For the crust preheat oven to 350°F

Grease 9 inch spring-form pan. I use butter and non stick cooking spray

In a mixing bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon, toss with fork until combined. ** see note

Slowly drizzle melted butter into crumb mixture and again toss with a fork until crumbs are moistened.

Dump moist crumbs into pan and press evenly onto bottom and up the sides of your spring form pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges of crust are lightly golden. Cool on rack, then when cooled, wrap outside of the pan with heavy duty foil. Lower oven temperature to 325°F

*It is usually cheaper to purchase whole graham crackers and crush yourself. To do this place graham crackers in food processor using metal blade, process crackers till they are a fine crumb,or place crackers in ziplock bag, using rolling pin to crush crackers into a fine crumb.

For the Filling

Place cream cheese in large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium/high speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

While still beating, gradually add sugar. Beat cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly mixed, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Be sure to cream the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Under mixing/creaming can cause cheesecake to crack.

With mixer on medium speed add sour cream and vanilla.

Add eggs one at a time beating only until just incorporated... do not over mix.

Set large roasting pan in center of oven. Place crust in large roasting pan then pour filling into crust. **I do it this way to avoid spilling and making a mess.

Now make your "bath". Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan so that it reaches about half way up the sides of the spring form pan

Bake for 70 -75 minutes or until the center is almost set. The center (about 2 inches in circumference) will still be a little jiggly. Do not overbake, center will set completely when fully cooled do not over bake as this will also cause cheesecake to crack.

Cool the cheesecake (the cooling process should be gentle and slow. If the cheesecake cools too quickly it will crack). Turn oven off do not open and let the cheesecake sit in its bath for 15 to 20 minutes or until water is warm not hot.

CAREFULLY take cheesecake out of the large roasting pan remove pan, leave cheesecake in oven close door and let cool completely. (Be careful with this step as the water in the pan can splash.)

Transfer cheesecake to wire rack to cool some more, remove foil and continue cooling process until cool enough to go into the refrigerator (I usually cover with a cloth and let it sit out a bit to cool a little bit more at room temperature before refrigerating).

Put cheesecake in the refrigerator and chill.

**note Cool Cheesecake for 8 hours to overnight, best made the day before serving.

For Strawberry Topping

Wash and dry strawberries. Cut if stem.

In a saucepan on the stove top, heat the jelly until just melted do not boil or overheat. Heat just until the jelly becomes pourable.

Pour and spread jelly onto top of cheesecake until completely cover (about half of the jelly, this is the "glue" that will hold the strawberries in place).

Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of cheesecake. Drizzle with remaining jelly. Let cool and remove pan sides. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

For Easy Chocolate Ganache Topping.

https://cookpad.wasmer.app/us/recipes/342654-easy-chocolate-ganache

Prepare ganache according to recipe in my profile. When slightly cooled poor over cheesecake and spread evenly over top. Cool completely in fridge before serving

Enjoy