PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE SQUARES
8 ounces gingersnap cookies
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 pounds room temperature cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Zest from 1 orange
6 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9”x13” baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over two sides. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cool somewhat.
Place cookies into a food processor fitted with the steel knife. Process until fine crumbs form. Add the crushed cookies to the melted butter and mix thoroughly. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
In the same bowl of the food processor, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and orange zest, and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time and just combine. Scrape down sides between additions. Reserve 1 cup of the batter and set aside.
To the remaining batter, add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Pour pumpkin batter into the prepared crust. Slowly drizzle the reserved cheesecake batter over the top. Use a skewer to gently swirl the two batters into a decorative pattern.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the sides are just set. It will continue to set as it cools. Cool for 45 minutes on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Release the edges of the cheesecake with a knife. Using the overlapped parchment paper, carefully lift cake from the pan onto a large board. Slice into squares for serving.
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