National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

10.21.22

What better way to celebrate National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day than by enjoying a delicious, homemade pumpkin cheesecake?

Cheesecake is one of America’s favorite deserts and by adding pumpkin, we celebrate the flavoring of the season.

The Best Ever Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

The Crust: • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from about 12 whole graham crackers • 6 Tbsp 3/4 stick melted, unsalted butter • 1 Tbsp sugar • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The Filling:

• 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar • 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix • 4 large eggs • 1/4 cup sour cream • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 1/4 tsp salt • 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

Optional Toppings:

• 1 cup whipped cream • Pumpkin pie spice to dust • Caramel sauce • Toasted pecans

Instructions:

Crust: Preheat oven to 350˚F. 1. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 6 Tbsp melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3" tall walls and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan, and going about 1/2" up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.

Filling: Preheat oven to 350˚F. 1. Beat the 3 packages of softened cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar on med speed until light and fluffy and without lumps, about five minutes, scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don't have chunks of cream cheese. 2. In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together 15 oz pumpkin pie mix, 4 large eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. 3. Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350˚F for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and let cheesecake sit in the oven another 45 min. Then remove from the oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight). 4. Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of the cheesecake to release from the springform mold. Add desired toppings.

DID YOU KNOW? Pumpkin Facts:

1. Over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year in the United States. 2. Each pumpkin has about 500 seeds. 3. Although we often think of pumpkins as a vegetable, they are actually a fruit. 4. Every part of the pumpkin is edible, including the skin, leaves, flowers, and stem. 5. Pumpkins are packed with nutrition – vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, iron, folate, and niacin.