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Best Roasted Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 124 reviews

This Best Roasted Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust is a rich, creamy dessert that features roasted sweet potato puree blended into a spiced cheesecake batter on a crunchy, buttery gingersnap crust. Flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom, and topped with a luscious honey vanilla whipped cream and optional caramel sauce, this cheesecake is perfect for autumn gatherings or holiday celebrations. The recipe includes a water bath baking technique for a smooth, crack-free finish and chilling overnight for the best texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

  • 14 ounces gingersnap cookies
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled & pureed (about 2 cups)
  • 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese (block-style), room temperature
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • 1 teaspoon maple flavor (or maple extract)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Optional Topping

  • Homemade or store-bought caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Prep Work: Roast your sweet potatoes until tender, then peel and puree them in a food processor or blender. Set aside to cool. Make sure your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature by setting them out 1-2 hours before starting.
  2. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray the bottom of a 9×3-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and line it with a parchment paper sheet. Fasten the pan and spray the bottom and sides with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  3. Make Gingersnap Crust: Pulse the gingersnap cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer crumbs to a large bowl, stir in granulated sugar and melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press mixture firmly on the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan using a measuring cup or glass.
  4. Bake Crust: Bake crust at 350°F for 12 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
  5. Make Cheesecake Batter: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy (1-2 minutes). Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until fluffy (1-2 minutes), scraping bowl sides as needed. Blend in sweet potato puree until fully combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla bean paste, maple flavor, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, salt, and cornstarch. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix to avoid cracks.
  6. Assemble Cheesecake: Pour cheesecake batter over cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula or spoon.
  7. Prepare Water Bath (optional): Wrap bottom of springform pan tightly with foil to prevent leaks. Place the springform pan in a large roasting or deep baking pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
  8. Bake Cheesecake: Bake at 325°F for 1 hour 30 minutes until edges are set and center slightly jiggles when nudged. Turn off oven, remove cheesecake from water bath (discard foil if used), then return cheesecake to oven without water bath. Leave in oven for at least 1 hour to cool gradually.
  9. Cool & Chill: Remove cheesecake from oven and cool on a rack to room temperature. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, ideally 8-10 hours, for best texture and flavor.
  10. Make Whipped Cream Topping: Just before serving, beat heavy cream, honey, and vanilla bean paste on high speed until thick and fluffy.
  11. Serve: Release cheesecake from springform pan and transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle caramel sauce over top or on individual slices. Pipe or spoon whipped cream on top if desired. Slice into wedges and serve.
  12. Store: Always keep leftover cheesecake refrigerated. It can be baked, cooled, topped, and chilled for 1-2 days before serving.

Notes

  • Ensure all dairy ingredients (cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs) are at room temperature to prevent lumps in cheesecake batter.
  • Roast sweet potatoes ahead of time to save prep time and let them cool completely before using.
  • Do not overmix the cheesecake batter to avoid cracks or collapse during baking.
  • The water bath is optional but highly recommended to ensure even baking and prevent cracking.
  • For best results, chill cheesecake overnight to fully set and enhance flavors.
  • Use a high-quality vanilla bean paste or extract for a richer vanilla flavor.
  • If you want a gluten-free option, ensure to use gluten-free gingersnap cookies and substitute cornstarch appropriately.

Keywords: sweet potato cheesecake, roasted sweet potato dessert, gingersnap crust cheesecake, autumn cheesecake, spiced cheesecake, creamy cheesecake

Find it online: https://zarameals.com/best-roasted-sweet-potato-cheesecake-with-gingersnap-crust-recipe/