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November 11, 2014
84 Comments

Pumpkin Cheesecake (+ Other Holiday Recipes)

Today I’ve got a tasty new recipe for you that happens to be the final installment in our blogger #RealFoodHoliday progressive dinner series! I don’t know about you, but I’ve personally never been a fan of pumpkin pie (is anyone really?), but I do LOVE some pumpkin cheesecake. I think this is such a great update to the traditional dessert we’ve all seen year after year, and with the pecan crust you can easily accommodate any gluten-free guests you might be entertaining.

Pumpkin Cheesecake & Other Holiday Recipes on 100 Days of #RealFood #Thanksgiving #pumpkin

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#RealFoodHoliday

Before we dive into the recipe though, I’m excited to share what this whole holiday progressive dinner thing is all about. A few of us food bloggers thought it would be a fun idea to take turns sharing a different real food recipe that you could add to your holiday table this year. And since I happen to be the last one on the list, here is a little summary of what’s been featured so far:

Pumpkin Cheesecake & Other Holiday Recipes on 100 Days of #RealFood #Thanksgiving #pumpkin

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake on 100 Days of #RealFood

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Crust

Course: Dessert
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Print

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups pecans plus more for garnish if desired
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter softened

For the Cheesecake Filling

For the Whipped Cream Topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a food processor, process the pecans and salt together to the consistency of coarse crumbs. You could also chop by hand. Mix in the softened butter until the crust mixture comes together.
  3. Using your fingers, press the pecan crust into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until it's in one even layer. It helps if you get your fingers wet first. Bake the crust by itself until it turns a rich brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. When it's done, remove it from the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F.
  4. Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Add in the pumpkin pie spice and then one by one, add each of the eggs. Lastly, add the pumpkin puree and beat together just until mixed.
  5. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the baked pie crust and stick it in the oven on 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 325 and bake until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed and begin to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Put the pie in the fridge and let it cool completely for several hours before adding the whipped cream.
  6. To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer to beat the cream and syrup together until fluffy. Use a pastry bag or cookie press with decorating tips to decorate the pie. See the picture just below for how I used the whipped cream to cover up some cracks in the surface! Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Recipe Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake & Other Holiday Recipes on 100 Days of #RealFood #Thanksgiving #pumpkin

 

 

 

Reader Interactions

84 Comments

  1. Hmm, maybe m using a deeper pan, but my cheesecake has been in for at least twice the amount of time and is still not set. Smells yummy so I’m hoping that it still works out. Anyone else have this trouble?

    Reply

  4. Please excuse me if this has been asked before. But, could I double the recipe and use a springform pan? Thank you for your help! :)

    Reply

  5. Happy Thanksgiving 100 Days Team! I’ve made this before and it is AMAZING! My deep pie dish that I used to use broke this year. Have you ever tried making this in a spring form cheesecake pan? Any tips for using a pan like that would be helpful as I only have shallow pie pans.

    Reply

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