Step 1

Make the crust. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Combine all crust ingredients together in a small bowl. Press the crumbs along the bottom and extending partway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan, compacting the crumbs as much as possible. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Reduce the heat to 325 °F.

Step 2

Make the cheesecake. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until creamy and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt, stirring until well combined. Crack the four eggs into a small bowl and mix with a fork to break up the yolks. Slowly pour roughly a quarter of the eggs into the cream cheese mixture, mix to combine, and repeat until all egg has been added. Do not over-mix the cheesecake - this make it more likely to crack. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the sprinkles, scraping down the sides and along the bottom of the bowl.

Step 3

Prepare the springform pan. Wrap the springform pan in 3 layers of aluminum foil, or create a pan-in-pan water bath by placing the 9-inch springform pan inside a 10-inch cake pan (both pans together will be placed inside the water bath). Pour the cheesecake batter into the graham cracker crust.

Step 4

Bake the cheesecake. Place the springform pan inside a larger pan and add in hot water until the water level comes approximately halfway up the sides of the springform pan (or the outer cake pan). Bake at 325 °F for 70 minutes, or until the edges have set but a 3 to 4-inch diameter circle in the center of the cheesecake still jiggles. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; cool in warm oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 5

Unmold the cheesecake. Once the cheesecake has fully chilled, run a knife along the outside edge and remove the ring of the springform pan. Decorate with whipped cream and additional sprinkles, if desired.