Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you're like me you love anything pumpkin! Pumpkin pie, ice cream, seeds, patches,  carved, mini pumpkins, beer (Michaels fav), and of course PUMPKIN PIE! My hubster discovered this recipe on Food Network and after a few tweaks and a little bit of trial and error- I say we have it pretty close to perfect! It is a crowd favorite at any fall get together, and the perfect way to finish your Thanksgiving Feast!

Ingredients:

Crust-

1 box of Gingersnap cookies (I always buy 2 boxes to serve each slice with a gingersnap cookie)

1 stick of butter melted

Filling-

4 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

5 eggs

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tspground ginger

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp all purpose flour

Whipped Topping-

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract (sometimes I add a little more- everything is better with vanilla!!)

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Start by making the crust- Preheat oven to 350.

Grind gingersnaps in food processor until fine and smooth.

transfer to bowl and pour 1 stick melted butter- stir together. 

pour mixture into a 9 in springform pan with at least 3'' sides and press evenly- if you want a little bit of a border press up the sides of the pan. bake until golden brown about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool while you make the filling!

Now for the filling!! Get some extra spoons for tasting ! :)

In a large bowl mix cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add pumpkin slowly until evenly incorporated. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, and then add all spices. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin spice, salt, and vanilla.  Beat until well blended. Mix in flour.

Take your springform pan and wrap around the sides with aluminum foil.  Pour the filling into your pan and place into a roasting pan.  Take Hot water ( I boil mine) and pour into the roasting pan, around your cake, filling up about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. about an 1 1/2'' of water.

Bake on 350 for about 90 minutes, until the center of the cheesecake wiggles slightly when the pan is shaken.  Start checking at about 1 hr 15 min. I check mine with a toothpick in the center.

When you are finished- remove the cake from your roasting pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Refridgerate for at least 4 hours to chill before serving.

and don't forget the best part- The Whipped topping!!

Beat the heavy whipping cream until thick and creamy- add vanilla, cinnamon, confectioners sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and whip until you have medium peaks. I aways make extra because I swear I could eat this stuff like ice cream! It is SOO YUMMY!!!

When your cake has cooled, use a pairing knife and separate the edge from the springform pan and release it.  Slice and serve with a scoop of whipped topping and a gingersnap on top!!

Hope you all enjoy this as much as we do!! Let me know what your guests think! :)