adapted from Kicked Up Cookie Recipes
makes 9x13" cheesecake

This is my favorite cheesecake of all time. One of my patients mentioned that she had never eaten cheesecake before and wasn't sure if she'd like it, so I promised to make it for her. And not just any cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake. Not playin' around here. It was originally for Thanksgiving, which was delayed until Christmas, and then New Years. When she finally came for her most recent appointment after the holidays, I told her how sorry I was that I still had not brought her some cheesecake! She is the sassiest 10-year-old ever, so I thought she was gonna call me out like she usually does during all our sessions. But ever so graciously, she said "We'll eat it another day!" and proceeded to attempt to infect me with Bieber fever. Our sessions are the best, because we just hang out and talk about Nicki Minaj. If I were 10, we'd be bffs.

**Update: When I finally brought the cheesecake to her, the very first thing she said was "And this is for you!!" whipping out a rubber lizard (below) from her pocket. It was hilarious and touching at the same time. It seemed like the only way she could react was to give me the only thing she happened to have, and the look on her face reflected pure thankfulness. She proceeded to draw me this picture. It is these moments and relationships that make work so worth it.



Ingredients:

• 2 cups crushed gingersnaps (use a food processor if you have one!)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 T flour
• 1 t pumpkin pie spice
• 3 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 13×9 inch pan.
2. Combine crushed gingersnaps and melted butter in a small bowl. Press mixture into bottom of the prepared baking pan. Press with the flat bottom of a glass.
3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes or until crust is firm. Set aside to cool.
4. While the crust is cooling, stir together pumpkin, flour, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
5. In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate completely after each.
6. Stir 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour the remaining cream cheese batter over cooled crust.
7. Spoon the pumpkin batter over top of cream cheese batter and using a butter knife, gently spread evenly over the cheesecake mixture.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until center is set. Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then chill in the refrigerator.