Grandma Hill’s Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Read the tips at the bottom of the recipe before starting.

In a small bowl combine the crushed graham crackers and melted butter and stir until the crumbs are moistened. Pour the crumb mixture into a springform pan (you can also use a pie plate), and use the back of a small spoon to gently spread the crumbs until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated, also pressing the crumbs a little up the sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Then add sugar, flour and salt and mix until combined. Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla, mix until smooth. Lastly add the eggs and mix until just combined.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the crumb-coated pan, using a spatula to gently smooth the top.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and allow it to completely cool on the counter top. Then chill until it’s nice and cold before removing the side and bottom of the pan and serving. Enjoy!

Tips:
Cracks in your cooled cheesecake can be hard to avoid, so here are a few tips to help to keep your cheesecake crack-free.

Place a medium-size oven-safe saucepan or baking dish that 3/4 full of hot water into the back corner of your oven while baking. The moisture will help prevent the cheesecake from becoming too dry.

After removing cheesecake from the oven, immediately run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides.

Optional method: At roughly 5-10 minutes before the cheesecake is finished, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool gradually in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Once completely cooled, chill in the fridge until cold before serving.