Step 1

Prep

Step 2

Allow cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream to come to room temperature, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Step 3

Heat oven to 350F for the crust

Step 4

If using a 1-piece pan, spray all over with pan spray and line the bottom and sides with a circle and strips of parchment.

Step 5

If using a push pan or springform pan, just line the bottom of the pan with parchment and spray the sides with pan spray.

Step 6

Get a cake pan or roasting pan that is 1" larger than your baking pan. Fill a kettle with water. Heat to a boil right before you put the cake in the oven. This is for the water bath.

Step 7

For the Crust

Step 8

Crush cookies in a food processor or a plastic bag.

Step 9

Add salt.

Step 10

Melt the butter and work in until the mixture looks like damp sand.

Step 11

Press evenly into the bottom of your pan.

Step 12

Bake for 10 minutes and remove to cool.

Step 13

Turn the oven down to 300F.

Step 14

For the Batter

Step 15

On no more than medium speed, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.

Step 16

Add salt, brown sugar, and brown sugar and mix until well-combined, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Step 17

Add cinnamon and vanilla, and mix again.

Step 18

Mix in sour cream.

Step 19

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing one in well before adding the next. Be sure to scrape the bowl often.

Step 20

Scrape the finished batter into the prepared crust.

Step 21

If making for Mardi Gras, push a pecan half down into the batter near the edge of the pan.

Step 22

Place the filled pan of batter into the larger pan and place on the oven rack.

Step 23

Carefully pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pan.

Step 24

Bake until the center of the cheesecake registers 160F with an instant-read thermometer.

Step 25

Turn off oven, open oven door, and let cool for 30 minutes.

Step 26

Remove to a rack and cool completely.

Step 27

Chill completely and remove from the pan.

Step 28

Spread on the glaze and decorate with sprinkles as desired.

Step 29

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 10 seconds, just to soften.

Step 30

Whisk cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth.

Step 31

Whisk in salt and vanilla.

Step 32

Whisk in as much powdered sugar as necessary to make a thick glaze.

Step 33

Spread glaze over the top of the cheesecake, allowing it to drip down the sides if it wants to.