This delicious cheesecake recipe can serve as the base for making a variety of different flavored cheesecakes.

Start to finish time: 6 hours

Active time: 1 hour

Servings: 8 slices

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 tablespoons melted butter

Optional:

Substitute graham cracker crumbs for Oreo crumbs and exclude cinnamon

Filling:

4 eight-ounce packs of cream cheese

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

½ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 eggs

Optional:

8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 F and place large baking pan with ½ inch of water in oven.

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and butter in large mixing bowl.

3. Press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch round spring-form pan and wrap the outside with foil to keep cheesecake dry from water bath.

4. In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla and eggs. Using  an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until smooth.

5. If adding chocolate, fill a small pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Place a large metal bowl on top of the boiling pot of water, put the chocolate in the bowl and mix until melted. Once melted, combine the chocolate and cheesecake fillings using an electric mixer.

6. Pour the cheesecake filling into a baking pan and carefully place it in a water bath.

7. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 60 minutes or until the top turns a light golden brown.

8. Remove from oven and refrigerate for a minimum of four hours before serving.