Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Gather and grease your springform pan.

In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Press into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, then sour cream, followed by eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice until well combined.

In another bowl, whisk heavy cream, cornstarch, and salt together. Fold this mixture into the cream cheese filling until homogenous.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust. Bake for 55-60 minutes until center has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven and let it cool for an hour inside.

After an hour, remove cheesecake and cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Mix in lemon juice.

Spread the meringue on top of the chilled cheesecake, creating peaks and swirls.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the meringue for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes then refrigerate for another hour before serving.