Shelly's Recipe

AMARETTO CHERRY CHEESCAKE

Category: Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 cup crushed almond cookies (Amaretti cookies)
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp sugar

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Press firmly in an 8 inch springform pan.

Filling
2 8oz packages cream cheese (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 tbsp Amaretto Liquor
3 eggs (also at room temperature)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, blend on low until mixed. Add Amaretto and Vanilla, mix. With mixer on low, add eggs one at a time. Finish blending until eggs are well incorporated. Pour into pan over crust. Bake in oven for 35 minutes. Turn off oven, leaving the door ajar; allow cheesecake to finish cooking and cooling for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake and cool in refrigerator (overnight is best, but this may be too tempting even for the best of us)

Topping
1 21 oz can of Cherry Pie filling
2 tbsp Amaretto

Mix filling with Amaretto and chill in a bowl with the cheesecake to allow flavors to blend. Top cheese cake with Cherry filling and garnish with sliced almonds if desired.