Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust

Not your regular pie-crust and NO graham crackers either! Crushed gingersnap cookie crumbs form the base for this lusciously elegant dessert with pumpkin and cream cheese filling layers with a light swirl on the top. Holiday richness explodes so, please, cut the pieces smaller than regular pumpkin pie!! This gets baked in a water-bath, too. The recipe comes from Taste Of Home's "Thanksgiving" Holiday edition, 2009.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 1 springform pan

Ingredients

• For the Crust

• 1  cup  crushed  gingersnap cookie (about 20 cookies)
• 1⁄3 cup  finely chopped pecans
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted

• For the Cheese Filling

• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 4  eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla

• For the Pumpkin Filling

• 1  cup canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9-inch springform pan; wrap outside bottom of pan with two layers of foil, shiny side out, so that it goes up the sides about 2 inches; set aside.
2. In a small bowl: combine crust ingredients; press into bottom of prepped pan; place on cookie sheet; bake for 8-10 minutes; cool -- save the bowl for later.
3. For Cheese Filling, in a large bowl: beat ONE pkg cream cheese with HALF CUP of the sugar along with the cornstarch, until smooth. Beat in remaining cream cheese, one pkg at a time, then add remaining sugar.
4. Add TWO eggs, beat until combined (on low), add vanilla and remaining eggs until well-combined.
5. For the Pumpking Filling: Place TWO CUPS of Cheese Filling into the smaller bowl (set large bowl aside for now), stir in pumpkin, cinnamon & nutmeg.
6. Remove 3/4 CUP of the Pumpkin Filling (this is for dollops); set aside.
7. Pour remaining Pumpkin Filling into prepped crust, GENTLY -- pour Cheese Filling over this.
8. GENTLY drop spoonfuls of reserved P-kin Filling in dollops over the Cheese Filling, lightly cut/drag through this with a knife (don't go very deeply!) to swirl artfully. :-) Yes, artfully!
9. WATER BATH: Set springform pan IN a large baking pan (casserole will do), add ONE INCH of hot water to the larger pan.
10. Bake for 55-65 minutes (center is set, top appears dull); remove cheesecake from water bath; cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully run a knife around the edges to loosen; cool another HOUR; refrigerate over night.
11. AT SERVING TIME: garnish with a drizzle of chocolate or caramel topping/syrup, whipped cream & a smidgen of cookie crumbs IF DESIRED (hahhahaha!).
12. FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE DOING THINGS OPPOSITE: Reverse the Order of Fillings -- and use cheese filling for the dollops!