Why Did My Cheesecake Crack On Top?

By Griselda M., last updated on October 31, 2021

Most of us have had a cheesecake crack on top, but why does this happen? And you ask yourself, why did my cheesecake crack on top? Well, let us tell you why this might happen and how you can avoid or prevent this from happening.

There are a few reasons, but in the next paragraphs, we will name them one by one and we’ll give you tips and tricks to avoid this unpleasant and unexpected result.

But before that, let me tell you something very important… don’t panic if this happens. And no, I won’t tell you that everything happens for a reason… but everything does have a solution.

Why Does Cheesecake Crack?

There’s nothing like a real homemade cheesecake, isn’t it? Made from scratch with love, perfectly baked, and patiently cooled. Dense, delicious, and perfect!

But oh oh!… It turned out to be cracked on top. I know, making a cheesecake has never been an easy task, that is why we understand your frustration when this happens.

It takes just a small error in baking it to result in a cracked cheesecake, but hey, this isn’t a big deal!

8 Reasons Why A Cheesecake Cracks:

Reason #1: Mixing Ingredients The Wrong Way

You need to ensure that all the ingredients in the recipe are well-blended, if not, this may cause the top of your cheesecake to crack. You need to make sure the batter is not lumpy so it cooks evenly.

Reason #2: Overbake

There’s a loss of moisture if you leave your cheesecake longer than the recipe says. Consequently, the water will evaporate and a crack will appear.

Hence, always set the baking time exactly like the recipe. If you overbake your cheesecake, besides you know the surface will crack, it will also have a gritty and dry texture, instead of being silky smooth and creamy.

Reason #3: Wrong Recipe

This is definitely a very common mistake when we’re diving into the internet looking for a shining recipe. You can make it and prove it. If it doesn’t work, then you can adjust it next time or look for a different recipe at a reliable source.

You can also take into consideration our tips and tricks from this post!

Reason #4: Not Cooling Your Cheesecake Properly

This is clearly a very important step, you cannot miss this one. Letting your cheesecake cool inside the oven, then removing it from there to let it cool completely at room temperature on the kitchen counter… and having the patience to refrigerate it preferably overnight – or at least 4 hours -… is the key!

Reason #5: Overbeat The Eggs

This is the thing, if you overbeat the batter or if you beat the eggs aggressively, then your cheesecake will rise and crack!

Remember to mix all of the ingredients, except the eggs. Add the eggs one by one at the end and incorporate them carefully into the cheesecake mixture.

Reason #6: Not Using A Water Bath

Using this method will prevent the loss of moisture from your cheesecake. The long baking and cooling time required by most recipes can lead to severe moisture loss and cracking. However, you can cook soft, crack-free cheesecakes using this simple method.

For this reason, we recommend doing this: Fill a deep tray with hot water and place it on the bottom of your oven rack before preheating the oven. This will help retain your cheesecake’s moisture.

Also, the bain-Marie or water bath method will bake the cheesecake very gently, preventing it from getting darker or curdled as well.

Reason #7: Opening The Oven Door

Another very common mistake. Behave, don’t rush. If you open the oven door, the temperature changes and will increase the possibility of cracking.

Be patient, good things take time.

Reason #8: Temperature Change

The sudden temperature change will crack the cheesecake immediately. You must turn off your oven, open its door, and leave your cheesecake in there for another hour or so. Do this to let the temperature drop down slowly.

Then, you can remove your cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature before you refrigerate it.

Tips And Tricks To Prevent Cheesecake Cracks

These tips and tricks will tell you how to keep your cheesecake from cracking. We’re listing one by one in case you missed them.

1. Mix all the ingredients correctly, leave the eggs for the end.
2. Add the eggs one at a time and make sure they don’t incorporate bubbles into the mixture.
3. Don’t overbake your cheesecake. Set up your chronometer. Nowadays it’s very easy to do so, you can pull it from straight from your smartphone or your laptop/iPad, etc.
4. Pick a reliable source recipe, making sure the ingredients measures and the temperatures and cooking times are correct. Check out the comments or reviews!
5. Let it cool! Remember to leave it inside the oven for another hour – with the lid open -, then let it cool completely at room temperature – away from the sunlight -, and refrigerate it for at least 4 more hours.
6. Preferably use the water bath method to avoid your cheesecake from losing its moisture.
7. Try not to open the oven door as much as you can.
8. Make sure the temperature is right.
9. Don’t forget to get all of your ingredients at room temperature, this will also help to prevent overbaking and cracking. Why? Because it will take longer to bake. So take this into consideration.
10. And last but not least, the most important tip: share it with your loved ones, if not… an evil crack will appear for sure!

To Sum Up

Making a cheesecake is not an easy task, it takes time, effort, and patience to achieve the goal. What’s the goal? Cooking a perfect cheesecake.

I totally suggest you save this post, so next time you’re thinking of making a cheesecake from scratch, make sure to follow all of the tips we gave you. The result will talk by itself.

Check out our Chocolate Ganache Topping For Cheesecakes post to quickly fix and make up your cracked cheesecake.

And remember, there’s always a solution.

There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.

Read more about How To Line A Springform Pan With Parchment Paper For Cheesecake