Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

 One year my mom brought a magazine clipping to me and said, "Will you make this for Thanksgiving?" It has been a tradition ever since.

Ingredients:

25 ginger snap cookies, finely crushed

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz each) cream cheese, completely softened

1 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Mix crumbs, nuts, and butter. Press onto bottom and up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

3. Beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla with a mixer until well blended.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until just blended.

5. Remove 1 1/2 cups batter, set aside.

6. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin, and spices into the leftover batter.

7. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into the crust. Top with spoonfuls of half of the plain batter. Repeat layers. Use a knife to swirl and make beautiful designs. 

8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until center is almost set. The edges should be puffy and in the center there should be about one inch that is wiggly.

9. Cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.