Treat #3 of my pumpkin series and, let me tell you, these have changed my mind about pumpkin pies. However, this is not your traditional pumpkin pie recipe… they’re cheesecakes! The addition of the cream cheese gives it an incredibly smooth texture and a richness that I don’t find in normal pumpkin pies. It does use all the same spices to create that nostalgic fall flavor, so they can be served at a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving party!
This recipe comes from my Grandma’s cookbook (she oddly has a lot of pumpkin recipes on hand). I halved the recipe to bake them in 6 mini tart tins but it should fit in a regular 10×16-inch springform pan. The mini tart tins are 1×4-inch and have a removable bottom which makes them much easier to take out if you grease them properly.
When I halved the recipe, I actually ended up keeping the same amount of flour, meaning that I added double the amount that the recipe calls for. I have heard that adding flour to cheesecake helps to prevent it from cracking, however, if you’re making these into smaller cheesecakes, I don’t think that’ll be an issue with this recipe. Feel free to reduce the flour by half (although I liked the texture as is).
However, if you decide to make a full-sized cheesecake, the flour might prove helpful. A water bath could also help with the texture of a larger cheesecake, but I didn’t use that technique so I won’t include it in the recipe below. Although I used a “cookie crust” (as my grandmothers call it), feel free to sub it with a regular graham cracker crust.
Another quick tip: make sure the ingredients for the filling are all at room temperature. It’ll just make it easier to combine them. Lastly, my grandmother usually makes a sort of icing to go on top, made of a mixture of sour cream, vanilla, and sugar. I was lazy and just served it with Cool Whip and a dusting of cinnamon. It’ll be delicious either way. Just make sure you chill them completely and enjoy with a cup of hot coffee!
Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 cups flour
For the cheesecake:
- 2 pkgs 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 eggs
- 1 can pumpkin puree
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Mix butter, sugar, and flour in a food processor or with your hands. It should have the consistency of wet sand.
- Press into a 10×16-inch pan (or whatever size you choose). Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom so it doesn't puff up in the oven.
- Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes.
Make the filling:
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour until creamy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until well combined.
- Once the crusts are out of the oven, pour the cream cheese mixture into them while they are still hot.
- Bake for 55 minutes at 425° F again.
- Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours.
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