This holiday season is the perfect time to try a new recipe that will have your friends and family begging for more. This creamy pumpkin cheesecake, which is sandwiched between a crispy maple-pecan topping and a buttery pecan shortbread crust, is just the thing. As long as you get an early start, it’s fairly simple, and it’s sure to become a new family favorite. At DCH Gardena Honda, we hope you enjoy this recipe, and we wish you a happy holiday season from our family to yours!
Pumpkin Maple Cheesecake with Pecan Shortbread
Total Prep time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Active time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients for Crust
15 to 18 pecan shortbread cookies, finely crushed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Ingredients for cheesecake
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2/3 cup (one 5-ounce container) evaporated milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of salt
Directions for Crust
Butter a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking.
Place the crushed cookies and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the melted butter, stirring to evenly mix. Transfer the mixture to the springform pan and press evenly along the bottom of the pan to create a crust. Place the pan on a rimmed cookie sheet and set aside.
Directions for Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and place a pan of water in a rack beneath.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and stir just until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the springform pan. In a small bowl, stir together the pecans, maple syrup, and salt. Sprinkle the maple-pecan mixture on top of the cheesecake and place the cake in the center rack of the oven to bake for 1 hour, or until the cheesecake is just set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
Note: If pecan shortbread cookies are unavailable, select the regular variety and add 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans to the crushed cookies.
