Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and adjust the oven racks to the lower third and middle of the oven. Fill a large baking dish with 2 inches of water and place on the bottom rack of your oven. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cheesecake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with cookie spray. Set aside.
2. First, make the crust. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and salt. Use a silicone spatula to mix until the mixture begins to clump together and resembles wet sand. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press the crust into an even layer along the bottom and sides of the pan with your fingers. Then use a measuring cup (or something else with a flat bottom) to really pack the crust in. Set aside.
3. Next, make the cinnamon swirl. In a medium bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the mixture clumps together and resembles wet sand. Set aside.
4. Next, make the cheesecake. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, and granulated sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
   Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until the batter is smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. Transfer about half the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out to an even layer. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon swirl mixture all over the cheesecake batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar pieces into the batter. Top with the remaining cheesecake batter and cinnamon swirl mixture and use a knife to swirl again.
6. Place the cheesecake in the middle rack of the oven and bake until it’s puffed up slightly and set around the edges but still a little wobbly in the center, 50 to 55 minutes.
7. Turn off the oven and open the oven door a crack. Leave the cheesecake in the turned off oven for an hour (this allows the cheesecake to cool down gradually and helps to prevent cracks). After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer it, still in the pan, to the fridge to cool completely, about 4 hours (and up to overnight). Once chilled, carefully remove the springform ring from the cheesecake (it will still be on the springform base) and transfer to a serving dish.
8. If desired, make the whipped cream topping. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream and powdered sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Pipe the whipped cream in your desired pattern over the cheesecake. Slice and serve!