Classic American Cheesecake

== Ingredients ==
* 2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs
* 1 lemon, zest of, of finely grated 
=== Crust ===
* ⅓ cup unsalted butter
* 1½ cups dry cookie crumbs, such as gingersnaps or graham crackers
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* melted butter, for brushing pan 
== Directions ==
# Preheat oven to 300°F.
# Brush a 9-inch spring-form pan generously with melted butter.
# For crust:.
# Melt butter, stir in cookie crumbs and sugar.
# Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon.
# Bake until lightly toasted- about 13–15 minutes.
# Remove from oven and cool.
# For the cheesecake:.
# In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until soft.
# Add sugar, vanilla and salt.
# Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping down the sides after each addition.
# Stir in zest.
# Pour batter into spring-form pan and bake until done.
# Turn oven off and leave door slightly open for 1 hour.
# Transfer to refrigerator and chill overnight.
# Remove sides of spring-form and cake on pan base.
Category:Cheesecake Recipes