Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a pie pan.
Starting with the crust. Use a food processor or blender to crumble and combine gingersnap cookies and brown sugar. Once they are coarse crumbles slowly add the melted butter. Once all the mixture has become wet sprinkle the mixture into the greased pan. Use a back of a measuring cup to push the crust into place. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
While the crust is in the oven, start on the cheesecake filling. With your mixer (whisk attachment) or in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.* Mix in the puree and blend, then add the egg, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until the are all combined.
Take pan out of oven and pour cheesecake mixture evenly over each crust. Then swirl caramel on top. I do dots across the outside edges and inner circle, then use a knife to mix, but really any pattern will do. Place into the oven and bake for 55 minutes.
Remove cheesecake from the oven and place on a trivet in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Notes
- Cream cheese: Your cream cheese must be room temperature and you have to allow the cheese and sugar to blend until smooth, or you will end up with chunks in the filling, Which is really just visually not the best, as you can see in my photos above, but it tastes the same.- Double the recipe: I have doubled this recipe and it works great. Your time will obviously change and you'll want to cook both the cookie bottom and the cheesecake for almost double the time. Check the cheesecake with a jiggle test.- Caramel: You can cook with caramel in the cheesecake, or for a cleaner look, drizzle on top after.