I love cheesecake, so I was excited to find this recipe just in time for Thanksgiving!  My husband is a pumpkin pie lover and declared that this dessert is “even better than pumpkin pie.”  I think it was a success!  

38 Ginger Snap cookies, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

15 oz pumpkin

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

caramel topping and whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325.  Crush ginger snaps (I used my blender), and mix with the melted butter.  Press onto the bottom of a 9X13 pan.  Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla and mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each one just until blended.  Pour the mixture over the crust.  Bake for 45 minutes or until center is almost completely set.  Cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.  Cut into squares just before serving and drizzle each serving with caramel topping and serve with whipped cream.  Enjoy!