Any Season Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love pumpkin pie. So much so that I would enjoy it year-round if it were socially acceptable to do so. But as it is a seasonal dessert designated for the fall, I needed to find another way to get my pumpkin fix even in the winter, summer, and spring seasons.

This recipe is a simplified and slightly less sweet modification of one I found many year's ago. It creates a delicious pumpkin flavored cheesecake that is light, creamy, and just sweet enough with a hint of cinnamon. As an added bonus, the recipe is incredibly simple and the whole thing take less than an an hour from start to finish (minus time to cool).

There's something about the change from pie to cheesecake that makes the pumpkin flavor feel right in the middle of a summer's day or late one winter night. Kind of like how a carrot cake is acceptable for a birthday any month of the year. From me to you, I hope you enjoy this recipe and dessert as much as I do!

• 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 (9 inch) ready-made graham cracker crust

Easiest step, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and soften in a microwave. Add the vanilla and sugar, then mix using a spoon or electric mixer on a slow speed. Thoroughly mix the ingredients until it is whipped, smooth, and creamy with no chunks.

Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time. After cracking and adding each egg, mix together slowly with the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the bowl of ingredients. Mix together thoroughly until smooth and creamy. Once mixed, carefully and evenly pour the mixture into the pie crust. Gently tap and shake the crust to level and spread evenly across the crust.

Time to bake! Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes. You will know the cake is fully baked based on its consistency, or solidity. Around the 35 minute mark, begin to gently wiggle the crust to shake the cake every few minutes. It will be mostly rigid with a little bit of a jiggle, kind of like jello when it's finished. It should be the same consistency throughout, the outer perimeter will begin to solidify before the center.

The sweet spot is when the cake just becomes solid throughout. If you bake too far past this point, the center will crack. Not to worry though, even a cracked pumpkin cheesecake will still be delicious, just a little less photogenic!

After the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool fully. Once cooled, cover and refrigerated for at least 3 hours before cutting to serve. Like any cheesecake or pie, it goes great with some whipped cream!

Thanks for reading, happy making!