• Preheat the oven to 350°F and prep your cheesecake pan with tin foil and baking spray (see above section in the blog for how to do this).
• In a food processor (or blender) crush the Gluten Free Graham Crackers until they become fine crumbs. If you don't have a food processor you can also do this by placing the cookies in a ziploc bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin.
• Place the gluten free graham cracker crumbs into a mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and melted butter and mix together until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Press the crust into the prepped spring form pan and place in the oven.
• Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before adding the cheesecake batter.

Vanilla Cheesecake

• Once the crust has been baked, lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
• Place the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15-30 seconds to soften.
• Place the softened cream cheese into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the cream cheese on a low speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• While the mixer is at a low speed, gradually add the granulated sugar and salt to the cream cheese. Once all the sugar and salt has been added scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Next, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and sour cream. Mix together on a low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Next, add one egg at a time and mix on a low speed until combined. After all the eggs have been added scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring form pan.

Preparing the water bath

• Open your oven and place your larger cake pan with kitchen towel inside of it on your oven rack. Then place the cheesecake in that larger pan on top of the kitchen towel.
• Pour hot water into the larger cake pan, being carful not to splash any water into your cheesecake. There should be about an inch of water in your water bath.

Baking and Cooling

• Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. DO NOT open the oven door!!
• After the cheesecake has been in the oven for the listed baking time, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. DO NOT open the oven door!
• After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for 1 hour, carefully remove the cheesecake (water bath and all). Let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 1 hour.
• Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to finish cooling for a minimum of 4-6 hours. It's best to cool the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

Removing the cheesecake from the pan

• Using a small offset spatula, run the spatula around the outside edge of the cheesecake to help release it from the pan.
• Next, unlatch the spring mechanism.
• While the cheesecake is sitting on the counter you can pull the sides off the pan or have the cheesecake in one hand and push the bottom of the pan through the sides of the pan.
• Next, place a cake board or plate on the top of the cheesecake and invert it with the bottom of the cheesecake facing up. Remove the bottom of the spring form pan and peel the tin foil off.
• Finally, flip the cheesecake back over so that the top is facing up and place the cheesecake on desired serving platter!
• Top with some fresh fruit or berries, gluten free cookie crumbs, chocolate or caramel sauces. What ever you heart desires!! Enjoy!