Grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and ⅓ cup granulated sugar until thoroughly combined.
Press graham cracker mixture into the springform pan, creating a thick, even layer across the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Pack down the crumbs so that the crust holds together. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer (or standing mixer) until light and fluffy.
Add 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar and continue beating for 1 minute.
Add flour, vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream. Mix just until combined.
Spread the cheesecake filling into the prepared graham cracker crust.
By hand, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stir gently to prevent extra air from getting into the mixture.
From one of the cans of cherry pie filling, remove the cherries and set aside. Scoop the filling into a piping bag or Ziploc bag. Pipe the pie filling in parallel lines across the top of the cheesecake. Space the lines of pie filling about 1 ½” apart. (You can then add the leftover filling back into the cherries and save to top the finished cheesecake.)
Drag a chopstick or bamboo skewer through the cheesecake top, in lines perpendicular to the lines of cherry pie filling. Rotate direction (up or down) for each line you drag through the filling to create a beautiful chevron pattern in the top of the cheesecake.
Wrap the springform pan in TWO LAYERS of aluminum foil (to prevent water from getting in) and place the pan into a larger vessel that can hold water at least 1” up the sides of the pan.
Fill with water to create a water bath for the cheesecake.
Bake for 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake should appear matte across the top surface and the outer edges should be set but the center will be jiggly when you shake it gently. Continue cooking for 5 or 10 more minutes if the whole cheesecake is very jiggly. After 60-70 minutes, turn off the oven, keeping the door closed for 20 minutes. After this 20 minutes, crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake in place for another 20 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Allow to cool the rest of the way and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 additional hours.
When ready to serve, top the cheesecake with the remaining cherry pie filling.
Notes
Storage:Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.Notes:Creating the pattern on the top of the cherry cheesecake is optional. You can also prepare and bake the cheesecake as in our classic cheesecake recipe and then top the chilled cheesecake with cherry pie filling.Do not mix in the eggs with an electric mixer. The eggs will hold too much air - this will result in your cheesecake puffing during cooking and the cheesecake will crack.Baking a cheesecake is different than baking many other baked goods. The cheesecake is going to appear underbaked when you turn off the oven. It is supposed to be wobbly. The cheesecake will cool down slowly by turning off the oven and then cracking the oven door. These steps are all necessary to make a smooth, creamy perfectly cooked cheesecake.The water bath is also necessary to keep the cheesecake smooth, creamy, and uncracked. If you do not have a large enough pan to place the springform pan in, you can place a baking dish filled with water on the rack beneath the cheesecake. This will add moisture to the oven environment and will be helpful, but a true water bath is the most effective method.We cook cheesecakes nice and low at 325°F - this also produces a smooth, creamy cheesecake.Cooling the cheesecake slowly and chilling for quite a bit of time will set the cheesecake. If you cut into it before it has chilled, it will be runny and will not have set properly.