Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Family traditions, such as watching the big game together on Thanksgiving or singing carols on Christmas eve, are one of the best parts of the holiday season. However, when it comes to food, I think it’s all too easy to confuse honoring a tradition with getting stuck in a rut. That’s why, I like to try to give tradition a little twist each year. I like to try something new that still pays homage to holiday favs and the flavors we all grew up with. This year’s twist? This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe.
This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe contains many of the must-have fall flavors including pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg but it definitely isn’t your mom’s pumpkin pie. If you’re skeptical about putting this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe on your Thanksgiving menu, I get it. It’s new. It’s different. However, no risk, no reward, right? 🙂
This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe may not be the Thanksgiving “norm” but that’s okay. It’s creamy. It’s smooth. It’s rich. It’s not overpoweringly sweet. And, in my opinion, it tastes like fall. Yum! Honestly, you’ll be lucky if this marbled pumpkin cheesecake even makes it until Thanksgiving! To better your odds, don’t make this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe until (at most) a day before the big day. Seriously.
One thing I really love about this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe is the gingersnap and pecan crust. It’s simple and totally delicious. You don’t have to roll out your own pie crust nor do you have to settle for that flavorless stuff from the store. It gives the cheesecake a whole extra dimension of flavor, one that will have your guests mopping up every crumb!
If you’ve never made a cheesecake before, don’t stress about this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe. As the name implies, it’s easy. In my opinion, making a cheesecake (at least this one) is no more difficult than making a pie. However, the marbled top gives it a sophisticated look that suggests you spent hours laboring over this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe. Don’t worry, the truth will be our little secret. (And by “our” I mean you, me, and the couple hundred thousand other readers of my blog…. 😉 )
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 crushed pecans
1/3 cup melted butter
16 oz softened cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Spring form baking pan
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 inch spring form pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine crushed gingersnap cookies, crushed pecans, and melted butter and mix well.
3. Press gingersnap mixture into the bottom and lower sides of the pan.
4. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool.
5. While the crust is cooling, use a hand or stand mixer to mix cream cheese, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of sugar.
6. One at a time, add in eggs and mix.
7. Set 1 cup of cream cheese mixture aside.
8. To the remaining cream cheese mixture, mix in pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.
9. Pour pumpkin mix onto gingersnap crust.
10. Spoon the cream cheese mixture you set aside over top of the pumpkin mix.
11. Swirl gently with a spoon.
12. Bake for 50 minutes.
13. Place in the fridge and allow to chill for 4-5 hours before serving.
This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe is going to be a fine addition to your Thanksgiving table… well, assuming it makes it that long! If you’re looking for other tasty Thanksgiving recipes to serve to your ravenous friends and family some of my favorites are:
- Meat, cheese, and cracker turkey platter
- Cinnamon roll apple pie
- Pumpkin spice puppy chow
- Pecan pie bark
- Turkey cheeseball
You can also find inspiration by following my Thanksgiving Recipes and Decadent Desserts Pinterest boards.
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