Preheat oven to 350 degree
Crust:
1/3 c. butter 2 c. crushed ginger snaps 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
Filling:
2 packages cream cheese 1-1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp allspice ¼ tsp nutmeg 1 c. sugar 1 c. canned pumpkin pie mix or pure pumpkin 3 eggs
Melt butter and mix with ginger snaps and cinnamon – press into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
While crust baking, soften cream cheese and beat with the sugar, vanilla and spices until smooth. Beat pumpkin and eggs into cream cheese mixture until smooth.
Pour cheesecake mixture into spring form pan and bake for 55 minutes at 350, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out smooth. Cool, then place in refrigerator for couple hours to a day ahead.
To serve: Remove from springform pan & plate. Pipe whipped cream (preferably homemade around edges for extra yummy.) If removed from fridge hour before serving, texture is even creamier (however, waiting is REALLY hard). You can also top with caramelized sugar and pecans, as desired, ½ cup pecan pieces can also be mixed with the ginger snap crust.
Hint: Did you know that you can reduce any cracking on top of cheesecake by putting a pan of water in the oven at the same time.
