- 3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Blend cookie crumbs, sugar and butter in processor until well mixed. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and halfway up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack.
- Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs and beat just until blended.
- Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Bake until sides of cheesecake are slightly puffed and begin to crack, and center moves slightly when pan is shaken gently, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to rack. Cool completely. Cover; chill overnight.
- Release pan sides from cheesecake. Arrange strawberries around outer edge of cheesecake. Cut into wedges.