Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

I am beginning 2017 on a sweet note with a decadent dessert. It is no secret I love cinnamon rolls – my daughters can attest to me baking them when they were still at home – and that I love cheesecake. So why not combine the two? Which is exactly what I have done. Again I twisted and tweaked (or is that swirled and twirled?) a recipe to suit my particular tastes and it let me use my small spring-form pans! The crust is a blend of vanilla wafers and graham crackers, the batter is New York style for its lightness, and the results are delicious. Feed your sweet tooth and make this recipe… you will not be disappointed!

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Prep time: 260 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 5 hours 5 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

16 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted
6 graham crackers and 10 vanilla wafers (enough to make 1 cup crumbs)
⅓ cup butter, melted
⅛ tsp salt
3 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and vanilla wafers until they become crumbs.
Add the salt and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, pulse to combine.
Add the melted butter and pulse to combine until the crumbs come together.
Press ⅓ cup of crumbs into each small 4 inch spring-form pan.
Place the spring-form pans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.
Remove the pre-baked crusts and allow to cool on a wire rack.
In a medium glass bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and ¾ cup granulated sugar.
Beat on medium until well combined and lightened.
Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and flour, mixing to combine.
Add each egg and mix to combine.
Pour batter into pre-baked and cooled spring-form pans.
Tap each lightly to remove any bubbles and smooth the top.
In a small glass bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted tablespoon of butter.
Whisk the brown sugar mixture to combine.
Drop ½ tsp amounts of brown sugar mixture at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock position on each cheesecake approximately ¼ inch from the edge.
Lightly swirl the brown sugar mixture with a small knife or chopstick through the cheesecake batter, avoiding the edges and moving toward the center.
Bake the cheesecakes in a 300 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes until the edges are fully set and the center is slightly jiggly.
The swirls of brown sugar mixture may create cracks when initially baked, but they will close as the cheesecake cools.
Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before refrigerating for 4 hours before serving.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and vanilla wafers until they become crumbs. Add the salt and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, pulse to combine.

Add the melted butter and pulse to combine until the crumbs come together.

Press 1/3 cup of crumbs into each small 4 inch spring-form pan.

Place the spring-form pans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.

Remove the pre-baked crusts and allow to cool on a wire rack. In a medium glass bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.

Beat on medium until well combined and lightened.

Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and flour, mixing to combine.

Add each egg and mix to combine.

Pour batter into pre-baked and cooled spring-form pans.

Tap each lightly to remove any bubbles and smooth the top. In a small glass bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted tablespoon of butter. Whisk the brown sugar mixture to combine.
Drop 1/2 tsp amounts of brown sugar mixture at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock position on each cheesecake approximately 1/4 inch from the edge. Lightly swirl the brown sugar mixture with a small knife or chopstick through the cheesecake batter, avoiding the edges and moving toward the center.