New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake

New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup crushed ginger snap cookies

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed ginger snap cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cheesecake filling.

New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese at room temperature

3 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar mixture until well combined and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and pumpkin puree until smooth.

Pour the filling over the chilled ginger crust and place the spring form pan on a cookie sheet. Fill a baking pan halfway with water and place it on the bottom shelf of the oven. Place the cookie sheet witht he spring form pan on it on the middle rack of the oven.

Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue to bake the cheesecake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until almost set. Remove from the oven and top with the sour cream topping (recipe follows).

Topping:

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Whisk together the sour cream, vanilla extract and sugar. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the baked cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake about 8 minutes to set the topping.

Remove the cheesecake from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the inside edge but leave the rim in place.

Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. then cover and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours before removing the rim and serving.

Serves 14.

New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake-->Baked Cheesecake Recipes