thanskgiving recipes: gingersnap cherry cheesecake

I've been cooking Thanksgiving since I was about 15. Over the years, I've experimented and tried new recipes. Some things stay the same, some things change. I'm not hosting Thanksgiving at my place this year, but I thought I could still share some recipes for those of you that are. And Thanksgiving food is good all the time. Dessert is usually one of the things that changes year to year for me. There are just too many yummy things to choose so we gotta switch it up! Last year, I made this Gingersnap Cherry Cheesecake. It was delicious! Some people didn't like the gingersnap crust as much as I did, but that could easily be changed out to a graham cracker crust or Oreo crust or whatever you're into! The recipe couldn't have been easier and I don't think I'll ever make cheesecake another way. Plus, it's gorgeous!

Gingersnap Cherry Cheesecake

3 cups ground gingersnap cookies (just bang them up in a Ziploc)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 8-oz. bars cream cheese, room temp.
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cherry preserves

// Heat oven to 350 F.  Combine gingersnaps and butter in medium bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and 2 inches up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

// Beat cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tsp. of vanilla.

// Pour mixture into crust and bake about 40-45 minutes.

// In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Spread over hot cheesecake and bake until set, 3-5 minutes more. Let cool in pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Run a knife around edges before unmolding. Spread on preserves before serving.

Recipe from Real Simple