Truly Southern Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yes, cheesecake recipes take a while and a little extra love. I held on to this pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Southern Living magazine since the November 2014 issue to bake before the holidays. It was totally worth the wait. I urge you to go out and buy all the cream cheese and make this for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Crust:
¾ cup cinnamon-flavored graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup chocolate-flavored graham cracker crumbs
5 T. butter, melted
3 T. granulated white sugar
Cooking spray

Filling:

4 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 (15oz.) canned pumpkin
1 T. fresh lemon juice

Topping:{although I didn’t use the entire topping}

1 (16oz.) container sour cream 
3 T. granulated white sugar
pinch of pumpkin pie spice

Some tips on what worked for me from the magazine...
Start with room-temperature cream cheese. Let the cheese stand out at least three to six hours. Beat at medium-low speed, just enough to blend the sugar and cheese into a smooth mixture.  I also leave the butter out to room temperature and the eggs as well.

Take your time baking per the instructions. When it’s cooked correctly, you’ll see a 3-inch circle in the middle that is sort of “jiggly” and not set. Let the cake cool and then refrigerate per the recipe.

**Preheat oven to 325 degrees**

1. Prepare crust by breaking up all the graham crackers and placing in a blender or food processor to make the crumbs. Blend or chop until crumb-like size.

2. Pour graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in melted butter and sugar until well blended. Press mixture into the bottom, and slightly up the sides of, a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.

3. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use.

4. Prepare filling by beating cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract at medium-low speed with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.

5. Add eggs one at a time, beating at a low speed until yellow disappears after each addition.

6. Next, process canned pumpkin in a food processor 1 to 2 minutes until very smooth. In a small bowl pour 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree with lemon juice. (set aside remaining pumpkin puree for topping).

Finished cheesecake with sour cream topping.

7. Add pumpkin-lemon juice mixture to cream cheese mixture by beating at low speed until just incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

8. Bake at 325 for 50 – 60 minutes until center of cheesecake jiggles. When done, remove from oven and set aside.

Photo of finished cake before topping....

9. Prepare topping by stirring together sour cream and 3 T.  white sugar, (reserve 1/3 cup of sour cream-sugar mixture for dollops later). Add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to remaining sour cream-sugar mixture along with reserved pumpkin puree. Stir until smooth.

10. Gently spread sour cream-pumpkin mixture over cheesecake. I only used half of the mixture since I like a thin topping. You can use as much or little as you like.

11. Return cheesecake to oven and bake at 325 degrees for 5 more minutes. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven with the oven door closed for 15 minutes.

12. Remove cheesecake from oven and put on a cooling rack. Gently run a knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (do not remove sides of springform pan!) Cool completely on wire rack for at least two hours. And then cover and chill 8 to 12 hours in refrigerator.





When ready to serve, remove springform sides of the pan and slice. 
The crust doesn't have to look perfect...it tastes amazing!