Description
Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Cheesecake brings autumn’s warmth to classic dessert lovers. Creamy spiced pumpkin filling nestles atop a graham cracker crust, promising rich seasonal comfort that will make palates dance with delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 (8 ounces / 226 grams) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can pureed pumpkin
- 4 eggs (3 eggs plus 1 yolk)
- 1½ cups (300 grams) sugar
Crust Ingredients:
- 1¾ cups (220 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 1 stick (113 grams) salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons (37 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Spices and Additional Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the crust by pulverizing graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin. Mix the cracker crumbs with light brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
- Drizzle melted unsalted butter over the crumb mixture, stirring thoroughly until the ingredients are completely integrated and resemble wet sand-like texture.
- Transfer the crumb mixture into a 23 centimeters (9-inch) springform pan, pressing firmly and evenly across the bottom to create a compact and uniform base layer.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Gradually incorporate pureed pumpkin, whole eggs, additional egg yolk, sour cream, granulated sugar, and warm baking spices into the cream cheese, mixing at medium speed until fully combined.
- Add all-purpose flour and pure vanilla extract to the mixture, blending until the filling achieves a silky, consistent texture without overmixing.
- Gently pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the prepared crust, using a spatula to spread it evenly and eliminate any potential air pockets.
- Position the springform pan in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for approximately 60 minutes until the center is almost set but slightly wobbly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, helping prevent potential cracking.
- Carefully cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight to complete the setting process and enhance flavor development.
Notes
- Cool slowly inside the oven with the door cracked open, reducing sudden temperature changes that cause surface cracks and uneven textures.
- Bake using a water bath technique, surrounding the pan with hot water to create gentle, consistent heat distribution for smooth, crack-free results.
- Mix ingredients at low speed, preventing excess air incorporation that leads to potential surface imperfections during baking.
- Ensure cream cheese reaches complete room temperature before blending, guaranteeing silky-smooth consistency without unwanted lumps.
- Refrigerate overnight to develop rich, deep flavors and allow complete structural stabilization of the delicate dessert.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 404
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 120mg