Pumpkin Cheesecake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F.

Step 2

Add Graham crackers to your food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon then pulse until mixed in completely. Pour in melted butter while pulsing processor. Remove blades and use a spatula to mix butter in completely. See post above for instructions on making this without a processor or stand mixer.

Step 3

Transfer mixture to your springform pan and press into a flat layer using a measuring cup or glass. bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant and a darker golden color. Remove from oven, set aside and reduce oven temperature to 300F.

Step 4

Once cooled, wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan in two layers of foil. The best foil to use is the extra wide type so water can't seep into your cake while baking.

Step 5

Add Room Temperature cream cheese to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix at medium speed to cream.

Step 6

Add both sugars and the salt to the bowl and mix on medium until creamy. Scrape bowl down and mix until completely homogenous.

Step 7

Add eggs and yolks one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and mix a few seconds more until smooth.

Step 8

Once your eggs are incorporated sprinkle in the four, add the pumpkin puree, sour cream, spices, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated and scrape the bowl down one last time. I sometimes will take a whisk to the batter just to make sure there are no unmixed bits hiding in the bowl.

Step 9

Pour the batter into the foil-wrapped 10 inch springform pan. The batter will not rice much at all during this low and slow bake so you can fill it up past 2/3rds. If you're using an 8" pan then you will have some extra batter for individual/mini cheesecakes.

Step 10

Place springform pan into a large roasting pan. Fill with very hot or boiling water a little over an inch deep and transfer to oven.

Step 11

Bake for about 60 minutes or until cake is set but center is wobbly. Turn oven off but leave door closed and allow cake to rest for an additional hour in the oven. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature then cover with a towel or paper towel and chill overnight. You can enjoy the cheesecake after a few hours of chilling but it's MUCH easier to cut if you've chilled it overnight.

Step 12

Run a knife around edge of cake before releasing from pan.  You can garnish the cake with dollops of whipped cream or enjoy plain.