Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

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by Ashley @HowtoHaveitAll on November 17, 2014

pumpkin cheesecake

Tis the season for all things PUMPKIN & if you’re like me you like to try as many recipes as you can find the time to cook or bake. Be sure to put this recipe on the list—its thick—New York Style Cheesecake THICK. Plus it’s creamy and decadently delicious. Best of all it showcases the sweet & spicy essence of pumpkin & spices we love so much about fall!!!

For this recipe you will need pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling. Remember that you can easily make pumpkin puree from pie pumpkins. Also, if you don’t have store bought pumpkin pie spice, you can easily make your own pumpkin pie spice! Or you can simply substitute cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger with 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice if desired.

pumpkin cheesecake recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 ¾ cups graham crackers crushed or crushed gingersnap cookies
  • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 6 tbsp. salted butter, melted
  • (3) 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, at room temperature (I used #2 pkgs. Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese & #1 pkg. ⅓ less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar
  • 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 ½ cups pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Lightly Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.
  3. In a medium bowl combine crushed graham cracker (or cookie if using instead), light brown sugar and melted butter; mix until evenly coated. Transfer to spring form pan and gently press evenly along bottom and sides of pan to within 1 inch from the top of the pan.
  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.
  5. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
  6. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  7. In a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer set to low cream together cream cheese and sugars until smooth (approximately 30 seconds).
  8. Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger and mix.
  9. Add pumpkin puree & vanilla extract and mix until just incorporated. (You do not want to over mix at any step---the more you mix the more air gets trapped in the batter and you do not want air in your batter)
  10. Add eggs one at a time and mix until just incorporated.
  11. Add in egg yolks and again mix until just incorporated.
  12. Lift bowl and tap gently against counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
  13. Pour batter into crust and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees F. Then shut off oven and allow cheesecake to set in cooling oven for 30 minutes but be sure not to open the door. Sudden temperature changes cause cracking and so you want the cheesecake to cool as the oven cools before removing it.
  14. After 30 minutes transfer to a wire rack to cool for an additional 15-20 minutes then wrap tightly in saran wrap and store in the fridge for at least 5 hours but preferably overnight.
  15. Serve & enjoy! Yields 8-10 servings depending on size!
Notes
If desired top with salted caramel sauce, whip topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg or even some crushed candied pecans would be fantastic!

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Make sure you check out my other easy recipes in my recipe index!

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Ashley @HowtoHaveitAll

Ashley is a happily married stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl and a little boy. Ashley and her husband come from a small town and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like GREAT FOOD. They love to try out new recipes and experiment in the kitchen together, but also enjoy reading, painting and photography.

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