Description
Pumpkin Cheesecake has become a staple in our family for the Holidays. This year we prepared it with Homemade Pumpkin Puree. The Puree is very easy to prepare, don’t worry!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 4–5 tablespoons melted butter
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2–8 ounce packages full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Use butter or non-stick spray to coat an 8-inch springform pan.
Crust
- In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed ginger cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Let cool.
Cheesecake
- In a separate bowl, stir and combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), on low speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
- Pour the filling over the crust and place the spring form pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air.
- Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10 – 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still a little wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
- Total baking time 40 – 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile stir together 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1/4 cup white sugar.
- Spread the topping over the warm cheesecake and return the cheesecake to the oven and bake about 8 minutes to set the topping.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking).
- Then, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
- Serve with Marina’s Cranberry Chutney. Yum!
