1-Preheat the oven and prepare the crust: First, preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then grease the sides. Combine 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, and 7 tablespoons melted unsalted butter to form the crust; press it into the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden, then let it cool.

2-Wrap the pan and prepare the filling: Next, wrap the pan with aluminum foil for the water bath and reduce the oven to 300°F. In a bowl, blend 24 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour on low speed until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 cup sour cream, mixing gently.

3-Melt butterscotch and mix filling: Microwave 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream with 1 cup butterscotch chips in intervals until melted, then stir it into the filling in two parts. Mix in the 3.4-ounce package of dry butterscotch pudding mix, followed by adding 4 large eggs one at a time on low speed.

4-Bake the cheesecake: Pour the filling over the crust and place the pan in a larger one for the water bath, filling it halfway with warm water. Bake for 1 hour and 30-35 minutes until the center jiggles slightly. Turn off the oven, let it cool inside for 30 minutes with the door closed, then 10 minutes with it cracked open. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight.

5-Prepare and add the topping: For the topping, heat 4 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream until boiling, pour over 1 cup butterscotch chips, let sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes, pour over the cheesecake, spread evenly, and garnish if desired. Refrigerate until serving. This process, including prep time of about 1 hour and baking of 2 hours 10 minutes, results in a creamy delight.