Girl Scout Thin Mint Cheesecake

Hi to all! I am not sure the origins of this recipe. My Mom sent it to be about 7-10 years ago. She cut it out from her local paper and mailed it to me. It was one of those small gestures that instantly made my day. Nothing fancy. It was just a newspaper clipping with a simple post it note attached. I even kept the post it note. That is what I love about food and recipes. They always originate from the heart. Amazing how food can generate so much love. This is a favorite in our home and I hope in yours too!

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup Thin Mint Crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbs Butter Softened

Filling Ingredients:

2 Pounds, cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp peppermint extract

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped Thin Mint cookies

1/2 cup chopped Andes candies

Topping Ingredients (Optional- I prefer it without the topping):

1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

Crust: In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter. Blend well with fingers. Press onto the bottom of a 10 inch well-buttered springform pan. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.

Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and whipped. Add sugar. Mix. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add peppermint extract and heavy cream, blend until smooth and creamy. Stir in cookies and candies. Pour mixture into the springform pan. Place the pan inside larger pan filled with 1 inch of water and bake in preheated 325 F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off, open door, leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping: In a small saucepan, place cream and chocolate pieces. Heat over medium heat until chips are melted. Stir frequently. Remove from heat just after it comes to a boil. Let cool for 30 minutes. Pour over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.

ENJOY!