Pumpkin Cheesecake

The taste of the ginger in the snickerdoodle crust combined with the freshly picked pumpkin from the pumpkin patch in the cheesecake is deeply reminiscent of fall. Making this the perfect cheesecake for those fall family gatherings or if you just simply love the season.

Ingredients

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Pumpkin Puree

1 Sugar Pie Pumpkin (this is dependent on the size of the pumpkin. Get enough to make about 2 cups of pumpkin puree)

Sugar Pumpkin cut from the pumpkin patch

The Cheesecake

Homemade Pumpkin Pure

3 packages Cream Cheese

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

A dash of Salt

3 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Mexican Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

The Crust

10 ounces of Gingersnaps

5 Tbsp Butter, melted

A dash of salt

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven at 350. To make the pumpkin puree, slice the sugar pie pumpkin(s) in half and clean out the pumpkin guts.

Make sure to wash the pumpkin before you cook it, to get all of that dirt off from the patch. Don't forget to save the pumpkin seeds to bake them later.

2. Place the sugar pie pumpkin halves face down on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until they're tender enough to stick toothpick through.

You can use a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree in place of fresh pumpkins. Don't use the canned pumpkin pie filling because it contains the seasonings already mixed in

3. Remove the peel from the pumpkin and allow to cool for a few minutes before blending.

4. To make the crust: Blend the ginger snaps until they are fine.

5. In a bowl, mix together the blended ginger snaps, brown sugar, and salt.

You can use graham crackers as a substitue but the gingersnaps have a slight ginger taste that blends perfect with the fresh pumpkin. The mixture of pumpkin and ginger flavors are reminiscent of fall.

6. Press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan to form the crust.

7. For the filling: In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add in the pumpkin puree and scrape down the sides. Add in the eggs 1 at a time and the sour cream. Then add in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth.

8. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick to make sure it's ready.

You can use regular vanilla extract. I just like to mexican vanilla extract because it has a slightly different taste.

9. Allow to cool for 30 minutes and serve.

Can add a drizzle of salted caramel as the final touch. Not only will it look beautiful but it will enhance the flavor of the pumpkin cheesecake.