Who doesn't love cookie butter? Or speculooss (or speculass)! They are a Belgian shortbread cookie that are flavored with a combination of spices. The spices can include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, coriander, cloves, ginger, pepper, and/or cardemom.
You can make a homemade version of speculoos, but I don't think they would last long enough to make it into this cheesecake.
Cookie butter is actually just a combination of crushed cookies, vegetable oil, water, and powdered sugar all blended together. You could make it from any kind of cookie, but when it's made with speculoos, it's extra amazing.
Biscoff cookies are a brand of speculoos. They also make delicious cookie butter. The cookie butter is amazing. It's sort of a gingery, cinnamony, spicey, I-can't-quite-pin-it-down flavored cookie spread made from Biscoff cookies. Trader Joe's also makes a version, which is labeled Speculoos Cookie Butter.
How to make a Biscoff cheesecake.
You make this Biscoff cheesecake with a Biscoff cookie crust. First, you crush the cookies in a food processor, add some sugar and melted butter, and bake it in a 9 inch springform pan or cheesecake pan.
Next, you mix some cream cheese with the cookie butter until everything is all light and fluffy. Then you add some sugar and vanilla. After that, you add eggs and gently mix everything. Finally, you fold in some broken cookies and pour the mixture over the crust.
I baked this cheesecake in a water bath. To do this, you wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan in heavy duty foil. Next you bring some water to a boil. Place the wrapped pan in a 12 inch cake pan or another large pan, and add the water so that it comes about halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
Why do you use a water bath to bake a cheesecake?
One of the biggest issues with making a cheesecake is that it can crack when you take it out of the oven. There are lots of steps you can take to prevent cracks, and a water bath is pretty much critical.
Other ways to prevent cracks in your cheesecake.
Make sure everything is room temperature, including the cream cheese and the eggs. In addition, mix the cream cheese and sugar thoroughly so that there aren't any clumps of cream cheese lurking in the batter.
When you are adding the eggs, use the low speed on your mixer so that you don't add too much air. Also, tap the filled pan down on the counter several times to release any air bubbles.
Finally, when the cheesecake is done, leave it in the oven with the oven off and the door ajar for at least 30 minutes. Sudden changes in temperature are also the enemy.
Tools you will need to bake this cheesecake.
- 9" springform pan or cheesecake pan.
- A larger pan in which the cheesecake pan will fit. I use an inexpensive 12 inch cake pan or an 18" x 13" cake pan.
- An electric mixer (hand or stand).
- Parchment paper.
This is an update of one of my first posts on this blog, originally posted in July of 2012. I'm redoing it to honor my friend Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Here's a photo from the original post.
She is celebrating her 20 year wedding anniversary, and pretty much every year since I've known her, she has invited us to make cheesecakes to celebrate. Why cheesecake? She had seven cheesecakes at her wedding instead of cake. I can get behind that!
Congratulations Camilla and Jake!
More cheesecakes!
- Birthday Cake Cheesecake by The Redhead Baker
- Cheesecake Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Käsküeche (Alsatian Cheesecake with Boozy Fruits) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Keto Vanilla Cheesecake by Our Good Life
- Snickerdoodle Cheesecake by Making Miracles
Biscoff Cheesecake
Yield: 12 servings
Prep time: Cook time: Total time:
This cheesecake takes your favorite cookie butter and spicy cookies and turns them into a delicious cheesecake.
Ingredients:
For the Crust
- 30 Biscoff cookies
- 3 T granulated sugar
- 6 T melted butter
For the Filling
- 3 8 oz. packages room temp regular cream cheese
- 1 C Biscoff spread
- 1 C sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large room temperature eggs
- 16 Biscoff cookies, each broken into 3 to 4 pieces
Instructions:
How to cook Biscoff Cheesecake
To Make the Crust
- Heat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease your 9" pan of choice. Cut a 9" circle of parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the pan. Grease the paper.
- Crush the cookies in a food processor. Add the sugar and process for a few seconds. Add the butter and process a few seconds more. Pat the mixture into the bottom of your pan. Bake for 9 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
To Make the Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and Biscoff spread on low/medium until fluffy. Change the speed to low and slowly add the sugar and vanilla. Continuing on low, add the eggs one at a time. Stop mixing when everything is fully incorporated. Dump in the cookie pieces and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the filling into the pan and smooth. Tap the pan several times on the counter to reduce the amount of air in the filling. If you are using a springform or cheesecake pan, wrap the pan with heavy duty foil. This is to prevent leaks from the water bath. (You can try this without a water bath if you are willing to risk cracks in your cheesecake. You just have to slow down the "cool down process" considerably).
- Bring the tea kettle back to a boil. Place the cake pan inside the larger pan and place them on the oven rack. Pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. (If your oven has a glass door, be careful not to spill any water on the glass. I usually cover mine with a dish towel just to be sure.) Close the oven and do not open for 50 minutes.
- At 50 minutes, check the cheesecake. If the middle slightly jiggles, it is ready. If it jiggles a lot, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once it's done, turn off the oven and open it about 1/4 and let the cake cool for 30 minutes. Remove both pans, run a spatula around the sides of the pan to separate the cake from the pan, and allow to cool to room temperature in the water bath. Once it's room temperature, remove the cake from the water bath and cover the top of the cake with plastic wrap. Press the plastic against the cake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- When you are ready to serve: If you used a springform or cheesecake pan, remove the pan side and place the bottom on a plate or cake plate. Slide it off of the pan bottom. You can leave the parchment.
Calories
429.80
429.80
Fat (grams)
22.49
22.49
Sat. Fat (grams)
8.03
8.03
Carbs (grams)
53.26
53.26
Fiber (grams)
0.63
0.63
Net carbs
52.63
52.63
Sugar (grams)
36.60
36.60
Protein (grams)
5.73
5.73
Sodium (milligrams)
248.35
248.35
Cholesterol (grams)
81.09
81.09
Karen's Kitchen Stories
This is so new in my cheesecake experience. It looks just lovely! I must give this one a try for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty delicious! How sweet!
DeleteYou cannot go wrong with anything Biscoff! I am obsessed with those cookies and that flavor profile. This looks like such a wonderful treat.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteKaren, this looks positively delicious! And I am so grateful that you baked a second one after the first disaster. So appreciate you celebrating with us. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteCheers to you! Congratulations!
DeleteMy son in law loves Biscoff cookies. I can't wait to serve him this cheesecake.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he'd love it!
DeleteYour cheesecake looks amazing. My daughter adores Biscoff cookies. Her husband bring her home a package from the plane every week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri. This would be perfect for her then!
Delete