pumpkin pie cheesecake with gingersnap crust
it's time 🍂🎃
Welcome to thyme & butter recipe club, a weekly newsletter where I share my favorite recipes. Thank you for being here! 🌿💛
If you’ve stumbled across this post but are not yet subscribed, allow me to help you with that:
This week I have a fun intro to fall, even though the weather didn’t want to follow suit. When I started planning this recipe a few weeks ago we’d had some really lovely cool days that had me gearing up for all things cozy, but now I realize I’d just been tricked once again by “fool’s autumn.” Since then it’s been 90+ degrees out, but that’s no reason to put off those pumpkin desserts! Once Starbucks puts out the PSL in late August, the flood gates have opened and there’s no stopping it.
This cheesecake is based on my mom’s recipe, one she’s been making as long as I can remember. I think one would consider it a New York style cheesecake, and she often serves it with a cherry topping. It’s thick and rich, and my boyfriend David likes that it’s sturdy enough to be eaten as a handheld (although for folks that do not prefer their cheesecake on the run, I would recommend a plate 😂)
The challenge was to incorporate pumpkin somehow, and thankfully I found a method that works beautifully!
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
½ cup butter (melted)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Cheesecake Filling
3 eggs
1 lb cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups sour cream
Pumpkin Filling
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
Before preparing your cheesecake, allow all the ingredients to come to room temperature.
Using parchment paper, trace the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan. Cut out the circle and place in the bottom of the pan, this allows the cake to be more easily removed and prevents sticking.
Preheat oven to 375°F. While the oven is getting ready, assemble the crust.
To prepare the crust, pulverize gingersnap cookies in a food processor until they reach the consistency of graham cracker crumbs. Stir all crust ingredients together and press into the bottom and sides of your springform pan.
For the cheesecake filling, cream together the sugar and cream cheese with a stand or hand mixer for about two minutes, then add in three eggs, salt, vanilla, and beat until smooth. Once all is well mixed, add in the sour cream.
To make the pumpkin filling, pour off about half of the cheesecake filling into a separate bowl and set aside. To the original bowl, add in pumpkin puree, spices, and one additional egg. Mix until well combined.
Now that you have two fillings ready, take turns adding large dollops of each into your crust and alternating until you use all the filling. The pumpkin filling may be a bit runnier than the regular cheesecake. If you would like, you can swirl the fillings gently with a chopstick or butter knife to create a marbling effect, but do be careful to avoid over mixing.
Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, and place in a water bath that rises about one third of the way up the springform pan.
Bake for 1 hour or until set. Once set, turn off the heat and leave the cake in the oven for an additional hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Chill for at least 4 to 5 hours, preferably overnight.
TIP: This cheesecake can be prone to cracking, but if it does, that’s just more room for whipped cream!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! 🎃 Happy baking!
Much love,
jess✨
Reader Submission: My good friend Natalia tried her hand at the buttermilk biscuits I shared, and she used a milk & lemon substitute for buttermilk. She says they are delicious and I think they look great! 💖
As always, you can reply to this email to let me know what you think, or keep me posted on what you’ve been cooking lately! You can also leave a comment on Substack or forward to a friend!
Find me on Instagram and Pinterest 💕
All past recipes will be available in the archive, so you never have to worry about missing one!
Thank you for reading thyme & butter. These posts are public so you are always welcome to share them! 🧈💚