Servings: 12

Crust: subheading: Crust:
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
 
Filling: subheading: Filling:
4 small peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, pitted, sliced 1/4 inch thick 4 small peaches (about 1 ¼ pounds), peeled, pitted, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons plus 1 ¼ cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
4 large eggs 4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream ½ cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Glaze: subheading: Glaze:
3/4 cup peach preserves ¾ cup peach preserves
2 1/4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 ¼ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 large peach, peeled, pitted, very thinly sliced ½ large peach, peeled, pitted, very thinly sliced

For Crust: subheading: For Crust:
HPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add butter to ginger snap cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs and stir until evenly moistened.
Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 ¾-inch-high sides.
Bake crust until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
For Filling: subheading: For Filling:
Combine peaches, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in heavy large saucepan.
Cover and cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and peaches are juicy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Uncover and cook until peaches are tender and juices thicken, about 5 minutes.
Cool compote.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy.
Gradually add 1 ¼ cups sugar and beat until smooth.
Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
Mix in sour cream and vanilla.
Spoon half of cheese mixture (about 3 cups) into crust.
Spoon peach compote over by tablespoonfuls, spacing apart.
Top with remaining cheese mixture.
Place large piece of foil on oven rack.
Place pan with cheesecake on foil.
Bake until puffed, set in center, and beginning to brown, 60 to 75 minutes, until brown on top and center is set.
Place hot cheesecake on rack; cool 5 minutes. run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen.
Place cheesecake, uncovered, on rack in refrigerator and chill overnight. (Can make up to 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
For Glaze: subheading: For Glaze:
Combine preserves and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until glaze comes to simmer.
Strain into small bowl. Release pan sides; place cheesecake on platter.
Spread glaze over top of cheesecake to within ¼ inch of edge.
Chill cheesecake until glaze sets, at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
Arrange peach slices in center of cake and serve.
Note: This recipe has been updated since original posting to add an optional 15 minutes of baking time. I realized my oven temp was off at the time of original posting. Please bake until beginning to brown on top and center is set.

***This recipe has been updated since original posting to add an optional 15 minutes of baking time. Please bake until beginning to brown on top and center is set.  ***This recipe has been updated since original posting to add an optional 15 minutes of baking time. Please bake until beginning to brown on top and center is set.
***To prevent cheesecake from splitting on top, place a shallow pan of water into the oven while cheesecake is baking.  ***To prevent cheesecake from splitting on top, place a shallow pan of water into the oven while cheesecake is baking.