Pumpkin Cheesecake Recap

I have really hyped up this recipe. One might see that there is only one can of pumpkin in this recipe and think that it wouldn't give it enough pumkin flavor, but honestly, it does. After having successfully created it, I would definitely recommend it to anyone as a first-time cheesecake to make. It was easy, and very delicious...Enjoy!

Ingredients

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Recipe Notes
-The only bad thing about this recipe was that it didn't suggest using a water bath to bake the cheesecake in, and it cracked. If you are fine with a crack, then proceed as normal. If you are like me and don't like the crack, then you might try using a water bath to bake it to hopefully reduce cracking. When baking cheesecake in a water bath, you must first cover the bottom/sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to keep water from seeping in (Do this before you even start making the crust). Second, when the cheesecake is ready to bake, place the filled springform pan inside of a larger baking pan, and place both in the oven. When both pans are inside of the oven, pour one inch of water into the larger pan to surround the springform pan. If using this method, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 45 minutes, then turn off oven and let cheesecake set in oven for another hour. After this hour, cover with foil, and refrigerate.

-Another interesting tidbit, this cheesecake tastes better the longer it sets, so perhaps you might make it a day or two in advance for the flavors to blend to their full potential...or you can eat it after it is chilled, it's delicious either way.

Here's Kyle, crushing the graham crackers to perfection!

The cheesecake in its beginning stages...

And, finally, in the oven!

(In my haste of serving it on Thursday, I neglected to take a picture of the finished product...Oh well, you get the idea.)