Pumpkin Ribbon Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1.5 cups crushed gingersnaps

• 1/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 stick)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• pinch salt

Filling

• 32 oz cream cheese, softened

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup 5% plain greek yogurt

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Topping

• Whipped cream

• Salted Caramel Topping

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a springform pan with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Alternatively use a 10 inch pie dish, but springform will be best for this cheesecake.

• In a food processor, blend gingersnaps until you have crumbs. Once fine crumbs, add in melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse until well combined.

• Pour into springform pan and press firmly down using the bottom of a glass or hand. Bake for 12 minutes at 350F and let cool completely. Reduce oven heat to 325F.

• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time and continuing mixing. Then add in sugar, greek yogurt, and vanilla and beat for several minutes until smooth.

• Take two cups of cheesecake batter and pour into separate bowl. Add in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Mix together until smooth.

• If your springform pan typically leaks, or just to be certain it doesn’t, wrap the bottom and halfway up in several layers of foil before adding cheesecake filling.

• Pour cheesecake filling into cooled crust by layering. Start with 3/4 cup plain cheesecake batter, then add 3/4 cup pumpkin cheesecake batter on top, and repeat until all batters are finished. Use a toothpick or knife and swirl batters together a few times.

• Bake cheesecake for 30 minutes at 325F. After 30 minutes is up, reduce heat to 250F and bake for 50 minutes. Turn oven off and let cheesecake sit in warm oven for 30 minutes, then crack oven door open and let cheesecake cool down even more for 1 hour with oven door open.

• Bring cheesecake to room temperature on counter (about 2-3 hours) and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake before transporting to refrigerator overnight.

• After a night in the fridge, release from springform pan. It should easily lift off, but if not, run a knife along the edge again. Before serving, top with whipped cream and drizzle with warmed caramel sauce. Slice into using a wet sharp knife.