cake by My World Simplified
- Pavlova with Raspberries and Cream by Caroline’s Cooking
- Rocky Road Brownie Sundae for Mom by The Weekend Gourmet
- Rose Shortbread Cookies by Baking Sense
- Sour Cream Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
Plus What Mom Really Wants for Mother’s Day plus Mom’s Favorite from Sunday Supper Movement
Join the #SundaySupper family on twitter every Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the conversation. To get more great Sunday Supper recipes, visit the Sunday Supper Movement website or check out our Sunday Supper Pinterest board.
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Zeenat Azam
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
Hi there. If I do not want to add the pecans, do I have to reduce the amount of butter? Thank you.
Katie Moseman
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
I'd keep the butter the same and swap in more graham cracker crumbs in an equivalent amount to the pecans.
Barbara
Friday 2nd of April 2021
This was also my Mother's Cheesecake recipe. I don't like any other cheesecake. It took me a few tries but I have it down now. People love it! No other cheesecake is this moist. Thanks for sharing.
Richard Ellis
Wednesday 12th of December 2018
I found this recipe 30 years ago in a magazine, it was called Bavarian Cheesecake (it's not Bavarian), and lost it. The only difference was it called for 2 cups of sour cream, not 3. It was the best cheesecake I ever made, or ever had. So glad to find this.
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm
Saturday 7th of May 2016
Kudos to you for remaking and giving the tips. I would have covered it with whipped cream and called it a day LOL
maria
Tuesday 3rd of May 2016
Stunning, you've captured the silkiness of the cheesecake. Thanks for sharing both versions... there's hope for the rest of us :)