Cooking Resources

JillBurgh · 03-02-2008, 01:23 PM

Okay, I had this idea when I was eating Cinnabon. They make the toppin out of cream cheese, so why not make a cheesecake with the same flavors? These photos are my first try and it was YUMMY! The cracks in the top are a result of the cinnamon mixture I concocted. I used brown sugar, cinnamon and butter to make a "sauce" that I could dollop and swirl around the cake. Butter was the mistake. It melted and started to flow through the cake. And there was a pool of butter all around the inside of the springform. So next time, I will combine the brown sugar and cinnamon with some reserved cheesecake batter and see how that works out.

The crust is cinnamon roll "discs." Bake them for half of the time on the package instructions to keep em gooey and soft through baking of the cake. Also bake a couple of extra "discs" for decorating the top of the cake. The secret ingredient in the cheesecake is lemon. Lemon enhances the cinnamon, and it's an ingredient that Cinnabon uses in their frosting for that distinct flavor. I will post the recipe next.

pdswife · 03-02-2008, 01:26 PM

WOW! I'd love to try that! Beautiful and I bet it was WONDERFUL!

texasgirl · 03-02-2008, 01:31 PM

Never had a Cinnabon, but, that looks yummy!

LadyCook61 · 03-02-2008, 01:32 PM

that looks wonderful and I'm sure it tastes great!

JillBurgh · 03-02-2008, 01:43 PM

Generously butter the sides and bottom of a springform pan. Wrap tightly with foil.

Using prepared cinnamon bun dough, unroll the buns and lay the strips flat. Slice them lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Swirl the dough strips into flat discs. Arrange theses discs along the bottom of the springform pan, to cover. Insert extra dough pieces and "mini-discs" into any gaps, to cover the bottom of the pan. (See photo in post 1)

Prepare a few extra discs for decorating top of cake.

Bake crust for half of the time instructed on package and remove to cool completely.

Prepare cheesecake batter:
3 T cornstarch
2/3 c heavy cream
3- 8 oz pkg cream cheese, room temp
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 T vanilla butter nut flavoring
2 eggs

Blend 1 pkg cream cheese with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch on low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add remaining cream cheese, one pkg at at time. Scrape sides of bowl between additions.

Combine remaining sugar with lemon zest. Increase speed to medium and add the lemon sugar to the cream cheese mixture. Blend in vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl. Still using medium speed, add 1 egg, scrape bowl. Add the other egg, scrape bowl. Beat in the cream just until blended without overmixing at this point.

Reserve 3/4 c. batter for cinnamon mixture. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan over the crust.

Prepare cinnamon filling:
Reserved 3/4 cup batter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix well. Dollop tablespoons full of cinnamon mixture onto top of cheesecake, gently pressing down with spoon. Use a knife tip to swirl the cinnamon around top in figure-8s.

Pour boiling water into a large hotel pan or casserole. Place cheesecake into water bath. The water should reach 1/2 way up the sides of your springform pan. Bake 1 1/4 hours.

Allow to cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 more hours.

To serve, remove sides of springform, and decorate the top of the cheesecake with any leftover cinnamon roll discs (unless the kids got em by now).

JillBurgh · 03-03-2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks, everyone. It was delicious, and I hope it gets better every time I make it. I took the one pictured above to our office Christmas party and it was a big hit.