One of my absolute favorite desserts, Pumpkin Cheesecake, the combination of two all time classics, New York Style Cheesecake and Pumpkin Pie. I love when the holidays come around all the yummy desserts and food. Every year for Thanksgiving I make Pumpkin Cheesecake...Ok maybe I make it more than just once a year! But I cant help it, its just that good! I mean, who can resist a sugary graham cracker crust, velvety cheesecake combined with real pumkin and just the right amout of spices that burst with flavor into your mouth?!
Melt 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter over low heat.
Roll the Cinnamon Graham cracker crumbs til they are very fine. You may also use about 40 squares of gingersnap cookies. I like to play around with the crust a lot. Ive had both ways but in this picture I used Cinnamon graham crackers.
Once the butter has melted use some of the butter to coat the bottom and sides of the 10-inch springform pan. Stir the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs. Add 1/4 cup sugar a pinch of salt in the bowl. Combine and press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. I found that using a cup helps for pressing the crumb mixture. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 min or until golden brown.
This is what it shouuld look like when it comes out of the oven. Nice and golden brown! Now let this cool in the fridge for about 20 min...Or in my case living in Fairbanks Alaska just stick it outside for a few minutes!
Once the crust and the pan have cooled off wrap the outside of the springform pan with heavy duty foil and place inside of a roasting pan. Meanwhile boil a pot of water. We will be placing the cheesecake into a "water bath," this is a way to cook the cheesecake without drying it out.
Beat the room tempiture cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and free of lumps. This step is important! We dont want little lumps of cream cheese inside our cheesecake!. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl as well as the beater as needed. Beat in the sour ccream, add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 tsp salt and spices until combined and pour into the cooled crust.
Once poured into the cooled crust, place the roasting pan in the oven and pour the water into the roasting pan until it comes up about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 1 hour and 45 min. Then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour.
Once done pull off the foil, cover and set in the fridge to cool down for at least 8 hours or overnight. Finish with a dallop of whip cream and enjoy!
Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (melted)
3 cups of cinnamon graham crackers or 40 squarts of gingersnap cookie crumbs
2 3/4 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
2 lbs of cream cheese (room tempiture) you may get less fat cream cheese as well
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small can of pure pumpkin
6 large eggs
1 tbs of vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and position the rack in the middle of the oven.
Melt butter on low heat and brush a 10-inch springform pan with some butter. Once cracker or cookie crumbs are crumbled add 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in the crumb bowl along with the rest of the butter and use a fork to mix til moist and combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. I found that using the bottom of a cup works great. Once tight and even place in the oven and bake until golden brown for about 15-20 minutes. Cool in the fridge for another 20 min until cool and hardened. Once cooled down wrap the outside of the springform pan with heavy duty foil and place in the roasting pan.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Add the remaning 2 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 tsp of salt and spices until combined. Pour into the cooled crust.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. This is called a "water bath" its to insure that the cheesecake cooks evenly and prevents it from being dry. Bake for 1 hour and 45 min. Once done turn the oven off and crack the oven door slightly to let out the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour. Once done remove from the roasting pan and peel off the foil. Cover and refridgerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Finish with a dollop of whip cream and enjoy!.
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (melted)
3 cups of cinnamon graham crackers or 40 squarts of gingersnap cookie crumbs
2 3/4 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
2 lbs of cream cheese (room tempiture) you may get less fat cream cheese as well
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small can of pure pumpkin
6 large eggs
1 tbs of vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and position the rack in the middle of the oven.
Melt butter on low heat and brush a 10-inch springform pan with some butter. Once cracker or cookie crumbs are crumbled add 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in the crumb bowl along with the rest of the butter and use a fork to mix til moist and combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. I found that using the bottom of a cup works great. Once tight and even place in the oven and bake until golden brown for about 15-20 minutes. Cool in the fridge for another 20 min until cool and hardened. Once cooled down wrap the outside of the springform pan with heavy duty foil and place in the roasting pan.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Add the remaning 2 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 tsp of salt and spices until combined. Pour into the cooled crust.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. This is called a "water bath" its to insure that the cheesecake cooks evenly and prevents it from being dry. Bake for 1 hour and 45 min. Once done turn the oven off and crack the oven door slightly to let out the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour. Once done remove from the roasting pan and peel off the foil. Cover and refridgerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Finish with a dollop of whip cream and enjoy!.