Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yes, I know Minter is upon us…but I am still Team Pumpkin all the way! About a week ago, my friends hosted a Thanksgiving potluck we have deemed “Clansgiving,” because our many families have become one. I decided to attempt a pumpkin cheesecake this year, and I believe it was delicious!

Ingredients: 

• Springform pan
• Foil
• Another (oven-safe) pot
• Water
• 1 c. graham-cracker crumbs
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 packages of cream cheese
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 can pure pumpkin (14 oz) *not pumpkin pie mix
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 large eggs

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9″x3″ springform pan, stir graham cracker crumbs, 3 tbsp. melted butter, and sugar. Press mixture onto bottom of the pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil to keep it from leaking. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
2. Beat together cream cheese until smooth at medium speed. Slowly beat in sugar (about 1 minute). You’ll need to scrape the sides and bottom every once in a while. At low speed,beat in pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beat until just blended after each one.
3.  Pour the mix into the crust. Place an oven-safe pot of boiling water on the bottom rack. Place the springform pan on the top rack. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
4. Remove cheesecake to wire rack, removing foil. Loosen the edges from the sides of the pan. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the pan and serve.

It turned out really tasty – those who tried it said they liked it! It sank a bit from that picture to the right, but I plan on making it again! I wish I would have stirred it more (there were a few clumps of cream cheese), but other than that I am really happy with the results!

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. – Harriet van Horne