Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Sweet Potato Cheesecake is the cheesecake you need at your Thanksgiving table. I started making this dish when fall flavors felt present, and now I can't get enough! A popular dessert at dinner parties, my clients love that it's not too sweet and not too heavy after a multi-course meal. It gives the warmth of Thanksgiving and the perfect creaminess of the cheesecake. Sweet Potato Cheesecake takes time and special attention, and the payoff is well worth it.
This recipe is close to my classic cheesecake recipe. The baseline is why I love making cheesecake so much and find it so easy. More cream cheese than sugar, eggs, and a bit of cornstarch has made me very comfortable making cheesecake for any occasion. My failproof advice is to bake your cheesecake in a water bath for even cooking with minimal to no cracks. Cook it low and slow, and let it cool low and slow before removing it from the oven. Any time I miss these steps, I mess things up—every single time.
Graham cracker crust is perfect for this dessert, but this would also be delicious with a ginger snap crust. You can follow the exact directions below but use ginger snap cookies instead. The addition of roasted sweet potato gives a natural sweetness and nuttiness that boiling the sweet potato can't achieve. Paired with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and allspice, make this the perfect combination for fall. If you plan to make this for Thanksgiving, it's a great dish to prep. Although, I'd eat this deliciousness any time of year.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 11 whole graham crackers
- ¼ c sugar
- 2/3 c butter, melted
- 1 ½ large sweet potato
- 4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Using a fork, poke holes on all sides of the sweet potato. Place the sweet potato on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
- While the sweet potato is roasting, prepare a 9-10" springform pan. Using the bottom of the pan, trace a circle with a pencil on parchment paper. Cut out the circle with scissors. Lightly brush a small amount of the melted butter on the bottom of the pan and place the parchment paper on top to stick. Lay the parchment-lined bottom inside the pan ring and lock it, ensuring that the parchment circle doesn't get stuck in the pan ring.
- Using a food processor, crush graham crackers until they resemble the texture of sand. Add sugar and continue processing for 20 seconds. Pour the cracker mixture into a medium bowl and add melted butter. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. You should be able to grab the crumb mixture and squeeze it into your hands. Most of the mixture will keep the shape created in your hand when it's ready to be used.
- Pour the graham cracker mixture into the prepared springform pan. Using a measuring cup, pack the graham cracker crumbs into the pan. Be sure the bottom of the crust is even and that the sides of the crust don't go more than 1" up the sides of the pan.
- Remove the sweet potato from the oven. Set aside and allow to cool before peeling. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the crust into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Lower the oven temperature to 300°.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (using the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese and butter, on high, until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, using a rubber spatula, to ensure all cream cheese blends until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the sour cream. Continue mixing until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Place the sweet potato in a food processor and blend until smooth. Mix it into the cheesecake batter. Continue mixing and add the brown sugar.
- Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl until well blended. Add the sugar mixture to the cheese batter and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing and add in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and vanilla.
- Cracking one egg at a time into a separate bowl, add each egg to the cheesecake batter while the mixer is on medium-low speed. Stop the mixer after each egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and turn the mixer off once there are no longer streaks of vanilla. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all cream cheese mixes in.
- Set a tea kettle to brew water. You can also use a medium pot to boil the water if you do not have a tea kettle, and you will need 4-6 cups of water.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust. Wrap a double layer of aluminum foil tightly around the outside bottom and sides, crimping and pleating the foil to make it conform to the pan. This will help prevent water from seeping into the pan when put into the water bath. Place the unbaked cheesecake in a roasting pan (or another pan) large enough to prevent the sides from touching. Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour in the brewed or boiled water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 1 ½ hour before checking on it. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN to check on the cheesecake often. You may have to bake the cheesecake for another 30 minutes. You will know it is done when the cheesecake is very lightly colored and there is little to no jiggle in the center of the cheesecake. You should only check on it once or twice towards the end of the baking process. Opening the door can cause the cheesecake to crack. Once the cheesecake is done, turn the oven off and crack the door of the oven slightly. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the pan from the oven and take the cheesecake out of the water bath. Carefully peel the aluminum foil from around the pan. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for an hour. Refrigerate, lightly covered, until well chilled—overnight is best.
- To remove the cheesecake from the pan, use a blow torch to loosen the sides of the pan. Run a knife between the cheesecake and the pan until you've gone around the entire pan. Unlock the spring and slowly raise the ring up. Use an offset spatula to wedge between the bottom of the pan and the parchment paper. Carefully guide the cheesecake, using the spatula and your free hand onto your hand. Use both hands to place the cheesecake onto a cake plate.
- Cut the cheesecake, use the torch to warm both sides of the knife quickly. It's best to do this with every slice, and it is also important to clean off any excess cheesecake and crust crumbs from the blade between each slice.
Notes
Store any extra cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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