2 ½poundsfull-fat cream cheese, room temperature (5 8-ounce bricks)
1 ½cupsgranulated sugar
6whole largeeggs, room temperature
2largeegg yolks, room temperature
¼cupfull-fat sour cream
3teaspoonsfresh lemon juice
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Crust
Spray a 9-inch springform pan lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well mixed and moistened. Using your fingers, press the crumbs into the pan and about 1 inch up the sides.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Raise oven temperature to 450.
Filling
Place a large roasting pan filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. (This is what I do in lieu of a water bath, and my cheesecake never cracks!)
With mixer on medium-high, beat the cream cheese for a couple of minutes, then add the sugar and beat for 5-8 minutes, until light and no lumps. Scrape the bowl and beater frequently.*
Turn mixer to medium and add eggs and yolks, 2 at a time. Scrape bowl and beater. With mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Continue mixing until well blended, scraping the sides and beaters often.
Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 450 for fifteen minutes.
Reduce oven to 225. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Turn oven off, open the door, and allow the cheesecake to sit in oven for another thirty minutes to an hour. It may still appear slightly jiggly but will set as it rests in the refrigerator.
Remove cheesecake and cool at room temperature for at least two hours. Cover and refrigerate 4-8 hours before serving. The longer your refrigerate the better the texture will be, so overnight is best.
Notes
*You want to scrape the bowl and beater frequently to ensure all the cream cheese is thoroughly blended and there are no lumps, because cream cheese lumps will not melt in the oven.