The Best New York Style Cheesecake Recipe Ever

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1 cup Graham Cracker or Cookie Crumbs
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter, Room Temperature
1/2 cup Finely Chopped Nuts (optional)

5 (8 ounce) packages Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 tablespoons Flour blend
5 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon, rind of (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line bottom of a 9 inch spring-form pan with foil (parchment can also be used) and spray with oil.

For Crust:

• Combine the crackers/cookies and butter, mix well. Stir in the nuts. 
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the spring form pan and bake for 8 minutes.  
• Set aside to cool.  
• Spray cooled inside of pan with oil.

For Cake:

Lower oven temperature to 500 degrees.

• Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the large mixing bowl of your stand mixer.
• Beat with an electric mixer on lowest speed until fluffy.
• Add flour and eggs / egg yolks one at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.
• Stir in sour cream and lemon rind (optional).
• Pour into pan.
• Place pan in a slightly larger shallow baking pan.
• Fill baking pan with enough hot water until half way up the sides of the pan.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Reduce Oven Temperature to 325 degree F oven about 1-1/2 hours or until center appears nearly set when shaken.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Loosen crust from sides of pan by running a knife around the edges.  Leave sides still on.
• Cool 30 minutes more.
• Remove sides of pan and cool completely in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours before serving.

Notes:

1. To make these into Cupcakes, eliminate the 500 degrees for 12 minutes step.  
2. Place 1 tablespoon of crumbs in each cupcake liner, spray with oil and bake as instructed.
3. Place about 3 to 4  tablespoons of batter into each cupcake cup.
4. Put a separate pan of water in the oven when making this into cupcakes instead of the water bath.
5. Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.
6. Turn oven off and open door.  Leave cupcakes to cool for about an hour.  This step prevents the middles from sinking.
7. It is important to not over mix this cake.  Over mixing will result in sinkage and cracking.