Ingredients

• 7 oz Maria cookies
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 32 oz (four 8 oz blocks) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• about 1 cup dulce de leche (for the batter and garnish)

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan
• Food processor or heavy skillet and zip-top bag
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Zip-top bag for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 325 degrees F so it is fully preheated before the crust goes in.
2. Pulse the Maria cookies in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. No processor? Seal them in a zip-top bag and crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet until fine. Pour the crumbs into a bowl.
3. Add the softened butter and stir until the crumbs look like damp sand and clump when pressed.
4. Press the mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan using your fingers. Bake for about 10 minutes, until firm and fragrant, then set aside to cool.
5. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl so there are no lumps.
6. Pour in the condensed milk and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Add the eggs, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of dulce de leche, beating until fully combined, about 3 minutes, so the caramel flavor runs all the way through.
8. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden and set around the edges but still a little wiggly in the center (it firms up as it cools).
9. Turn off the oven and prop the door open a few inches. Let the cheesecake sit for about 1 hour to cool slowly, which helps prevent cracks.
10. Move the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill completely, at least 4 hours or overnight, until fully firm.
11. Release the springform ring and lift the cheesecake out. Spoon the remaining dulce de leche into a zip-top bag, snip a small corner, and pipe stripes across the top before serving.