Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingerbread Crust

Reserve eight cookies for the garnish. Pulse the rest in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Pulse in the melted butter. Grease a nine-inch springform pan and pat the crust mixture onto the bottom.

For the filling:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until smooth, about 10 minutes. Stop several times and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent lumps. Add the eggs and eggnog and beat until incorporated. Pour into the springform pan. Sprinkle the nutmeg on top.

Bake the cheesecake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the filling has only a tiny jiggle in the center when gently shaken. Remove to a baking rack and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. Covered, the cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To garnish:

Combine the chips and oil and microwave them on the lowest setting for one to two seconds, or until the chips melt. Stir together until smooth. Dip the bottom half of the cookies in the mixture and lay them on parchment paper or a Silpat to dry. Stand one up on each cheesecake slice when ready to serve.