Fall has arrived and i’m officially jumping head first onto the pumpkin everything train, starting with this awesome pumpkin cheesecake recipe. It’s a good thing that I only really like coffee-flavored coffee or I would certainly become super-duper morbidly obese drinking foofoo pumpkin spice lattes everyday. This recipe combines my favorite cheesecake recipe with all of the fall pumpkin flavors I could muster. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:
1 cup crispy gingersnap cookie crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp melted butter

FILLING:
3 (8 oz) packages of Cream Cheese
1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Irish cream liqueur (Bailey’s etc…)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2  tsp ground allspice
1/4  tsp ground cloves
3 eggs
Pumpkin Pie Spice for topping

DIRECTIONS:
Either you can place the cookies in a bag and beat the fuck out of them until they are super dead and a crummy pile of angst, or you can put them in a blender of sorts; the choice is yours. Might I suggest that one is a lot more fun. Anyhow… Combine Crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press this crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with 2 3/4 inch sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, vanilla in large bowl until blended.

Add 1 cup sour cream, liqueur, pumpkin puree, and all spices. Beat. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.

Pour the filling over the pre-cooked crust and provide samples.

Bake at 350 degrees until edges are puffed and center no longer moves when shaken (usually 1-1.25 hours). Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool for 15 minutes.

The cheesecake will settle and condense quite a bit when it cools. Dust some pumpkin pie spice over the top in a sad attempt at hiding all flaws (it’s okay little buddy). Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

Done!

Random behind the scenes photo: