Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ounces chocolate baking squares, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 almonds, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (regular sugar is fine too)

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs) with butter. press into the bottom of a greased 9-in springform pan. set aside.
• 2 in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed until combined.stir in melted chocolate.
• 3 combine the pumpkin and spices in a seperate bowl; gently fold into cream cheese mixture. pour over crust.
• 4 place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until center is set. cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• 5 combine topping ingredients and spread in a shallow baking pan. bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. be sure to stir a couple times so the almonds get toasted evenly. cool.
• 6 run a knife under hot water, then around the edge of the pan to loosen cake. cool for an hour in the refrigerator. before serving, sprinkle topping over individual servings. store extra in a container or ziploc bag.
• 7 *i don't care for gingersnaps, so i use cinnamon flavored graham crackers for my crust!