Cheesecake can be challenging to make, but I have all the tips and tricks you’ll need to get this perfect on the first try!

Ingredients

One of the most important ingredient in this recipe is, of course, cream cheese! Buy the kind that comes in blocks – not whipped cream cheese. And, make sure that it is at room temperature. If your cream cheese is too cold, it will not incorporate properly with the other ingredients.

When Myles and I first made this pie, people messaged us dying to get their hands on the detailed recipe. We are happy to oblige!

Ingredients

Pretzel Crust

This crust has only three ingredients:

This is one of my favorite cheesecakes (not surprising since I love chocolate turtles so much), and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Ingredients and Equipment

The crust of this dessert is made with flour, pecan pieces, brown sugar, unsalted butter, and ground cinnamon.

This recipe doesn’t have a separate crust; instead, baking it at high heat lets it form its own deep brown exterior. People call it burnt, but our son had it right when he described the browning as tasting like crème brûlée!

Throw out many of the rules you know from making New York-style cheesecakes. You don’t need a water bath and you don’t need to let the dessert cool super slowly in the oven once it’s set. In fact, you don’t even have to use a springform pan (although I did).

Unlike other cupcakes, they aren’t frosted – it simply isn’t needed and it would hide their unique look. They come together really easily and are light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. I love serving them at brunch!

While the texture of this cheesecake is balanced, the flavor is anything but subtle!

Rugelach were a regular nosh in my house – ever-present beside platters of bagels, lox, and whitefish.