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German Cheesecake Recipe – Oma's Käsekuchen

Learn to make German cheesecake (Käsekuchen) just like in Germany...authentic, easy, and delicious! With a few small tweaks, it’s simpler to bake while keeping that classic taste. Perfect for any occasion!

INGREDIENTS:

For The Crust:

• 7 ounces (200 grams) butter cookies (German Butter Cookies or Mr. Christie's Social Tea Biscuits)
• ⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pinch salt

For The Filling:

• ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1⅛ cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla sugar
• 1 pouch DR. OETKER Vanilla Pudding or 3½ tablespoons BIRD’S Custard Powder
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups (440 grams) quark 
• 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

For The Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.
2. Process the cookies in a food processor until crumbly.
3. Add in the melted butter and salt. Pulse briefly until mixed.
4. Put buttered crumbs into springform pan, pressing down firmly, and making a slightly raised edge on the sides of the pan.

For The Filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla sugar, pudding powder, and eggs. Mix well. Stir in the quark and sour cream.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the quark mixture until well incorporated.
3. Pour the filling onto the buttered crumb crust and smooth the top.
4. Place the pan into the oven, placing a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any possible overflow.
5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden brown and the cake seems set.
6. Turn off the oven heat and prop the oven door open just a bit (I use the handle of a wooden spoon) so that the cake can cool off slowly.
7. After about an hour, remove the cake from the oven and place on a cookie rack to finish cooling.
8. The cake is best served (if you can wait!) once it has been in the fridge for several hours.

NOTES/HINTS:

• Serve cake dusted with powdered sugar and some fresh fruit such as apricots, peaches, mandarin oranges, or a variety of fresh berries.
• If you can't find Quark, you can easily make it at home.
• Don't have a food processor? Put the cookies into a Ziploc bag and roll over with a rolling pin until the cookies have become crumbs.
• Can't get the traditional Puddingpulver (pudding mix)? I use Bird's Custard Powder, but if that's not available, just use sifted cornstarch and add twice the vanilla sugar.
• Can't buy vanilla sugar? Make your own vanilla sugar easily here.

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Updated on December 2, 2025