Classic American Cheesecake

• 2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 lemon, zest of, of finely grated
• Crust
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups dry cookie crumbs, such as gingersnaps or 1 1/2 cups graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• melted butter, for brushing pan

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Brush a 9-inch springform pan generously with melted butter.
3. For crust: Melt butter, stir in cookie crumbs and sugar.
4. press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon.
5. Bake until lightly toasted- about 13-15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and cool.
7. For the cheesecake: In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low speed until soft and smooth.
8. Add sugar, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and creamy- 3-4 minutes.
9. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping down the sides after each addition.
10. Stir in zest.
11. Pour batter into springform pan and bake until done (center will be slightly jiggly)- 1-1 1/2 hours.
12. Turn oven off and leave door slightly open for 1 hour.
13. Transfer to refrigerator and chill overnight.
14. Remove sides of springform and cake on pan base.

cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, salt, eggs, lemon, crust, unsalted butter, cookie crumbs, sugar, butter

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/classic-american-cheesecake-61339 (may not work)