Tip 1: Letting your cream cheese reach room temperature before making the cheesecake will help avoid air bubbles in your cheesecake and ensure even mixing. Tip 2: Place a pan filled with water on the oven shelf below your cheesecake. Adding water to the oven will help prevent your cheesecake from cracking. Tip 3: DON'T open the oven while the cheese cake is cooking or cooling. As tempting as it may be, opening the door will cause a quick change in temperature which can cause your cheesecake to crack.

FOR THE CRUST: 1 Stick of Butter 1 Cup of Brown Sugar 1 Egg 1/4 Cup of Molasses 1/4 tsp of Salt 1 tsp of Cinnamon 1 tsp of Ginger 1/2 tsp of Cloves 3 Cups of Flour 3/4 tsp of Baking Soda FOR THE CHEESECAKE: 4 8 Oz. Cream Cheese Blocks 11/2 Cups of Sugar 3/4 Cup of Milk 1/4 Cup of Molasses 1 tsp of Cinnamon 1 tsp of Ginger 1/2 tsp of Cloves 1 Cup of Sour Cream 1 Tbsp Vanilla 1/4 Cup of Flour

First up, we'll make the the crust. Cream together your stick of butter and your brown sugar. Next up you'll add in the egg, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Give it a good mix and then add in your flour and baking soda. Grab yourself a 9x9" pan and press 3/4 of the gingerbread dough down into it. Return the remaining dough to the fridge. Pop it into the oven set at 350 and bake it up for about 15 minutes. Pull it out and allow it to cool. Grab your cream cheese and sugar and cream it together until smooth. Add in the milk and mix it up once more. Now add in your molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix it together. Next up, you'll add in your eggs one at a time until each is just mixed. Don't over mix your batter. Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, and flour. Set aside your cheesecake mixture for the moment and grab up your cooled cookie. Crumble it up to crumbs and press the crumbs into a greased up springform pan. Pour the cheesecake batter over your cookie crust. Place your cheesecake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then turn it down to 300 and let it cook for 40 more. After the 60 minutes are up, turn off the oven and let your cheesecake sit inside for the next 5-6 hours. Last but not least, grab the remaining gingerbread dough from your fridge and use it to create and cook up some super cool shapes for the top of your cheesecake. I made this for Thanksgiving so I cut out and designed some leaves. For Christmas you could do anything from gingerbread men to snowmen.