Stir gingersnap crumbs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and melted butter together in
a bowl until the mixture resembles sand.
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 egg yolk
- Filling:
- canola oil cooking spray
- 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
Instructions
Step
1. Stir gingersnap crumbs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and melted butter together in
a bowl until the mixture resembles sand. Stir 1 egg yolk into crumbs until thoroughly combined
and the crust mixture holds its shape when pressed.
2. Move a rack to the center position in the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees
C).
3. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray, spread crumbs into the pan, and press
crumbs into a firm crust going about 1 inch up the side of the pan. Place the pan on a heavy
sheet of aluminum foil and bring the foil up the sides of the pan to the rim, crumpling it close to
the pan and making a barrier to prevent water from leaking into the cheesecake. Place the foil
and springform pan into a large roasting pan.
4. Place cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar, and white sugar into the work bowl of a large stand
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix at low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Raise
speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes.
5. Place pumpkin puree in a separate large mixing bowl; stir in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice,
salt, vanilla extract, and bourbon whiskey until combined. Whisk 1/4 cup flour into the pumpkin
mixture, followed by eggs and yolks. Whisk cream cheese mixture into pumpkin mixture until
filling is completely smooth and free of lumps. Pour filling into the crust; use a spatula to lightly
and rapidly jiggle the filling in the center of the cheesecake to help shake out any bubbles.
6. Carefully place cheesecake in the roasting pan onto the center rack of the oven and fill the
roasting pan with enough very hot (almost boiling) water to reach halfway up the side of
springform pan.
7. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the filling reads 155 to 160
degrees F (70 degrees C), about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check temperature after 1 1/2 hours. A
filling will still be slightly jiggly in the center.
8. Turn off oven heat and open the oven door for a few seconds to let out most of the hot air. Use
a thin knife to separate the cheesecake edge from the inside of the pan to help prevent
cracking. Close the oven door almost all the way, leaving a small opening (about 1 inch) to
release additional heat. Let cheesecake cool in a warm oven for 1 hour to finish setting. Remove
cheesecake from the water bath and let cool to room temperature on a counter, for 2 to 3 more
hours. Cover cheesecake with aluminum foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3
hours but preferably overnight.
9. Use a folded paper towel to remove any moisture that has formed on top of the cheesecake
before releasing and carefully lifting the pan from the cheesecake.