Preheat oven to 325F.

Prepare crust first by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, stirring well. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well. Texture will be like wet sand.

Pour crumbs into a greased 9″ springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.

Add cream cheese to large bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, stir until smooth and creamy – don’t over beat or you’ll add too much air.

Add sugar to cream cheese and stir again until creamy. Add in sour cream, vanilla extract, salt, and stir until well combined. Make sure you pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

With mixer on low, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.

Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. To insure against leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil.

Transfer to the center rack of your oven and bake for about 75 minutes. Edges will likely be slightly puffed and might have just begun to turn a light golden brown. The center should spring back to the touch, but should still be Jello-jiggly. Don’t over-bake! Try not to open the oven door too often.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of stove for 10 minutes. You don’t want to cool too rapidly because it may cause cracking.

After about 10 minutes, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will also help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks).

Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours until it reaches room temperature before transferring to fridge. Cool overnight or at least for 6 hours before serving.