Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

October 27, 2016

If you are looking for a way to WOW your crowd, this is it. It blends the perfect Thanksgiving ingredient of pumpkin with an all time favorite: cheesecake! And the maple syrup adds a touch of Vermont. If you already have too many desserts for Thanksgiving, it is a great accompaniment for any holiday season event. Best made a day in advance.

Ingredients:
1½ tsp. Stuart's Spices Pumpkin Pie Spice
(If not available, substitute ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. ground ginger, ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg & ¼ tsp. ground cloves)
1½ Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
24 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
15 oz. pumpkin
3 eggs
1½ cups sour cream
⅓ cup real maple syrup

For the graham cracker pecan crust:
4 graham crackers
24 ginger snaps
½ cup toasted pecans
3 Tbsp. butter (melted)
2 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°.
To make the crust, place the crackers, ginger snaps and pecans in food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and sugar.
Press into a spring form pan, along the bottom and going part way up the sides.
Bake the crust at 325° for ten minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
To make the filling, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the pumpkin.
Gently beat the 3 eggs, then mix into the cream cheese mixture.
Mix in the Pumpkin Pie Spice (or other seasonings as listed), lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Spoon filling into the baked crust.
Bake at 325° for 55 minutes until set.
While it is baking, whisk the maple syrup with the sour cream. When you remove the cheesecake from the oven after 55 minutes, pour this mixture on the top of the cake.
Return to oven and bake 15 more minutes or until set. Turn oven off, open oven door a crack, and leave the cake in the oven for another 20 minutes.
Chill overnight in refrigerator.

It's all worth it!!