Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

By á-160091

An exciting twist on a classic. I just have to say it, this cheesecake is dee-vine! Just imagine your favorite pumpkin pie meets a fluffy, rich cheesecake and then it’s generously covered in salted caramel sauce and finished with sweetened whipped cream. Yeah, almost to good to be true. I don’t know that I’m going to care much about pumpkin pie during the holidays anymore, this has definitely stolen its limelight for me. Start the holidays out right, with a gourmet and autumn inspired cheesecake! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers (from 14 sheets)
• 1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I recommend using Philadelphia)
• 1 cup light-brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• Salted caramel sauce (store bought)
• Sweetened whipped cream, for serving, optional

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed graham crackers and light-brown sugar (being sure to break up any clumps of the brown sugar). Pour in melted butter and mix until mixture is evenly coated. Firmly press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan coming within about 1-inch of the top edge.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together cream cheese, light-brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth, about - 30 seconds. Mix in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Add in pumpkin and vanilla and mix on low speed just until combined. Add in whole eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition just until combine, then add in egg yolks and mix just until combine.

Lift and tap mixing bowl against the counter several times to release air bubbles from mixture. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust and bake in preheated oven (325°F) for 1 hour, then turn oven off and allow cheesecake to rest in oven 25 to 30 minutes (without opening oven door).

Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and chill 5 hours. Slice and drizzle each serving with salted caramel sauce then top with optional sweetened whipped cream. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.