Not only does this taste good, it’s a nice looking cheesecake with all the spices sprinkled in. My daughter eats this over pumpkin pie because the pumpkin flavoring is not overpowering. It’s the perfect blending of cream cheese and pumpkin. Needs fridge setting time, so plan on making it in advance.

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. white sugar

Cream Cheese Filling:
3 8-oz. pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese (NOT lite, NOT low fat)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (not imitation, please)
1 cup canned pumpkin (Libby’s is the best)
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream cheese and eggs on your counter for at least 30 minutes while the oven is preheating. Wrap the springform pan in a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil - you will be baking the cake in a water bath (no cracks) and this will prevent spillages.

Make the crust by combining all the crust ingredients into a medium bowl and stir well with a fork. Press the crumbs into the bottom and about two-thirds up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes then set aside to cool. Place the wrapped springform pan inside a large pan with high sides (such as a roasting pan).

Now make the filling - in a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and the vanilla. Mix until smooth - about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, eggs, and spices and continue to mix for about 1 more minute.

Pour the batter into the pan. Slowly and gently fill the larger pan with hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. Place the whole thing into the oven and bake for 60 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. After 60 minutes, turn off the oven and let the cake sit in the closed oven for 1 hour.

Remove spring form pan to a rack so it can cool - takes about 2-3 hours. Then cover (remove the foil and place spring form on a plate, then place another plate on top of the pan; I used to cover with plastic, but moisture droplets formed and plopped on top of the cheesecake, so I improvised) and place in the fridge at least overnight so it can set.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Autumn & Winter, Desserts, Front Page Sweets, Holidays & Special Occasions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.