Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust

This year for Thanksgiving my only assignment was my pumpkin cheesecake. It turned out great and was a big hit.



Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/2 cups Gingersnap cookie crumbs

3/4 cups ground hazelnuts

3 Tbsp brown sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 Tbsp vanilla exract

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

4 eggs

Whipped topping

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9" springform pan.

2. Using a fork combine gingersnap crumbs, hazelnuts, brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust.

3. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in the cream, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.

4. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until center is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.