Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake

By Addie

This is the ultimate pumpkin dessert. It has a unique gingersnap crust and rich, luscious swirls of cheesecake and pumpkin. If you want something extra special for the holidays, you have to try this recipe. —Sharon Skildum, Maple Grove, Minnesota

Ingredients

• 1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 4 pkgs (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened, divided
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

GARNISHES:
Chocolate syrup, caramel ice cream topping, whipped topping and additional crushed gingersnap cookies, optional

Instructions:

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.

In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, pecans and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, in a large bowl, beat 1 package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in remaining cream cheese, one package at a time until smooth. Add remaining sugar and vanilla. Add 4 eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.

Place 2 cups filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin filling; set aside. Pour remaining pumpkin filling over crust; top with remaining plain filling. Cut through with a knife to swirl. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonfuls over cheesecake; cut through with a knife to swirl.

Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

Garnish with chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, whipped topping and additional crushed gingersnaps if desired. Yield: 12 servings.





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REVIEWS:

I never cared for pumpkin cheesecake until I made this scrumptious cheesecake! It has become a must for our Thanksgiving holiday gatherings. The gingerbread crust, and marbled cheesecake filling make this as pleasing to the eye as to the taste. You won't go wrong to try this recipe for your holiday!

This is a great tasting treat. I only used three packages of cream cheese following a suggestion from the other review. It was a perfect combination of cheesecake and pumpkin. My husband and daughter loved it too. I loved the crust it was a perfect amount of crunch to ginger snap cookie.

This is an all time favorite of mine. People who have eaten this want it more than at the holidays. This is a great cheesecake !

I made this cheesecake for a family gathering and everyone thought it was very good. I personally was hoping for a little more pumpkin flavor. You only are using one cup of pumpkin for 4 packages of cream cheese, so the pumpkin flavor isn't very bold. Also I found this needed more baking time. I put it in a 9" pan and it rose so tall and cracked on the edges even before it was done baking, and it cracked as it cooled as well. I have baked many cheesecakes and have found that recipes using 4 packages of cream cheese bake better in a 10" pan. If I make this one again that's what I will do. But over all it was a nice cheesecake.

I made this cheesecake for our annual church Thanksgiving potluck, and everyone loved it...it's light and creamy, very good light pumpkin taste. It's helpful to crush up the cookies and nuts in the food processor