CRUSHED PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

CRUSHED PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE
Oh my!  If you are a cheesecake lover you are in for a real treat with this recipe.  If you are not a cheesecake lover (which I must admit I can usually take it or leave it) you will be smitten by this  delightful cheesecake recipe.  Olivia made it and when I tasted it, I could not believe how similar and yet different it was from other cheesecakes.  It is lighter and fresher.  Light and fresh are not usually how you would describe a cheesecake, but this one literally melts in your mouth and has just the right amount of refreshing peppermint.  The group of people who tried Olivia's cheesecake masterpiece agreed with me and raved about it.  Olivia found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine.  It would be such a festive addition to your holiday table.  Enjoy!
-Nanette





CRUSHED PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

12 ServingsPrep: 30 min. Bake: 70 min. + chilling

Ingredients

• 20 peppermint or mint creme Oreo cookies, finely crushed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
• Additional crushed candy canes or chopped Oreo cookies, optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a
• double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil
• securely around pan. In a small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter;
• press onto bottom and 1 in. up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate 10
• minutes.
• 
  
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in
• sour cream, flour and extract. Add eggs; beat on low speed just
• until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of batter to a small bowl; stir in
• crushed candy canes.
• 
  
• Pour plain batter over crust. Drop candy cane batter by
• tablespoonfuls over plain batter. Cut through batter with a knife to
• swirl. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot
• water to larger pan.
• 
  
• Bake 70-80 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull.
• Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack 10
• minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1
• hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
• Remove rim from pan. Top cheesecake with additional crushed candy
• canes if desired. Yield: 12 servings