Lion House Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for Christmas Day and am just now getting around to posting it.  If you are looking for a true, home made, delicious cheesecake recipe....this is it.  It's good plain, or with your choice of favorite topping.  I chose to serve canned cherry pie filling on the side for those that wanted it.  I highly recommend making this at least a day or two before you plan on serving it.  The longer it is able to chill, the better it is.  And, you will need a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan.  If you don't have one, get one!  They're cheap and kind of fun to me. 

 Did I mention this is good....like really good?  

Lion House Cheesecake

found on Jamiecooksitup!

You will need:

Crust:

-1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (find them already prepared on the baking aisle)

-3 Tbsp sugar

-6 Tbsp melted butter, real unsalted

-1 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

-3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

-1 cup sugar

-3 eggs

-1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

-1 pint (16oz) sour cream

-3 Tbsp sugar

-1/2 tsp vanilla

*Preheat oven to 300

*Mix all the crust ingredients together and press along bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the spring form pan.  

*In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until very smooth.  Then add the sugar (1/4 cup at a time), mixing well in between.

*Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between.  Add vanilla and mix again

*Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust and bake at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes (it won't be totally done, but you are going to bake it more later)

*Mix all the ingredients for the topping together.  Spread the topping mixture over the cheesecake and bake for an additional 30 minutes.  (Fyi, the top will not appear fully set, but will firm up when it is chilled)

*Let it cool on a wire rack.  Once it was completely cooled I removed the sides of the pan and transferred it to the fridge to chill (better if chilled for at least a day).  

***If you want to prevent the cheesecake from cracking, place a shallow pan with a little bit of water on the rack below the cheesecake while baking***