Homemade Cherry Topped NewYork Cheesecake

Oh! this one may have pushed me over the edge! The flavors are a perfect mix. This larger then life cheesecake packs a lot of flavor without weighing you down. It has a lighter quality to it from the eggs and sour cream mixed into the "batter" Enjoy ~ Diane 


Homemade Cherry Topped New York Cheesecake

7 graham crackers, finely crushed (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Sour Cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 
4 eggs
1 cup cherry preserves
*approx 30 cleaned & pitted, whole cherries - I used one quart of my preserved whole cherries 

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Crush graham crackers into crumbs, add melted butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.

Meanwhile, beat softened cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer until well blended. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. 

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended.

Pour batter over crust. Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until center is almost set.
Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.

mix cherry preserves; spread over cheesecake just before serving and top with fresh cherries if preferred (I top mine with approx one quart of my home preserved/canned cherries) 

Recipe Adapted from: Kraft 
Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home