
Y’all. Sweet Potato Cheesecake is the epitome of fall! roasted Sweet potatoes are spiced with the classic fall staples: cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and cardamom. Adding a splash of bourbon makes the sweet potato cheesecake that much more southern. All of that smooth sweet potato filling sits atop a Biscoff Cookie Crust. This is the cheesecake for people who love sweet potato pie, but want a more decadent dessert.
Disclaimer:

If you don’t know how to make sweet potato purée, click this link and then come back. Otherwise, this recipe uses the water bath method to get the creamiest cheesecake without the cracks. If you can’t do the water bath, I’ll share some alternatives.
Ingredients:
Cream Cheese, granulated sugar and eggs are the building blocks of the base of the vanilla bean cheesecake. But the star of the show is the roasted sweet potato and with guest stars: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and bourbon.

Special Equipment:
Hand mixer. This is the one time that I prefer a hand mixer over the standmixer. I find that I have more control in ensuring that all of the ingredients are smooth before adding the next ingredient.
9-inch springform pan
1 pan that is larger than the springform pan (think roaster pan, casserole dish, large cast iron skillet)
The Art of Crafting the Perfect Cheesecake

At its core, cheesecake is a harmonious blend of creaminess and tanginess, achieved by the skillful balance of ingredients. The creamy base usually comprises cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and often a touch of vanilla extract. The key to a smooth cheesecake is slowly beating in the ingredients until it's smooth before adding the next ingredient.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Then add the sugar, and beat until smooth.
Incorporate the sweet potato, vanilla extract, spices and bourbon and beat until smooth.
Make sure the mixture is smooth because once you add the next ingredient there is no turning back. Are you sure it’s smooth? Yes. Cool. Proceed to the next step. No? Keep mixing until the answer is Yes.
Mix in the eggs and mix on low speed just until it comes together.
Cheesecake Crusts

While the creamy filling takes the center stage, the crust serves as the sturdy foundation for this masterpiece. Because I wanted even more spice, I used my new favorite crust: Biscoff Cookie Crust. The crust not only provides a satisfying contrast in texture but also offers an additional layer of flavor.
Baking Techniques: The Water Bath

Ah, the dreaded cheesecake crack! Many home bakers shudder at the thought of their beautiful creation developing unsightly cracks on the surface. The most common way to prevent a cracked cheesecake is to use a water bath. A water bath allows for gentle and even heat distribution, minimizing the potential for cracks.
How to set up a water bath
Cover the base of a 9-inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, and then cover the foil with a slow cooker/oven bag. The slow cooker bag acts as insurance to make sure there are no leaks. Place the cheesecake into a larger pan/roaster/casserole dish. Use a kettle to bring water to a boil and slowly fill the larger pan with boiling water. The water bath allows for gentle and even heat distribution, minimizing the risk of cracks.
If you can’t make a water bath then I recommend my favorite trick: it’s so high tech (brace yourselves!):

Stick a wooden spoon in between the door of the oven gently cracking the door open. My new fancy oven won’t allow me to use this trick anymore because it’s a smart oven and knows when the door is open, so I’m going with a water bath from here on out.

The last tip for baking your cheesecake is to allow the cheesecake to cool gradually in the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar. Transferring the cheesecake from hot to room temperature too fast is the quickest way to create a cheesecake crater. Ask me how I know.
PrintRecipe

Sweet Potato Cheesecake
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 9-inch Cheesecake 1x
Description
This show stopping cheesecake is for people who love sweet potato pie.
Ingredients
- 3 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cup sweet potato purée, room temperature
- ⅔ (155 grams) cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ tsp Cardamom
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Splash of bourbon, optional (recommend Uncle Nearest 1856)
- 1 prepared and cooled biscoff cookie crust in a 9-inch springform pan.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325ºF degrees.
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Add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugars and sweet potato puree and spices on medium speed until completely combined and no gritty texture remains.
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Mix in the eggs one at a time on low speed. Be careful not to over mix the eggs.
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Add in the vanilla extract and bourbon and mix until just blended.
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Set a kettle to boil with 6 cups of water.
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Wrap the cooled springform pan in 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil. Take care to make sure there are no seams on the bottom of the pan. Wrap the pan in the crockpot bag (for extra insurance), taping the bag to the pan to fit securely.
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Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan.
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Place the wrapped pan into a larger pan and carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan—try not to splash!
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Bake the cheesecake for 60- 70 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the center is just set and a little wobbly.
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Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven (and water bath) for 45 to 60 minutes.
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Remove cheesecake from the oven, and remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Let cheesecake cool at room temperature on a wire rack for about an hour before covering and refrigerating overnight.
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Serve with whipped cream and crushed biscoff cookie crumbs.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Cheesecake
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