Brown Butter Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place your cookies in a food processor or blender and grind them until they are fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can put your cookies in a gallon-size plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until fine.
Next, make your brown butter. First, cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a small pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. Scrap the butter (and all the of those magical brown bits into a heat-safe bowl and let rest for about 5-10 minutes.
Next, place your cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Add your sugar, cinnamon, salt, and brown butter. Mix until well combined.
Pour your cookie mixture evenly into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs down along the bottom and sides of the pan to form the crust (it's okay if your cookies don't go up the sides of the pan completely). Be sure to pat the crumbs evenly. Alternatively, you can use the back of a measuring cup or spoon to pat the crumbs and form the crust.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and set aside. Then, reduce the oven to 325F.

Bring about 6-8 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.

In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Then, add sugar, vanilla, sweet potato puree, spices, orange zest, and sour cream. Blend until well combined (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Next, add eggs and mix into the filling until well incorporated. Be sure to scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed. Once mixed, place the filling in the crust.

Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack directly above the rack with the roasting pan of steamy water and close the oven door. Bake for about 60-70 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake; it should still be a bit wobbly in the middle.
Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour. Then, remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for about 1 hour or until cooled. Once cooled, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, make the whip cream topping. First, with a handheld or stand mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides halfway through. Pro tip: place the mixing bowl in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (or longer) prior to whipping your cream.
Lastly, slice up a piece of cheesecake and serve with whip cream, garnish with cinnamon, and enjoy!