Grammy's Creamy Cheesecake

Traditions are a pretty cool thing. Traditions are something special that unites a group of people and gives them a special memory to share. For example, as I type this, I'm watching the Duke v. OSU basketball game. While this specific game has no special significance (except that I want to be able to brag to all my Buckeye friends that we beat them!), watching Duke basketball has been something that I grew up doing and love sharing with fellow Dukies. My dad, who stands at 6 foot 7 inches and was a pretty awesome basketball player himself, taught me all I know about basketball and Duke sports. As a treat growing up, he would take me to some of the Duke women's basketball games. I thought I was the coolest kid going to Cameron Indoor Stadium, staying out late on a school night, and cheering for the Blue Devils with my dad. Memories and traditions, they are a great thing.

Just like the amazing memories associated with Duke basketball, there are many great memories associated with this dessert. This cheesecake recipe was originally made my by grandmother and has been a favorite in our family for years. Unlike most cheesecakes that I (and I assume most people) have had, this cheesecake does not call for any flour. Translation: this is one of the creamiest cheesecakes you will ever eat. While it's size and height might not be as impressive as those found at the Cheesecake Factory, the taste trumps anything I've ever had at a restaurant.

And not only is this cheesecake extra creamy and decadent, it is also light and not overly rich. This is a mighty hard balance to achieve, but this recipe somehow does it, and does it perfectly. While this dessert requires plenty of refrigeration time after it's baked, the prep couldn't be easier: make the crust (or buy one pre-made...I won't tell anyone), add the filling ingredients to a food processor and blend until it's smooth, bake, pour the sour cream topping over top, bake a little longer, and that's it! I promise the hardest part about this recipe is waiting for it to cool before you can eat it.

Eat a slice of this heavenly cake unadorned (my favorite way) or top it with your favorite fruits. Either way, this easy and delicious recipe will surely become a family favorite and tradition in your household!

Grammy's Creamy Cheesecake
(8-12 servings)

Graham cracker crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cream cheese filling:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sour cream topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Add more melted butter as needed until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese in a mixer or food processor until smooth. Mix in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Cream until mixture is completely smooth and no lumps remain.

Pour filling into graham cracker crust and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make sour cream topping by mixing sour cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla together. After cheesecake has baked for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Next, carefully spread the sour cream over top of cheesecake. Return cake to hot oven and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Put in refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours.

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Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 327.3
Total Fat: 22.9 g
Cholesterol: 91.2 mg
Sodium: 197.6 mg
Total Carbs: 26.6 g
Fiber: 0.3 g
Sugars: 19.9 g
Protein: 5.3 g

Pros:
-Delicious and creamy without being overly rich or heavy
-Very easy to make
-Simple list of ingredients (could even use pre-made crust)
-Prep and bake time less than an hour
-Crowd pleaser
-Versatile-use different cookie crumbs for crust, add various fresh fruit or fruit toppings to baked cheesecake

Cons:
-Must plan in advance to chill the cheesecake
-High in fat (could use low fat cream cheese and sour cream to reduce this)

Check out some of the link parties that I shared this recipe on!

This is the tenth week of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats blog hop hosted by Meal Planning Magic! Can't believe it's almost over! Check out the recipes other bloggers are sharing by clicking on the pictures below.