Shelly's Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Category: Cheesecake

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake

For the crust:
1 1/3 cups gingersnap crumbs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
2 pounds (4 packages) room temperature cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch salt

1. Heat the oven to 375. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. (This will seal the pan so that no water gets in, as the cake cooks in a water bath.)

2. In a bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crust into a 9-inch spring-form pan, letting it come about 1/4 to 1/2 inch up the sides.

3. Bake the crust until lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool completely.

4. In a food processor, process the cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, processing briefly between each addition.

5. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and process to combine.

6. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into the cooled crust. Transfer the pan to a large casserole and fill the dish with warm water so that it reaches a quarter of the way up the cake pan.

7. Bake until the custard is set around the edge, but still slightly loose in the center when jiggled, 45 min to 1 hour.

8. Cool the cake at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill until set.