Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

This cheesecake takes two of our favorite fall flavors--pumpkin and ginger--and transforms an ordinary cheesecake into a silky, rich dessert that is a perfect addition for any holiday table.

When you make a cheesecake, give yourself plenty of time. You need to let it chill for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better. This was by far the most difficult part of making this cake, because no one wanted to wait for it. But trust me -- it is worth the wait.

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Prep Time: 30 min.
Cooking Time: 65 min.
Servings: 10
Cooking Method: Baking
Category: Dessert, Baking
Cuisine: American
Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces gingersnap cookies
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Turbinado Sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 12 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened
  • 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie mix)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • Freshly grated Nutmeg, if desired, for garnish
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Butter the inside of a 9" spring form pan and set aside
  3. In a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies until they are finely crushed.
  4. Add 2 Tablespoons of the sugar, the softened butter and the salt and pulse, just until the cookies are moistened
  5. Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of the spring form pan, pressing them into a smooth, even layer. Wipe any crumbs from the side of the pan.
  6. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes until it becomes lightly browned.
  7. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool while preparing the filling.
  8. In a clean food processor bowl, combine the Neufchâtel cheese, pumpkin puree, Vanilla Extract and the 1/2 cup of Sugar and process about 30 seconds
  9. Add eggs and pulse another 10 seconds
  10. Add flour and Pumpkin Pie Spice and process about 30 seconds or until all ingredients are combined. Scrape the inside of the food processor with a soft spatula to remove any ingredients that have not been combined into the filling. Pulse to combine.
  11. When the spring form pan is cool to the touch, tightly wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in aluminum foil so that it is watertight.
  12. Set the pan in a large, deep skillet.
  13. Carefully pour the filling over the gingersnap crust. Use the spatula to smooth the filling into an even layer.
  14. Set the skillet in the oven and carefully pour water into the skillet about 1/2 way up the side of the pan.
  15. Bake the cheesecake about 55 minutes or until the filling moves only slightly in the middle.
  16. Remove the skillet from the oven and carefully set it on a wire rack and let the cheesecake cool in the hot water bath.
  17. When the pan is cool, lift it out of the water, dry the foil and remove the foil from the pan.
  18. Refrigerate cheesecake at least 4 hours or overnight (good luck with this step)
  19. Just before serving, run a table knife along the inside of the pan to separate the cheesecake from the pan.
  20. Loosen the latch on the pan and carefully, lift and remove the ring.
  21. Transfer the cheesecake with the bottom of the pan to a serving plate.

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