Pumpkin Cheesecake

Posted bytheshield2021Posted inUncategorized

By Emily Burich

Looking for a flavorful pumpkin dessert? This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is easy and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. It tastes exactly like a cheesecake that crossed paths with a pumpkin pie – the best of both worlds.  This perfect holiday dessert makes your home smell incredible and will have your dinner guests craving more.

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust:

  • 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 whole graham crackers)
  • 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) melted, unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

  • 3 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin pie mix 
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or make your own)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

For the Optional Toppings:

  • 1 cup cold heavy cream beat with 1 Tbsp sugar & 1/2 tsp vanilla 
  • Pumpkin pie spice to dust
  • Toasted pecans 
  • Caramel sauce

Instructions

For the Crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  2. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 6 Tbsp melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3″ tall walls and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan, and go about 1/2″ up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp.

For the Filling:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  2. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the 3 packages of softened cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (5 min), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don’t have chunks of cream cheese. Tip: brown sugar is considered “packed” when it holds its shape as it comes out of the measuring cup.
  3. Have a taste of this cream cheese frosting. It would make a super yummy frosting actually! Just don’t eat too much. You need it for your cheesecake.
  4. In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together 15 oz pumpkin pie mix, 4 large eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp flour, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  5. Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350˚F for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and let cheesecake sit in the oven another 45 min. Then remove from the oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight).
  6. Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from the springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of the cheesecake to release from the springform mold. Add desired toppings (see list above) and serve.

For the Whipped Cream:

  1. Tip: Freeze mixing bowl for 10 minutes to get the best whipped cream results.
  2. In a cold mixing bowl, add 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat on high speed until fluffy and spreadable. Don’t over-beat or it will turn buttery. It only takes less than 2 min to make fresh whipped cream.