White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

25 gingersnap cookies (2 cups or 25 2-inch cookies)
1 cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup cooked pumpkin
3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Almond Topping
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For crust place cookies in large food processor; process into fine crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and melted butter; process just until combined. Press into bottom of 9 -inch springform pan; set aside.
For filling place cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar in food processor; process until smooth. Add pumpkin, melted chocolate, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg; process until combined. Pour into crust-lined pan. Place springform pan in shallow baking pan.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Remove; cool on wire rack 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for Almond Topping combine almonds, 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon sugar in food processor; cover and process until combined. Spread evenly in shallow baking pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until toasted, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle almond topping on cheesecake. Loosen and remove sides of springform pan. Cool cheesecake 1 hour more. Cover loosely; chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
** Cool and chill time extra and not included in prep or cooking time.