How To Make The BEST Pumpkin Cheesecake For Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Cheesecake. Did you even know there was such a thing as pumpkin cheesecake? Well, of course there is such a thing! Everything these days incorporates pumpkin between mid-August and the end of November after all. Why should cheesecakes be left behind?

Learn how to make the BEST pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. Or better yet, learn how to make this tempting dessert for any day of the year. Why should we deprive ourselves of this pumpkin delicacy?

Thanksgiving Desserts

If you only eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and are afraid that the pumpkin cheesecake will take it’s place, you can have both! Okay, maybe that would be overdoing things a tad, but it is Thanksgiving after all. Why not have TWO pumpkin desserts? However, if you really feel it is excessive, and need to choose between the two awesome pumpkin options, you need to serve a pumpkin cheesecake every so often. I mean, come on, it’s PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE!

The creamy, cheesecake texture blends perfectly with the taste of pumpkin. It’s a must-have fall dessert. My mouth is watering just thinking about the yummy taste. What better day to indulge than Thanksgiving?

Pumpkin Everything

Everyone knows that apples and pumpkins are staples in the fall season. Some people think there is a Team Apples and Team Pumpkins. It’s as if they think others can’t like both! As crazy that seems, usually people do tend to side with one or the other. Personally, I’m on Team Pumpkin. I used to think everything would taste better with the pumpkin flavor. However, these days, products literally flavor EVERYTHING with pumpkin! I’ve seen pumpkin flavored baloney. Um…I love pumpkin, but that’s going much too far even for me.

I prefer to stick with pumpkin lattes, pumpkin breakfasts such as pancakes, and pumpkin desserts for food options. And to go even further, I love anything creamy with pumpkin flavoring like pumpkin whipped cream and, of course, pumpkin cheesecake!

How To Make

Ingredients

The Crust

• 1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs approx 12 whole graham crackers
• 6 tbsp Butter Melted
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

The Filling

• 3 8oz Cream Cheese Packages Softened
• 1 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
• 15 oz Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix
• 4 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbsp Flour
• 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Crust

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
• In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
• Transfer to a 9″ springform pan with 3″ tall walls using a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

• In a large bowl, beat 3 packages of softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (and no lumps), scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin pie mix, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• Add pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and continue mixing on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, turn off oven, prop oven door slightly and let cheesecake stay in oven for additional 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating.
• Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight).
• Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of cheesecake to release from the springform mold.
• Add whatever toppings you desire (whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, etc).

More Thanksgiving Ideas

Yes, we know that a roasted turkey with all the fixings like stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, butternut squash, cranberry sauce and gravy are the Thanksgiving staples. I’m sure your guests would be disappointed if you didn’t serve what they are expecting.

You can still surprise your guests with some unexpected items without taking away the staples. Try sprucing up your drink selection to include a delicious pumpkin pie martini or a caramel apple sangria. Who would refuse one of those drinks to start with on Thanksgiving? Certainly not anyone I know!

After your guests have a drink in their hand, give them some yummy appetizer options like a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus. The turkey probably isn’t ready to serve just yet anyway, might as well make the most of the time and the fact that it’s a holiday of eating and drinking. Live it up! Your guests will thank you.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Chocolate Pumpkin Martini