Pumpkin Cheesecake for the win

In the fall I love making pumpkin cheesecakes. This is like my go to dessert. This is a request from friends who have had my cheesecakes and want to try out this recipe. The cool thing about my cheesecake recipe is that you can definitely customize this to your taste, and use the base of this recipe for any flavor cheesecake. Using this base I've made apple cinnamon cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, strawberry lemon, key lime, so many cheesecakes. I've also made this cheesecake so many times that I can literally make it just blindly. So let's start with what you will need.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin cheesecake filling

• 1  cup of canned pumpkin
• 4  8oz packages of cream cheese (softened room temp)
• 4  large eggs (room temp)
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon of ground cardamom
• 2 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of allspice

Pumpkin cheesecake crust

• 30 gingersnap cookies
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Chocolate ganache for the top

• 1 cup dark chocolate morsels 
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

First I start by taking my springform pan and I spray it with cooking spray and set it aside.

You can preheat your oven to 350F

Next I start on the crust. Take those gingersnap cookies and smash them in a ziplock bag or if you have a food processor you can place them in there. You are trying to just get crumbs. Honestly you don't have to crush them to a fine dust, I keep my gingersnap pieces kind of big.  Maybe I'm lazy, but it doesn't matter in the end.

Once you finish grinding up those cookies add in the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar (sometimes I add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon now) and the melted butter.

Press the cookie crust mixture to the bottom of your springform pan. I press lightly and up the sides a bit.

Place the pan in the oven to bake for 6 minutes then remove.

Next on to the actual filling.

Ok place those four cream cheese blocks and 3/4 cups granulated sugar into your stand mixer with a paddle attachment (hey not everyone has a stand mixer, you can definitely use a hand mixer) start on medium speed.

Now is when I like to add all of the spices, 1 cup of pumpkin and vanilla extract. I put them all in and give the mixer a spin and then taste this cream cheese mixture and see if I need to add more cinnamon. I like a strong pumpkin spiced flavor so just taste it. this is the only time you can taste your mixture before you add in those eggs. So taste it and adjust. Also when you bake things in the oven the spice subsides, so add more. 

Now add your 3 tablespoons of flour to your mixture.

Add a 1/4 tablespoon of salt to the mixture

Turn your mixer on and mix to combined. Take your room temperature eggs and one at a time add them to your cream cheese mixture. On medium speed until incorporated. Continue until each egg is mixed in the batter.

Your batter will become more liquid, and pour that mixture over the crust that has been cooling (this is important, try not to overmix your batter because it will lead to cracks on the top of  your cheesecake)

Decrease the temperature of your oven down to 325F and bake this cheesecake for 1 hour. Then turn off your oven and let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 1 hour with the oven door cracked. After that I set the cheesecake on the counter with a towel over the top, just so it gets to room temperature.

Now I did not take photos of the next step, but in the future I will. 

It's ganache time, you don't have to do this step, you can serve the cheesecake as is, maybe whip up some whipped cream, but I like the ganache top. 

Ok start by taking the cup of heavy cream and pouring it in a small saucepan or small pot on the stove on medium/high heat.  Place your cup of dark chocolate morsels in a bowl. 

When the heavy cream begins to boil take it off the heat and pour it over the dark chocolate. Let it sit for about a minute, and then stir until you get a smooth consistency.

Pour your chocolate on the top of your cheesecake starting in the center of your cheesecake (the mixture will spread out) I stop before it gets to the edge because I don't like it dripping into my springform or down the sides of the cheesecake.

Lastly place those chopped nuts on top of the ganache.

I place a piece of aluminum foil, or plastic wrap and place this in the fridge. I normally bake this a day before I would like to serve it. So after refrigeration, take the outer ring off and you are ready to serve. 

Everyone loves this for Thanksgiving

Here's with chopped pecans

So there you have, these are really easy to make and customize it how your would like it. If you'd like to just make a regular cheesecake just omit the pumpkin and spices. If you want to make chocolate cheesecake, instead of gingersnaps use Oreo cookies and add cocoa powder to the cream cheese. Yeah let me know how it goes.