Another year and another yummy dessert- like my super scrumdee Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake!

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake can cure anything, a hangover, the blues, it can even make you happy! This Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is always a huge hit. A friend of mine’s child always requested this on her birthday and would make it in a 13×9 cake pan. If you’re throwing a party you can bake it like this and cut it into little cheesecake bites or do it up in a springform pan like I do. Either way, I like it any way you serve it, especially big, like Texas.

Oh and by the way wishing you a big & zesty Happy New Year!

For the filling you will need six 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature, 6 extra large eggs, 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin.

Now for the spices  1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg and ½ teaspoon ground ginger.

See that nutlike thing? This is fresh Nutmeg and is not actually a nut, but is really the kernel of the fruit.

Let’s start by making the Snappy Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust.  Preheat the oven to 250°.

You will need 2 sticks of softened butter,  2 pkgs. Cinnamon Graham crackers, 1 cup ginger snap cookies, ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon.

Put the two packages cinnamon grahams and

1 cup ginger snaps in a zippy bag.

Crush graham crackers and ginger snap cookies in the Ziploc bag using a flat mallet or rolling pin.

Pretty snappy eh?

Keep crushing until it looks like fine crumbs.

Then add sugar

and cinnamon to the bag and mix.

Just toss it around a bit

until it look like this.

In a medium bowl melt the butter.

Add the cinnamon cracker/cookie goodness to the melted butter.

Stir with a spoon until well combined.

Now butter up your baking pan – I am using a springform pan.

Springform pan ready?

Check.

Snappy Cinnamon Crust ready?

Check.

You know what’s next?

Check.

Add the crust to the pan and

spread it around.

Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Use flat surface of cup on top of saran wrap to make sure the crumbled crust mixture is flattened and compact.

Bake the crust in a 250° oven for 10 minutes and let cool.

Let’s get started on the filling. Put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Be sure that the cream cheese is soft and at room temp.

If using your KitchenAid mixer, use the flat beater and mix on the speed setting 4 or medium speed if using your electric mixer.

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Add sugar

and beat mixture until smooth.

Add eggs one at a time,

beating well after each addition.

Keep beating making sure all the eggs are incorporated, and you have a nice creamy consistency.

It should look creamy and dreamy.  Taste test here if you don’t believe me.

Now add vanilla,

look at those vanilla flecks.  Nummy.

Keep going – add cinnamon and

pumpkin.

Now stop.  Let’s take a nutmeg break.  Go ahead, you’re worth it.

Nutmeg is a “warm” spice and is a great for your circulatory system, and even better for your digestive system.  What could be better than this?

Grate the nutmeg and set aside.  If you don’t have the fresh stuff we can say you did, wink, and take an extra long nutmeg break. Use what you’ve got in the pantry.  I won’t tell.

Add the ginger

and the nutmeg.

Look.  It’s all in there.

Check, check and big zesty check.

Now it’s time to beat it all together.  Or whip it up if using the KitchenAid, by changing the beater to the wire whip attachment. Whip in the pumpkin spice goodness.

See?

Looks ready to me.  But just to be sure ya may want to to do another taste test. Wink.

Super nummy.  Cheeeeck!

Remember the snappy crust?  It should be cool and ready.

Ready.

Set.

Pour.

Aaahhhh.

Now if you are using a springform pan,

place it on a jelly roll pan to catch the butter drippings from the crust.

Bake in a 250° oven for 3 hours.

It should start puffing up like this after about an hour.

About halfway through cooking, sprinkle on some cinnamon.

A light dusting will do.  Just gorgeous!

Let cheesecake cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. It will deflate a bit while cooling and settle back into the pan.

You must let this baby cool before cutting into it, so cover it up and refrigerate.

How about a piece?

Let’s see, one for you and

and one for me.

A view from behind.

How about some Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream?

YES. Puhleaze.

I’m going for it, I’m not going to wait.

and I’m not sorry,

not one

little

wee

bite, I mean bit.

Amen.

and hallelujah.

My mouth is singing the praises

my stomach is doing a jig.

And a jiggle.

and a jive. And I don’t mind. Not one little jiggly bit.

“Hi there”, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake.  Wanna dance?

 Printable Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

10” spring from pan

Filling:
Six 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
6 extra large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 250°.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. If using your KitchenAid mixer, use the flat beater and mix on the speed setting 4. Add sugar and beat mixture until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If using the KitchenAid change the flat beater to the wire whip attachment and add vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger beating until filling is combined well. Set aside and make crust.

Pour filling into the prepared crust pan or 13×9 cake pan. If using a springform pan, place it on a jelly roll pan to catch the butter drippings from the crust.

Bake in a 250° oven for 3 hours. Let cheesecake cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate.

Snappy Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust

2 pkgs. Cinnamon Graham crackers
1 cup ginger snap cookies
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Crush graham crackers and ginger snap cookies in a gallon ziplock bag using a flat mallet or rolling pin. Then add sugar and cinnamon to the bag and mix. In a medium bowl melt the butter. Add the cracker/cookie mixture to the melted butter. Stir with a spoon until well combined.

Lightly butter the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Use flat surface of cup on top of saran wrap to make sure the crumbled crust mixture is flattened and compact.

Bake the crust in a 250° oven for 10 minutes and let cool.

Enjoy!

Zesty cheers,
Robyn