Simply changing the crust and adding pumpkin spice turn our beloved cheesecake recipe into a dessert worthy of a holiday feast!  Add a nutcracker cocktail for a festive end to any dinner this Christmas season.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

CRUST

2 cups gingersnap cookies (about 40 cookies)

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, grind the ginger snaps with the sugar. Transfer to a large bowl and mix thoroughly with the melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a large springform pan, making a ¼-inch crust. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove and set aside.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin puree

¾ cup Borden’s Eagle Brand® sweetened

condensed milk

¾ cup Coco Lopez®

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Caramel Sauce (see recipe on page 207)

roasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 325°F. In the bowl of a standing mixer using a paddle, mix the cream cheese until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl often. Add the sugar and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix until smooth. Add the pumpkin, condensed milk, and Coco Lopez®. Mix until combined. Do not scrape the bowl past this point to avoid getting unmixed cream cheese into the cheesecake.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, water, and vanilla well until the lumps are gone. Add to the cream cheese mixture. Add the zest and spices and mix until combined. Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust, being careful not to scrape the bowl. Tightly wrap the bottom and outside of the springform pan with foil. Place in a large pan and fill with hot water reaching halfway up the sides. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is slightly firm to the touch. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with Caramel Sauce and roasted pecans.

Nutcracker Cocktail

• 1 ⅕ oz Amaretto
• 1 oz Frangelico
• Splash of cream

Shake until frothy and strain into a lowball over ice. Top with a dash of nutmeg.