How to tell if a cheesecake is done

Learn how to tell if a cheesecake is done with the best tips ranging from using a quick read thermometer to understanding what to watch for.

You have made a perfect crust, your batter is beautiful, the cheesecake is in the oven- so now comes the moment of truth…how do you know when your cheesecake is done? This can be a little tricky especially if it is your first time making a cheesecake. In fact, even the most seasoned cheesecake bakers may find it challenging to know exactly when a cheesecake is perfectly baked. Luckily, we have a few tips and tricks for you to try so that you know exactly when your cheesecake is ready to come out of the oven.

Tips for Baking Cheesecake

Before you even put your cheesecake in the oven, there are a few tips that you may want to learn to ensure you bake your cheesecake properly.

First, make sure your oven is fully preheated. You do not want to put your cheesecake into a cold oven as it will disrupt the way the cake bakes and also alter the cooking time.
Next, be sure to bake your cheesecake in a waterbath. The water bath acts as a barrier, protecting the delicate, dairy based cake from the hot oven. Without the water bath, the cheesecake will cook too quickly and not have that creamy texture you are looking for.
Once you have determined that the cheesecake is baked (which we will discuss in length!), remove it from the oven and let it cool gradually. Let the cheesecake sit in the water bath, at room temperature for about an hour before moving it to the fridge. When the cheesecake cools slowly, it is less likely to crack and more likely to keep that beautiful texture that you are looking for. Baking a cheesecake is an art but these three baking tips will definitely help!

How Do You Know When a Cheesecake is Done?

There are a few different methods you can use to see if your cheesecake is done baking and ready to be taken out of the oven. You should try each of these tests and see which one works best for you and your specific recipe. They are all easy enough that no matter which you choose, you will be able to bake a perfect cheesecake!

Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cheesecake. A simple instant-read culinary thermometer will work perfectly. Make sure the thermometer is clean and then carefully stick it into the very center of the cheesecake. Do not press the thermometer all the way to the bottom as you do not want the hot pan to give you a false temperature reading. Once the tip of the thermometer is about halfway through, so that it is reading the temperature of the very center of the cheesecake, hold it in place and see what the temperature is. Once the cheesecake has reached 150 degrees F, it is baked and ready to come out of the oven! This is a very scientific and exact way to see if your cheesecake is done.
Gently shaking the cheesecake pan can also tell you if your cheesecake is done. This method of checking your cheesecake is a little less technical than using a thermometer but also works fantastically. Gently shake the cheesecake and watch the center of the cake in particular. The middle 1 ½-2 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle slightly while the remaining edges of the cake should be firm and not move. If this is the case, the cake is done! When you shake the pan, if any liquid breaks through the surface or if the whole cheesecake is still wiggling, it needs more time to bake.
With clean hands, touch the center of the cheesecake to check if it is fully baked. The cheesecake should give a little bit under your fingers but spring back when you lift your hand. If you still see your fingerprints in the center, if the surface of the cheesecake broke or if you have batter on your fingers after touching the cheesecake, it is not quite done yet.
You can visually check to see if your cheesecake is done baking as well. Look at the edges of the cheesecake and see if they are brown or still pale. When a cheesecake is perfectly baked, about ½ of an inch around the edge of the cake will be a golden brown and slightly puffed, pulling away from the pan a little bit. The center of the cheesecake will still be pale and flat. When the edges start to brown, the cheesecake is done!

As you can see, there are many ways to see if a cheesecake is baked to perfection. Utilize all of these tips and you will find that you can easily make a perfectly baked cheesecake anyday!

Does Cheesecake Jiggle When Done?

One of the most common ways to see if a cheesecake is done is to shake the pan gently. It just seems like the natural thing to do when making a cheesecake! When the cheesecake is done, the center of the cheesecake will still have a slight jiggle. However, the edges of the cheesecake will be firm and only the center two inches of the cheesecake should move.

You do want your cheesecake to have a little jiggle when you take it out of the oven, however, if it is so soft that it looks liquid or if batter actually comes through the top of the cheesecake, it is not quite done. A little jiggle is good, a soft liquid center is bad!

How to Test a Cheesecake for Doneness

Use all of the tips and tricks listed above to test if your cheesecake is done. However, the first time you make a cheesecake, you may benefit from using a thermometer as it will give you an exact reading, telling you the very moment when your cheesecake is done. When the center of the baked cheesecake is 150 degrees F, take it out of the oven and then take a good look at the cake. Observe the golden brown edges, touch the surface and see how it springs back and shake the pan to see how it jiggles. Note all of these things for the next time you make a cheesecake and you won’t need to use the thermometer again! You can use the “easier” visual tricks to guide you in your future cheesecake endeavors.

What to Do if the Cheesecake Isn’t Done

Before you pull your cheesecake out of the oven, be sure to use all the tips we suggested to check for doneness. If the cheesecake is not fully baked based on the results of these tests, keep it in the oven to bake longer. Start by baking the cheesecake for 5-10 minutes more then check it again. Repeat these checks until the cheesecake is fully baked.

If you have already taken your cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool, only to cut into it later and find that it is undercooked, you may be out of luck. Eating an undercooked cheesecake is not advised as the eggs in the batter may not have fully cooked. Undercooked eggs can lead to foodborne illness so it is best to simply start over and make your cheesecake again. The moral of the story is check the cheesecake in a variety of ways before taking it out of the oven- no one wants to start again!

Hopefully these tips and tricks will guide you toward making the perfect baked cheesecake. When you check your cheesecake for doneness in all the right ways, you will be a cheesecake master in no time! Happy baking!