Pumpkin Cheesecake
Layers of creamy pumpkin and vanilla cheescakes on a crisp graham cracker crust make a perfect Thanksgiving dessert
Equipment
- 9" Springform pan
- Stand mixer w/paddle attachment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 16 full graham cracker sheets
- 1 stick butter, melted (½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Sour Cream Topping
- 1 cup sour cream (or use whipped cream instead)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Crush graham crackers until fine crumbs.
- Add graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar to small bowl. Mix well to coat crumbs evenly.
- Press into bottom and up sides of springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it firmly and evenly. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set, but not brown. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Add cream cheese to bowl of stand mixer. Use paddle attachment to beat cream cheese just until smooth.
- Add sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until blended well.
- In small bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, beat eggs. Add to cream cheese mixture until blended.
- Remove 1¼ cups of the cream cheese mixture to small bowl. Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice to the small amount. Whisk to blend.
- Place baked crust on sheet pan. Pour vanilla cream cheese mixture into cooled, prepared crust.
- Pour pumpkin mixture over the top of the vanilla cheesecake mixture.
- Run a knife through the cheesecakes to help them blend a little bit where they come together.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. The center will jiggle a little bit and will be a bit sunken.
- Turn off oven. Open door for about a minute. Close door and let cheesecake remain in oven for another hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack.
- Don't worry if you end up with a crack in the center. You will cover it with sour cream or whipped cream. Refrigerate cooled cheesecake for at least 4 hours.
- Before serving, whisk together sour cream and brown sugar. Spread over the center of the cheesecake.
- Before loosening pan sides, run knife around edge of pan. Then remove pan sides. Dip serrated knife into hot water, wipe with a paper towel, then cut each piece. Store in the refrigerator.
