Cheesecake Hack: Prevent Water Bath Leaks

Ever had a water bath leak through a springform pan into your cheesecake?  It is the WORST. I have a solution! Never have cheesecake with a soggy crust again!

Seriously.  I made a cheesecake once and wrapped the springform pan in foil like a good girl and proceeded to put the pan in it's cozy little water bath. Well, much to my dismay, the pan leaked.  I had to serve soggy crusted cheesecake.  It was a huge FAIL.

So how do you prevent a water bath from leaking into your cheesecake?

I was baking another cheesecake recently and a lightbulb clicked!  I came up with the most epic cheesecake baking hack!  Say goodbye to soggy cheesecake crusts... forever!

Ready for it?

Instead of wrapping the springform pan in foil... use an oven bag!  The large size oven bags worked perfectly for my 9-inch springform pan.

I guess they're not just for tender, juicy meats!  Ha!  Seriously though, when the lightbulb clicked to use an oven bag instead of foil, I was so excited!  They're meant not to leak.  They're meant for the oven.  They're meant for water baths!!  ????

How to Set Up a Water Bath for a Cheesecake Using an Oven Bag

1. The cheesecake goes into a springform pan.
2. The springform pan goes into an oven bag.
3. The oven bag and cheesecake go into a larger pan, like a roasting pan.
4. Fill the larger pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the springform pan. (See below.)
5. Then it all goes in the oven to bake.

The thing is, you shouldn't just skip using the water bath.  It is important for cheesecake baking. The water bath helps your cheesecake bake more evenly and helps prevent cracks. Thanks to that oven bag, your cheesecake will never get soggy again!

Try this hack next time you find yourself making a cheesecake! Let me know how it turns out!  Stay tuned for a gluten-free cheesecake recipe!