Holiday Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake With Caramelized Pecan Crust

A dessert of pumpkin spice cheesecake with a special pecan crust complements any holiday menu.
Holiday Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake With Caramelized Pecan Crust
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (Cat Rooney/Epoch Times)
Cat Rooney
11/22/2014
Updated:
3/12/2018

A dessert of pumpkin spice cheesecake with a special pecan crust complements any holiday menu. This cheesecake is deliciously creamy with just the right amount of pumpkin flavour. Even better, it’s easy to make and can be prepared a day ahead.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

23 cm (9-inch) springform pan

Crust
• 50 ml (4 tbsp) butter
• Pinch (1/8 tsp) salt
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) brown sugar, packed
• 5 ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
• 5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon powder
• 500 ml (2 cups) pecan pieces
• Aluminum foil

Filling
• 4 packages 250 g (8 oz) cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
• 175 ml (3/4 cup) white sugar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) molasses
• 425 g (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie) or fresh-cooked pumpkin puree
• 25 ml (2 tbsp) pumpkin spice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla
• Whipped topping

Step 1: Set out the eggs and cream cheese to reach room temperature before starting. It is important for the cheese to be soft so it mixes well.

Step 2: In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the salt, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir constantly until the sugar is completely melted. Continue to stir for another five minutes. Add pecans and mix until the nuts are covered with the mixture. Spoon the pecans out onto a piece of foil, and spread out to cool.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).

Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the sugar, molasses, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and vanilla and mix. (Don’t over-beat).

Step 5: Spread the nuts evenly in the bottom of the pan. (They can still be warm). Pour the cheesecake mixture over the nuts.

Step 6: Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes (the centre of the cheesecake will move slightly when done). Open the oven door a couple of inches, turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Step 7: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool some. Release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan with a knife and carefully remove the outer ring. Cool on a rack. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Spread whipped topping over the top and serve. Enjoy!

Follow Cat’s recipes and articles on Twitter @RecipeGirl007

Cat Rooney is a photographer based in the Midwest. She has been telling stories through digital images as a food, stock, and assignment photojournalist for Epoch Times since 2006. Her experience as a food photographer had a natural expansion into recipe developer in 2012, thus her Twitter handle @RecipeGirl007.
facebook
Related Topics