1. Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix 1 ½ cups of crushed graham crackers with ½ cup melted butter until well combined. Adjust the crumbs if you opt for vanilla cookies or cinnamon roll dough as a substitute for the crust.
3. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of your springform pan to create the crust layer, ensuring it’s firm.
4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden, then set it aside to cool completely.

5. Prepare the cheesecake filling: Beat 24 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy using a hand or stand mixer. Next, blend in ½ cup room-temperature sour cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until evenly mixed.
6. Slowly incorporate 3 eggs one at a time and mix gently but well through filling prep in combining-firm-emulsions-balance while gentle end-prep