Lindy's Cheesecake

Lindy’s Cheesecake – This is a traditional New York City Cheesecake.

February 6, 2009 13 Comments

This recipe for Lindy’s Cheesecake was spotted by a view in a New York Times in 1978. This is a most delicious cheesecake, it does take a little work, but with this recipe, you will have a cheesecake everyone will rave about.

Lindy's Cheesecake

Author: CopyKat.com
Recipe Type: CopyKat Restaurant Recipes, CopyKat Recipes, Dessert Recipes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Serves: 8

The Lemon and orange zest add a wonderful flavor!

Ingredients

1/2 cup fine cake crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
2 lemons
1 orange
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoon sour cream
1/4 cup half and half cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter an 8 inch round spring form pan. Sprinkle inside with crumbs. Grate lemons and orange; set gratings aside. Add room temperature cream cheese to bowl of mixer. You will want about a teaspoon of each of the lemon and orange zest.

Add rind and vanilla, and continue beating. Gradually add heavy cream and sugar. Beat constantly at moderate speed. (Avoid high speed).

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in sour cream and half and half cream. Pour mixture into pan. Smooth surface. Set pan in larger one. Pour boiling water around it. (Best to do on oven rack)

Place in oven and bake 1 1/4 hours until center does not quiver when shaken. Remove from water bath and cool 10 minutes. Un-mold while still hot.

Let stand until cool.

Please note if your spring form pan is not water tight DO NOT use a spring form pan. If your pan is not water tight use a regular cake pan. Your cake will not un-mold. Or you can use a spring form pan, and place it on the upper rack while you have a pan of water below the cake. Cheesecakes really comes out best when all ingredients are at room temperature when you start

Print Recipe

Ibencook

Lindy’s and or New York cheesecake does not have Cookie, Gram Crackers , or sponge in it. . .
Maybe you are making Hillbilly food but not New York Cheesecake
Ibencook

Lindy’s and or New York cheesecake does not have Cookie, Gram Crackers , or sponge in it. . .
Maybe you are making Hillbilly food but not New York Cheesecake
- Bacon John51
  
  Why don’t we go to the source – the New York Times Cookbook which I looked up today. The recipe was first published on 5-18-1977 by Craig Claiborne, the long-time NYT food editor. It used graham cracker crumbs sprinkled over a well buttered springform pan, with the excess being tossed. Ingredients and techinque change and 38 years is a long time. If it works for you then you have the correct version.
- Bacon John51
  
  Why don’t we go to the source – the New York Times Cookbook which I looked up today. The recipe was first published on 5-18-1977 by Craig Claiborne, the long-time NYT food editor. It used graham cracker crumbs sprinkled over a well buttered springform pan, with the excess being tossed. Ingredients and techinque change and 38 years is a long time. If it works for you then you have the correct version.
sandra

this can’t be the reall Lindy’s cheesecake recipe! The 1 thing that is specific of this cheesecake is that it’s got a sponge base, not a cookie crumb! I am eating some right now, it’s the best thing ever!
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  Wow, I am confused now Sandra says it is a sponge base, and Judy says it is a butter cookie recipe. This was the recipe that was posted in the New York Times, maybe they changed or adapted their recipe over the last 30 years?
  - Sandra
    
    hi, it’s me again! didn’t mean to confuse anyone but i’m absolutely positive! spent the w/e in NYC, googled best cheesecake in Manhattan, Lindy’s came up so I went and got a slice. Very pricy but the best NY cheesecake I’ve ever had. I bought a city guide talking about it and actually saying that the sponge base was its specificity!
    I have to say it makes a big difference, it’s a lot more subtle texturewise and flavourwise than a normal cookie base. I then tried the 2 little hens one the next day, which is very nice indeed but not as nice, mainly due to the crust. The problem is I’ve looked everywhere on the internet for the recipe, it definitely a cookie crust, which is very strange.
    i’ll keep looking, I live in London and need to be able to make it back home!
http://judyskitchen.blogspot.com Judy

I am sure this cheesecake is very delicious, but it is not a copycat of Lindy’s. Lindy’s was known for it’s butter cookie crust and never used a graham cracker crust. The cheesecake doesn’t rise at all. It is baked initially at 500F, then at 250, producing the characteristic dark brown top. It doesn’t crack and it doesn’t rise. It’s super creamy, firm and crazy delicious. I have the recipe on my website, Judy’s Kitchen.
http://www.weekenddatting.com Long Island Singles

Great Recipe, I’m taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management and in our course we cook alot and also do some baking. I can certainly use this recipe to create my very own chesscake dessert
Debbie S

There are no measurements for the orange and lemon gratings. What if your lemons are smaller or your orange is bigger? How many cups or tablespoons of this is added?
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I would use about a teaspoon of each.
Lyssa L.

This was a great recipe, but I wish it’d have warned me that it would rise so much! I used a 10 inch cake pan because I did not have a spring form pan. I filled it almost to the top, with about a 1/2 inch to go. This cheesecake rose up to 4 inches above the edge after 40 minutes. It almost spilled over the sides. I had some left over batter and made a smaller cheesecake that turned out WAY better.
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I can understand you may have had a frustrating experience. The spring form pan is really necessary, it was included in the instructions. Spring form pans are very deep 4 to 5 inches and the cakes often rise all of the way up to the top. It is a tasty cheesecake though.