Pumpkin Cheesecake with Streusel Topping

Can I confess something? I don’t really care for pumpkin pie. The pies I crave during Thanksgiving are apple and pecan; pumpkin always felt obligatory for me. Maybe it’s the lack of texture, or the plainness of its presentation. Still, I feel strongly that there must be a pumpkin-flavored dessert at the Thanksgiving table.

I tried a pumpkin cheesecake recipe a few years ago, and slowly tweaked little things about it. My two biggest changes were a gingersnap crust instead of graham cracker and adding a decadent streusel topping. Now my dessert has pumpkin flavor, different textures, and a festive look to it.

Try adding this to your holiday table; it might well become tradition.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

32 ounces packages cream cheese, softened

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

4 large eggs

Streusel topping:

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour.

To make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Press mixture into bottom and ½ inch up sides of pan. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 7 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Reduce your oven to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low, and add pumpkin, sugars and spices, beating until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Pour batter into prepared crust. Gently tap pan on counter twice to release air bubbles. Place pan on baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour; remove from oven.

To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients; sprinkle onto cheesecake.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool in pan on wire rack for 4 hours. Lightly cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

Comments

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