By Lindy Van Schalkwyk, last updated on December 29, 2021
This Tahoe Joe’s cheesecake recipe is one of our all-time favorites! It’s easy, quick (for a cheesecake), and has very well-balanced flavors.
Being as obsessed with cheesecake as we are, you know we will only bring you incredibly delicious and uber creamy recipes. This copycat recipe for Tahoe Joe’s famous Nevada cheesecake is no different! And, if we must say so ourselves, the graham cracker crumb really takes it to the next level! It adds delicious textures and helps balance the sweetness of the cheesecake.
Tahoe Joe’s Cheesecake Recipe – What Makes It Special?
Tahoe Joe’s is a chain of steakhouse restaurants that are all located in the Central Valley of California. However, their incredibly flavorful food (and desserts of course) are world-famous!
Their Nevada cheesecake recipe is one of them. This cheesecake differs from New York-style cheesecakes in that it doesn’t contain as many enriching ingredients. Usually, when people hear that they immediately assume that the cheesecake isn’t as luscious and creamy, however, you couldn’t be more wrong!
Tahoe Joe’s cheesecake is famous for its creaminess and incredibly crunchy Graham cracker crust. And, what better way to finish it off than with loads of whipped cream!
And, in our opinion, this is also a recipe that can be easily adjusted. The original Nevada cheesecake recipe from Tahoe Joe’s can be quite sweet to some people. Our recipe is equally sweet, but you can simply reduce the amount of condensed milk or use unsweetened condensed milk instead.
What You Will Need To Make This Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients for the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed
- 1/4 cup granulated fine sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
Ingredients for the Baked Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 can condensed milk (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
Equipment
- 9-inch springform cake pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor, optional
- Electric hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment
Step-by-step Instructions to Make Tahoe Joe’s Cheesecake
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the equipment
Start by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C). You can line a 9-inch springform baking tin with non-stick baking paper, but you don’t have to. You can also spray it with non-stick baking spray.
Step 2: Make the graham cracker crust
If you already crushed the graham crackers, you can simply combine all of the ingredients inside of a large mixing bowl.
If you still need to crush them, you can do so using a food processor. The food processor will crush the graham crackers into a fine crumb. Then, simply add the remaining ingredients until they are well distributed.
Then, press the crumb mixture into your springform pan. Make sure that the crumb is packed tightly and into the edges of the pan. We only press the crumb into the bottom of the pan, but you can make a little edge.
Step 3: Make the cheesecake batter
For the cheesecake batter, beat the cream cheese at a high speed using an electric hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. This will help incorporate as much air as possible to create a light and fluffy batter.
Once the cream cheese has been beaten and is fluffy, lower the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the condensed milk. Continue beating the mixture until the condensed milk is fully incorporated.
Lastly, add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Beat the ingredients together until you have a smooth batter.
Step 4: Bake the cheesecake
Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust.
Then, bake the cheesecake on the middle oven rack for roughly 50-55 minutes, or until the cheesecake has been fully baked.
Once baked, cool the cheesecake completely. Top it with heaps of whipped cream and serve chilled.
Tips and Tricks For This Cheesecake
- The reason that you don’t need to line your springform baking pan with a non-stick product is because of the graham cracker crust. The crust is made with butter, which is naturally non-stick. This means that the crust will not stick to the pan. If you still want to make extra sure, you can spray it with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with baking paper.
- We like using sweetened condensed milk to make it a much more authentic Tahoe Joe’s cheesecake recipe. However, as we have mentioned before, many people find it too sweet. Instead, you can substitute it with evaporated milk (which is basically unsweetened condensed milk) or a dairy-free option like cream of coconut.
- To add a tangy flavor to this cheesecake recipe, you can add some sour cream over it once it has finished baking. Then, place it back into the oven for another 5 minutes. This will help balance out the sweet flavors of the condensed milk and to create a sweet flavor profile.
- Traditionally, cheesecakes are baked in a water bath, however, with this recipe you don’t have to. But, if you do want to use a water bath, you can use this guideline. Water baths do make “better” cheesecakes but require a lot of work.
- To properly cool baked cheesecake without it cracking, there are a few simple steps you can apply. When the cheesecake has been fully baked, switch off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for an hour. Then, place it on a cooling rack (still inside the cake pan) and cool it at room temperature for another hour. After that, rest the cheesecake in the fridge for about 2 to 3 hours.
Servings and Preparation Time
| Prep time | Baking time | Cooling time (optional) | Servings |
| 30 minutes | 1 hour | 4-5 hours | 8-10 |
Conclusion – Tahoe Joe’s Cheesecake Recipe
As you can see, this is an incredibly easy and delicious baked cheesecake that is also very versatile! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below!
Tahoe Joe’s Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform cake pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor, optional
- Electric hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs finely crushed
- 1/4 cup granulated fine sugar
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- Pinch of salt
Ingredients for the Baked Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 can condensed milk sweetened or unsweetened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C). You can line a 9-inch springform baking tin with non-stick baking paper, but you don't have to. You can also spray it with non-stick baking spray.
- If you already crushed the graham crackers, you can simply combine all of the ingredients inside of a large mixing bowl.
- If you still need to crush them, you can do so using a food processor. The food processor will crush the graham crackers into a fine crumb. Then, simply add the remaining ingredients until they are well distributed.
- Then, press the crumb mixture into your springform pan. Make sure that the crumb is packed tightly and into the edges of the pan. We only press the crumb into the bottom of the pan, but you can make a little edge.
- For the cheesecake batter, beat the cream cheese at a high speed using an electric hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. This will help incorporate as much air as possible to create a light and fluffy batter.
- Once the cream cheese has been beaten and is fluffy, lower the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the condensed milk. Continue beating the mixture until the condensed milk is fully incorporated.
- Lastly, add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Beat the ingredients together until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust.
- Then, bake the cheesecake on the middle oven rack for roughly 50-55 minutes, or until the cheesecake has been fully baked.
- Once baked, cool the cheesecake completely. Top it with heaps of whipped cream and serve chilled.
Notes
To add a tangy flavor to this cheesecake recipe, you can add some sour cream over it once it has finished baking. Then, place it back into the oven for another 5 minutes. This will help balance out the sweet flavors of the condensed milk and to create a sweet flavor profile.
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.