Sweet and Creamy Gingersnap Cheesecake

Want a dessert that sparkles and shines? Gingersnap Cheesecake is a delight of flavors!

I have a weakness for cheesecake. It might be my Achilles heel for dessert. Some of my happiest memories are wrapped up with eating a slice of perfect cheesecake. I mark events by remembering what food I was eating and I can also be instantly transported back in time with a bite of a particular food. Cheesecake is one of those triggers. All of a sudden I’m right back in a familiar chair, sharing good food and good company.

An Ode to Gingersnap Cheesecake
With love and sugar you bake
Waiting for you to cool with a wistful ache
Thinking of you as soon as I wake
The creamy taste I just can’t shake
Let’s never take a break
You make me smile with each bite I take

Ridiculous? Absolutely. Indicative of my obsession with cheesecake? Certainly.

I think every year I make it a goal to be more social. It’s something that I struggle with. While it may be hard to set up a full dinner and invite friends over, it’s a lot easier to invite people over for dessert. Pair it with some games, a movie, or just some time to chat. When I do invite people over I want to be able to surprise them with something mouth watering. While traditional New York Style Cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser, I knew I could come up with something even more spectacular.

I’ve conquered Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cheesecake, and even Key Lime Cheesecake Truffles. This time I decided to pair sweet cheesecake with the subtle hint of gingersnap cookies. My mother-in-law makes some spectacular gingersnap cookies. While I frequently make my own chewy gingersnap cookies to eat, for this dessert I wanted to extra crunchy type of gingersnap cookies that I knew I could find at the store.

Both the crust and the cheesecake itself are enhanced by these gingersnap cookies. The crust is just crushed gingersnap cookies and melted butter, very similar to a traditional graham cookie cheesecake crust.

The filling is starts with a traditional cheesecake mixture of beaten cream cheese, vanilla, plenty of sugar, vanilla, sour cream, and eggs.

Once the cheesecake mixture is poured into the pan a second crushed cookie mixture is dropped by spoonfuls on top. Then you can either marble or swirl the gingersnap cookie topping into your cheesecake mixture.

One of my favorite cheesecake tips, if you are making these for a gathering of friends, rather than a dinner party, bake your cheesecake in a pan and cut into bars. It makes serving simpler and easier for people to eat the portion size of their choosing. Whether that’s a tiny piece or the extra large square that I’m going to want.

Gingersnap Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 ½ cup Gingersnap cookies crushed (approximately 30 cookies)
• ¼ cup Butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 32 oz Cream cheese (Four 8 ounce packages)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Sour cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 4 Eggs

Gingersnap Cookie Topping

• 1 ½ cup Gingersnap cookies crushed (approximately 30 cookies)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4-1/3 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• a pinch of salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan or springform pan.

Crust

• Place crushed gingersnap cookies in a bowl. Pour in melted butter. Stir until the butter and crushed cookies are thoroughly mixed.
• Pour the crushed cookies into the baking pan and press them down firmly to create a bottom crust.

Cheesecake Filling

• In a large bowl add the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar and mix until blended. Add sour cream and continue to mix.
• Add eggs one at a time until fully combined.
• Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust.

Gingersnap Cookie Topping

• Place crushed gingersnap cookies in a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, 1/4 cup milk, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt, and mix thoroughly. (Add a little more if milk if needed until you have reached the desired consistency.)
• Slightly heat the gingersnap cookie topping in the microwave (in 10 second bursts) until you can drizzle it over the cheesecake filling.
• Run a knife through the topping to create swirls of gingersnap cookie topping in the cheesecake batter.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes (until the outer edge is set and the center is almost fully set).
• Remove from oven and let cool completely.
• Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Remove the cheesecake from the pan and slice to serve!

Add a little pizzazz to your serving by topping your Gingersnap Cheesecake with whipped cream and some gold sprinkles.