Oreo Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 (20 ounce) package oreo cookies, divided (reserve 6 to 8 cookies for garnish; optional)
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (at room temp.)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperture lightly beaten
• 1 cup sour cream (at room temp.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• whipped cream (to garnish) (optional)
• additional oreo cookies, halved (to garnish) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 finely crush 26-30 cookies and set aside.
• 2 coarsely chop remaining cookies and set aside.
• 3 mix together finely crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter.
• 4 press cookie/butter mixture on the bottom and two inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
• 5 beat cream cheese and sugar in bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.
• 6 blend in lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring by hand, to mix well after each addition.
• 7 stir in sour cream and vanilla, until well blended.
• 8 fold chopped cookies into the cheesecake batter.
• 9 pour mixture into prepared crust.
• 10 bake at 350°f for 55 to 60 minutes or until set.
• 11 cool on wire rack at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• 12 run a thin blade knife around the inside of the pan between the pan and crust, being careful not to cut into the cake.
• 13 when cooled to room temp, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• 14 remove side from pan; garnish with dollops of whipped cream, and a cookie half (placed cut side down into each dollop).