I am one of those dinosaurs that still enjoys leafing through magazines. (I know. Shut up.)Recently, Lucy and I were sitting in my living room perusing my stack of magazines with Max and Logan happily playing at our feet.
Full disclosure: it was Lucy who saw an add in one of the magazines. “MOM! Maria Cookie Crust!” She declared authoritatively.I did a “Wait. What?” Double take and we decided to give it a go.
I’m excited to share this with you today. Lets just call it what it is:
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with a Maria Cookie Crust.
Lets start baking! 
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg. Maria Cookies (7 oz.)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 pkgs. cream cheese (softened)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (room temperature)
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Vanilla extract
- Bottled caramel sauce – i like Ghirardeli
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 325ºF.
- Place cookies in bowl of food processor. Pulse 30 seconds, or until finely ground. (Or, crush them by hand by placing cookies in zip-top bag and using the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound cookies until finely crushed); transfer cookie crumbs to bowl.
- Add softened butter, stirring until combined.
- Transfer cookie mixture to 9” spring form pan. Using your fingers, press cookie crumbs evenly onto bottom and sides of pan. Bake until firm and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool.
- Set electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add condensed milk; beat until smooth, 1 minute.
- Beat in eggs, vanilla and 3 tbsp. dulce de leche until combined, 3 minutes.
- Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake until golden brown and set, but still a little wiggly in the middle, 45 – 55 minutes.
- Turn off oven; partially open oven door.
- Let cheesecake sit in oven until it come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Transfer cheesecake to refrigerator; cool completely, at least 4 hours.
- Remove cooled cheesecake from sprigform pan.
- Place remaining dulce de leche in ziplock bag.
- Using scissors, snip small hole in corner of bag. Applying even pressure on “pastry bag,” paint stripes on your finished cheesecake.
Thank me later.
