If you love cheesecake and pumpkin pie, this recipe is for you!
Pumpkin swirl cheesecake has been my go to dessert recipe for Thanksgiving for the past three years. The first year I made it everyone in my family was so hung over on Thanksgiving that no one wanted a rich dessert. Crushed that no one ate my cheesecake I took it over to a good friend’s parent’s house. There it was met with appreciation and devoured as it should have been.
After telling my sister-in-law about the cheesecake no one wanted she exclaimed, “You have to make that cheesecake next year, my husband will love it.”
The cheesecake was made, it was devoured, and then it was requested for the next year.
My favorite thing about pumpkin swirl cheesecake is that it’s just a little different from the usual pumpkin pie or cheesecake found during the holidays. The gingersnap nut crust adds a wonderful crunch and spice to the crust which really brings the whole cheesecake alive.
I found this recipe on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website. They have an amazing section of recipes. If you’re feeling a little too svelte, their cheesecake section is sure to help you add some winter padding to your bum.
Ingredients
25 ginger snap cookies – crushed
½ cup (50g) finely chopped pecans
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter – melted
4 packages (1104g) cream cheese – softened
1 cup (200g) sugar – divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup (225g) canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Dash ground cloves
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
Combine chopped pecans, crushed ginger snaps, and butter press into the bottom of a 13”x9” pan. According to the website, If you line your pan with tin foil it will make it easier to remove the cheesecake for slicing. I’ve done this and haven’t managed to have strong enough foil handles to actually lift the cheesecake out, but I remain hopeful.
Beat cream cheese, ¾ cup (150g) sugar, and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg until just blended.
Remove 1 ½ cups batter and add remaining sugar, pumpkin puree and spices.
Spoon half the pumpkin batter into the crust, top with spoonfuls on plain batter. Once all the batter is in the pan, use a knife to swirl the two batters together.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is almost set, don’t over bake. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours.
Image via the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Website