Mississippi Mud Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups finely crushed animal cracker cookies
• 0.75 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 0.25 cup melted butter
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 0.5 cup chopped pecans
• 0.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 0.5 cup marshmallow creme
• 0.25 cup chopped pecans

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine animal cracker crumbs, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon coffee granules in a bowl. Add melted butter; stir until evenly moistened. Press into the prepared pan; set aside.
3. Beat 1 ½ cups sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons instant coffee in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until blended. Beat in softened cream cheese until incorporated and no lumps remain. Beat in eggs, one at a time, adding vanilla extract with last egg. Fold in ½ cup chopped pecans, then pour into the prepared crust.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C); continue baking 2 hours more. Turn off the oven; let cheesecake stand in the oven for 2 hours before opening the door. Remove cheesecake from the oven; cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
5. Once cooled, melt chocolate chips and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove cheesecake from the springform pan.
6. Spread marshmallow cream evenly over cheesecake. Spread or drizzle chocolate over top; sprinkle with ¼ cup chopped pecans. Chill completely before serving, about 4 hours.