KT Baked It: Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cheesecake

Happy Thanksgiving 2015! 

This year, we are staying home and cooking this annual meal for our family of three. We are sad that we will not be able to see our families, but I am excited to make my mom's most beloved Thanksgiving dishes this year. These include baked cream cheese mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrot casserole with horseradish dressing, sausage stuffing, cranberry jello salad, and last but certainly not least her favorite pumpkin cheesecake!

Today I am excited to share her cheesecake recipe with all of you!

What you need:
For the crust
3/4 cup crushed pecan Sandies
4 Tbl melted butter
2 Tbl brown sugar

For the filling
3 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs + 1yolk
1 cup pumpkin
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbl corn starch
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
2 Tbl cream or milk

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, use a food processor to break apart the pecan Sandies into fine crumbs. Then combine the crumbs with the butter and brown sugar. NOTE: I ended up using an entire package of Sandies crumbs because the mixture was too oily.

























Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9" springfoam pan.

For the filling, combine the eggs, sugar and cream cheese with an electric mixer. 

Next, add the pumpkin. Another deviation from the original recipe - I used an entire 15oz can of pumpkin by mistake! However, it still turned out perfect (thankfully). Next, add the pumpkin pie spices or create your own blend of spices to taste (I used nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves and ginger).

Finally, add the cornstarch, vanilla, pinch of salt and milk or cream. I substituted 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour in place of the cornstarch and used almond milk. 

Then pour the filling into the crust.

Put the cheesecake into the oven and bake for 55 minutes. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the door ajar. 

And you have a delicious pumpkin cheesecake perfect for the holiday season!