• Adjust your oven rack to the lower position. Preheat your oven to 325°F and begin boiling water for the water bath.
• Prepare the springform pan: Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray the sides of the pan with nonstick spray. Wrap the pan with several layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, then tie a slow-cooker oven liner around it (recommended) to keep water leaking into the pan from the water bath.

Strawberry Sauce:

• Add the strawberries and sugar to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook and stir until the strawberries release their juices.
• In a small bowl, whisk the water, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and cornstarch. Add it to the saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook and stir until the sauce is bubbly and thick, then strain the liquid through a sieve and into a bowl while warm. Set aside and allow the sauce to cool slightly.

Graham Cracker Crust:

• In a food processor mix 1 and ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs with the brown sugar. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is well combined and clumps together easily. It should have a texture similar to wet sand.
• Spread the crust mixture out in the prepared springform pan. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to pack it tightly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.
• Prebake the crust for 12 minutes while you make the filling.

Cheesecake Filling:

• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until smooth with no lumps. Wipe any lumps off of the mixer and sides of the bowl. Add the granulated sugar and cornstarch and mix until well combined.
• Mix in the room temperature sour cream, heavy cream, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Wipe the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Make sure the filling is completely smooth and there aren't any lumps at this point.
• Switch to a whisk or spatula and gently stir in the room temperature eggs, one at a time, until just combined after each. Don't overmix. Once the eggs are added, bang the bowl on your counter a few times to get rid of any trapped air bubbles.
• Pour the filling into the pan over the prebaked crust.
• Strawberry swirl: Dot the top of the filling all over with spoonfuls of strawberry sauce. Run a butter knife or chopstick through the sauce to create a swirl design.

Bake:

• Place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack in your oven. Add about an inch of boiling water to the pan, then gently place the cheesecake inside the pan.
• Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. Gently shake the pan to check on it, if it looks set around the edges and there's a 2-3" wobbly center, then it's done. If it looks really wobbly all over, keep baking and check again in 5-minute intervals. Mine needed 1 hour + 15 minutes total, but the time can vary. When in doubt, it's better to slightly under-bake the cheesecake than it is to over-bake it.
• When the cheesecake looks done, turn your oven off and leave the cheesecake inside with the door open for 1 hour. It will continue to bake and set as it cools in the oven.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath and let it cool completely at room temperature. About 1-3 hours, it shouldn't feel warm at all when you put it in the fridge.
• Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight, uncovered and still in the springform pan.
• When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and use a large, sharp knife to slice the cheesecake. Run the knife under hot water and wipe clean between each slice.