Frosted Animal Cookie Cheesecake

On the 4th of July we hosted close to 20 people. I had to have plenty of food for everyone. In the dessert category, my husband said, “You know your cookie cheesecake?” I nodded. He said, “Remember those frosted animal cookies we used to love? Can you make a cheesecake out of that idea?” By the way, if you love cheesecake, try my Aunt’s wonderful pumpkin cheesecake dip- I love that recipe for fall.
So, I set off to work. First I crushed up an entire bag of frosted animal cookies into a fine crumb. I added butter to it and patted into a spring form pan. I baked it for about 10 minutes. The crust was nice and firm.
I then added the cheesecake filling and baked it again. Its really important to be patient with your cheesecake. Do not open it until the timer goes off. Do not open the oven while it is baking unless you really have to. Put a pot of water in the oven with your cheesecake. When it is finished, let it cool for 30 minutes without opening the oven door. Then crack the oven door for another 30 minutes. The reason you must take all of these steps? It gives your the best chance for the cheesecake not to crack.
After letting the cheesecake cool over night, I added a white chocolate ganache (SP) with pink food coloring and sprinkles.
Frosted Animal Cookie Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 cup frosted animal cookie crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter melted
Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups frosted animal cookies
White Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- pink gel food coloring
- sprinkles
Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325
- Grease a 9" spring form pan
- Combine the crust ingredients and press into a spring form pan
- Bake for 10 min
- Cool
- Reduce oven to 300
- Mix cream cheese, sugar, and flour
- Add vanilla and sour cream and mix on low speed until combined
- Add eggs one at a time
- Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups of cookies
- Pour into the pan
- Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes
- When cheesecake is cool and firm, put on a serving plate
- Mix the chocolate chips over low heat with heavy whipping cream
- Add pink food coloring
- Pour and spread over cheesecake
- To make heavy whipping cream, mixed powdered sugar and heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Top with whipped cream, cookies, sprinkles, and serve.