Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 stick melted salted butter
*Substitution: use ginger snaps in place of graham crackers and cinnamon.
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin (Not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon
3. Add melted butter
4. Press down flat into bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan
5. Beat cream cheese until smooth
6. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices
7. Add flour and vanilla
8. Beat together until well combined
9. Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour
10. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes
11. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours
Optional: Garnish with whipped cream and pralines.
Hints
- Fill a 9" x 13" (or larger) pan half full with hot water on bottom rack of oven. Bake cheese cake on middle rack.
- Doneness is more important than cook time. Remove cheesecake when it is just barely set in the middle.