Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake from The Oyster Rock

Servings: 
12
Meal: 
Desserts, Sweets, Snacks
Ingredients: 

Crust:

2 cups ginger snap cookies, finely crushed
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
(Mix the above and press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.)

Filling:

27 ounces cream cheese, softened 
Sugar, divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
3 eggs, slightly beaten 
1 cup canned pumpkin puree 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
Dash of ground cloves 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla til blended and smooth. Add eggs slowly at low speed til blended. Remove 1 cup plain batter and set aside.

Add ¼ cup of sugar, pumpkin and spices to main batch of cream cheese mixture and blend til smooth. Add half of the pumpkin batter into the crust; top with spoonfuls of half plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with end of round handled spoon. 

Bake in water bath for 45 minutes until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours.