Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

Use a food processor to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Measure out 2 cups of crumbs and pour them into a mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup sugar and melted butter and stir to combine.

Step 3

Cover the outside bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with foil, securing the foil partway up the outer sides of the pan.

Step 4

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Step 5

Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the cheesecake filling.

Step 6

In a large mixing bowl combine the room temperature cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.

Step 7

Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg and mix until smooth, but don’t over mix. Pour the filling into the prepared pan.

Step 8

Grab a pan that’s larger than the cheesecake pan and fill it with about ½ inch of water, to make a water bath.

Step 9

Place the cheesecake pan inside the dish with the water.

Step 10

Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the sides of the cheesecake have just set and the center is just barely jiggly.

Step 11

Remove it from the oven (it will continue to bake as it cools). Remove the tinfoil and allow the cheesecake to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Step 12

Once cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.

Step 13

When the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge, remove the pan sides (I like to gently run a dull butter knife along the inner edge of the pan before I release the springform pan sides).

Step 14

Serve with caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought) and whipped cream on top, if desired.