Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 crackers)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 lb. cream cheese, room temperature (32 oz.)
• 4 oz. sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 Tbsp. vanilla

Method

1. Spray a springform pan, line its bottom with a parchment round, spray the parchment again, and heat the oven to 325°F.
2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, melted butter, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to the texture of damp sand.
3. Press the crumb mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan with the flat base of a glass or measuring cup, and bake the crust for 10 minutes before cooling it completely.
4. Beat the cream cheese at medium-high speed for about 1 minute, scrape the bowl, and beat the cheese for a few seconds more until smooth.
5. Mix in 1 cup sugar and the sour cream at medium-low speed until just combined, scrape the bowl again, and stir the batter for 10 seconds.
6. Add the eggs on low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until combined, scraping the bowl once more partway through.
7. Beat in the molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla until the runny batter is just combined and smooth.
8. Wrap the outside of the springform in four sheets of heavy-duty foil, set the wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan, pour in the batter, and add very hot water around the pan to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches.
9. Bake the cheesecake on a low rack for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the center is jiggly but not liquid, checking after the first hour.
10. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside, door closed, for another hour or so while the oven cools, so the top sets without cracking.
11. Remove the foil, chill the cooled cheesecake in the fridge for at least 6 hours, and run a knife around the edge before releasing the springform to serve.

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 180 min · Total: 225 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data