Creamy Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Ingredients 0/16

Step 1

Puls the pecans in a blender until they turn into a coarse meal. In a bowl, mix together the pecan meal, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers to rub in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly with some small pea-sized bits left. Drizzle the beaten egg over the mixture and gently stir with a fork until it just comes together into a dough.

Step 2

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times until smooth. Shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge for at least two hours to firm up.

Step 3

When you’re ready, preheat your oven to 325°F. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 10 inches wide, then transfer it to an 8-inch baking dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep it from puffing up. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges turn golden. Let it cool on a wire rack.

Step 4

While the crust cools, steam the sweet potatoes until they're tender—about 8 to 10 minutes. Once soft, mash them until smooth. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and eggs one at a time until silky. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, cinnamon, and ginger.

Step 5

Carefully split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of your knife. Mix the seeds into the cream cheese filling. Pour this mixture into your cooled crust.

Step 6

Bake everything for about an hour, or until the center feels set. Let it cool completely at room temperature before serving.