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slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a white plate with a fork beside and sitting on a cutting board and a dollop of whipped cream on top
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The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe is simply delicious! It has quite a few ingredients, but easy to make and well worth the time! It is a family favorite and requested every Thanksgiving.
Course Dessert
Keyword cheesecake,, dessert, fall, pumpkin
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons evaporated milk, or whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

crust

  • 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pat mixture firmly into bottom only of a buttered 9" to 10" springform pan. Bake 15 minutes in a pre-heated 325 degree oven. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven to 300 degrees.

filling

  • 1. Mix 3/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
    2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and 6 tablespoons sugar until smooth.
    3. Add ocrnstarch, evaporated milk (or whipping cream), and vanilla, beating well after each addition.
    4. Add pumpkin mixture to cream cheese mixture. Mix until no traces of white remain.
    5. Pour filling mixture into prepared springform pan, and bake 1 hour at 300 degrees until sides have risen. The center will be soft.
    6. Turn off oven and let cake cool with door closed for several hours or overnight. Refrigerate cheesecake. May be served with whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Notes

Since I typically garnish mine with whipped cream, I used the whipping cream in the cheesecake recipe instead of evaporated milk.  It only calls for 2 tablespoons, so I avoid buying an entire can of evaporated milk.