Even though Halloween's over, I'm still loving pumpkin-flavored food for fall. There's pumpkin soup, pumpkin-filled cream puffs from Choux Factory, and pumpkin cupcakes from Two Little Red Hens bakery...
To continue with all this pumpkin goodness, I've decided to make a special dessert for Thanksgiving. Instead of just picking up a pumpkin pie from Costco (the best place for store-bought pie), I'm going to whip up this super-easy Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Cheesecake for the family. After one bite of this delicious dessert, they're likely to forget Costco even exists.
PUMPKIN-GOAT CHEESE CHEESECAKE
1 1/4 cups granola, (no large nuts or raisins)
3 ounces wafer cookies, crushed, such as Jules Destrooper Crisp Butter Wafers
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons butter, melted, combine with above
8 ounces goat cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 packages (16 ounces) cream cheese
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree, solid pack
1 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the granola, cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the butter and pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
2. Beat the goat cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer set on low speed. Add the cream cheese and beat for one more minute. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat on low speed for 20 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and bake in the middle of the oven until set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours until cake is completely set. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
And we have even more tasty, pumpkin sweet treats and recipes...
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
