From our kitchen to yours: Pumpkin Cheesecake

mMm ... I love fall !!! I especially love getting to use pumpkin and apples and cinnamon in recipes. It makes me really happy ! haha Sooo I really like cheesecake and I wanted to try a pumpkin cheesecake. My initial recipe was from this site but I changed a couple things :) Surprisingly, it's very easy to make and not that rich, it's a delightful fall treat, enjoy !

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup gingersnap cookies
6 tablespoons melted butter

Place cookies in a bag and cover with a dish towel

Use a rubber or metal mallet to beat it to a fine dust

Mix melted butter and crumbs into a bowl. Press firmly into a lightly greased 10in cake pan and chill for 30 mins.

FILLING
3-8 ounce pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie seasoning
1-1/4 cup pumpkin puree
5 large eggs
1/2 cup Great Value Creme Brulle Coffee Creamer

Whip room temp cream cheese to a nice fluffiness

Add in sugar, spices, pumpkin, eggs and creamer.

Scrape down the bowl well and hand mix for a bit.

Crust: Lightly butter a 10x2 inch round cake pan. Combine gingersnap crumbs, nut, and butter in a bowl, and mix well. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Filling: In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and spices, beat until light in texture. Add pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. Stir in eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in cream. . Pour batter into crust, and put cake pan in a roasting pan. Add hot water to roasting pan halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake in center of oven until cheesecake is firm to touch and slightly puffed, about 50 minutes. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When cheesecake is completely chilled, lower pan into a hotwater bath for 2-3 min. to loosen the crust. Invert a large, flat plate on top of cheesecake; invert pan, and remove. Put a second
plate on bottom of cheesecake, and turn it right side up.

Hot water bath ! ( 12 in pan and a 10 in pan)

Mine actually made enough for a 10in and a 6 in that I shared with a friend who just had a baby :)

Came right out of the pan! A little tip, take a paring knife and go around the outside of the pan before attempting to remove.

Perfect lil cheesecake !

When you're ready to eat, slice a generous piece and add a dollup of whipped cream and drizzle with store bought caramel topping.

mMm soooo good !

Another great tip if you aren't going to eat your cheesecake within 4-5 days.  Cheesecake will keep for 4-5 days in refrigerator and 2 weeks in the freezer.

Freezing Cheesecakes To freeze cheesecakes remove from baking pan when chilled. Do not add any toppings or garnishings before freezing. You will just be freezing the cheesecake. Transfer to a cardboard cake circle or small round flatpan or freezer safe plate. Place in freeze until the cheesecake has frozen firm. Remove from freezer and wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty foil. Be sure to seal completely. For the best quality do not freeze longer than 4-6 weeks. Lable and date your wrapped cheesecake. To thaw, place the wrapped cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve add toppings, whipped cream and or any garnishes.