This year my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner was the cranberry sauce and dessert. And oh did I deliver on the dessert.
This pumpkin cheesecake was so scrumptious and creamy. It provided just the sweet spot I needed for three days in a row. I know it’s not healthy, but it couldn’t be helped – this dessert was so delicious I couldn’t help myself.
Pumpkin Cheesecake (recipe slightly adapted from Paula Deen)
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 c sour cream
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan and bring up around the sides as much as you can. Set aside.
For filling:
In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and all the spices. Mix in flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let sit in oven for 20 additional minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Serve with Cool Whip and drizzle with melted chocolate.
