Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
Pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap cookie crust is an irresistible dessert. It’s the perfect combination of rich cream cheese and spicy pumpkin flavors.
Ingredients
- 32 gingersnap cookies finely crushed into crumbs
- 1¾ cup sugar divided
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 24 ounces (3 8-ounce) packaged cream cheese softened
- 15 ounces can pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 4 large eggs slightly beaten
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Using 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap only the outside of a 10-inch springform pan. This will offer an extra layer of protection for the cheesecake in the water bath.
- Fill a 4 ½ to 5-quart roasting pan ½ way with water. A water bath is necessary to provide the moisture a cheesecake needs to keep from cracking.
- Lightly spray the springform pan with nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ cup melted butter.
- Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom and half way up the sides of the springform pan. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl or using a stand mixer combine the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and remaining sugar. Mix for 1 to 1 ½ minutes only. Too much air will also cause the cheesecake to crack.
- Blend in the canned pumpkin puree, heavy cream, flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Mix just until well blended.
- Using a wooden spoon, not the mixer, carefully fold in the slightly beaten eggs just until there is no yellow visible. Again, creating too much air in the batter will cause cracking.
- Carefully pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Then carefully place the springform pan into the water bath/roasting pan.
- Place the roasting pan/cheesecake onto the center baking rack.
- Bake cheesecake for 1 hour.
- After baking, turn the oven off and do not open or remove the cheesecake from the oven. Allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven and finish baking for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Discard the water from the roasting pan.
- Allow the cheesecake to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, run the blade carefully along the edge of the springform pan to help ensure the sides of the cheesecake do not stick to the walls of the springform pan. Do not loosen the sides of the pan.
- Let the cheesecake rest in the springform pan for a further 1 hour. This helps encourage the cheesecake to relax while cooling without cracking.
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill completely before serving.