Pumpkin + Cheesecake + Caramel + Cashews.
Pure bliss.
Did I mention the gingerbread crust?
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All hail the month of September! The month where I can finally share a new pumpkin recipe for my readers. I mentally tell myself I cannot until now {please, if you only knew the restraint} so let's all clap and applaud these efforts.
I mentioned on Instagram the other day that I was baking with pumpkin and I only had one HATER so I'm considering this a giant success.
I went all out with this one....no simple pumpkin bread here. This my friends is CHEESECAKE. The all-American dessert, especially with the holidays starting to approach.
But first, let's pretend you are taking a delicious bite and discuss life for a moment.
Tomorrow our son turns nine. NINE. Apparently he feels the need to grow up. He's already past my shoulders {and I'm fairly tall at 5'9'}, so I'm guessing when at his school physical last month and our doctor estimated he'd be 6'5', she wasn't lying.
He's the typical first kid. A man of few words, yet big, sensitive emotions, who follows all the rules and loves every stinking sport ever invented. He has requested ham balls and mashed potatoes for his birthday dinner...comfort food at it's finest my friends.
He decided on a simple pool party at the local indoor pool for his party, plus cake afterwards, which MAKES ME REJOICE TO THE HEAVENS, as I will not have any stinky, sweaty boys in my house.
I knew this kid loved me.
He also loves anything pumpkin. Anything cheesecake. Any dessert for that matter, if we are going to get picky. His sweet tooth is strong and I love every minute of it.
As, I know that very special trait came from me.
When he gets home from school today and inevitably opens the fridge for a snack {how much can these boys eat?} he'll see this Caramel Cashew Pumpkin Cheesecake and those big blue eyes will light up like it's Christmas morning.
I won't allow a slice for an afterschool snack {I do have some restraint}, but you can bet he'll get a slice tomorrow for his birthday!
I went all rogue and deviated from a more traditional graham cracker crust and instead combined crushed, crispy gingerbread cookies {store bought works great!} along with some cashews and the melted butter. This combo made the best crust! It's crunchy, with a lot of ginger flavor and holds up well to the heavy pumpkin cheesecake filling.
And let me just say making cheesecake is EASY.
My neighbor came over today and while I handed her a few slices to take home {I can't have all of this staring at me}, she asked, "Isn't making homemade cheesecake hard?"
My friends. It is not. In fact, it's pretty simple! Take a look at the ingredients - cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract. Those are the basics. If you can muster using a mixer, can turn on the oven and resist opening the oven door for 30 minutes after it's done baking, you can make a cheesecake just FINE.
I will say this.
Invest in a nice, sturdy springform pan. A simple pie plate/dish will not do. This is a BIG cheesecake! You need more room.
I own this version. Such a simple investment for good cheesecake {just $12}! Now, I can't remember another reason to use this pan, but when cheesecake time comes calling I dig it out, dust it off and get to work.
This cheesecake NEEDS TO GRACE YOUR THANKSGIVING TABLE. Tell all your friends. Share the recipe. Make a test version and eat it all by yourself.
I don't care.
Just make it.
It's creamy, full of pumpkin spice flavor {hello, Fall!} and has an equally tasty topping of drippy caramel and chopped cashews. A little salt to cut through the sweet. Enjoy and you can thank me come late November.
Yield: 12
Caramel Cashew Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin lovers rejoice! With a gingerbread crust, a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling...and wait! Topped with drippy caramel and chopped cashews. Please put this on your Thanksgiving buffet.
prep time: 20 minscook time: 2 hour and 30 minstotal time: 2 hours and 50 mins
ingredients
- 3 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 T pumpkin pie spice
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 2 T flour
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups gingerbread cookies
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 4 T butter, melted
Toppings:
- 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce
- 3/4 cup cashews, chopped
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a springform pan with tin foil. Place the springform pan into a large, rimmed roasting pan and set aside.
- In a food processor pulse together the gingerbread cookies and cashews until it resembles fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse a few times until it comes together. Pour the crust mixture into the springform pan, pressing down on the bottom and up halfway the sides of the pan. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer cream the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add in the pumpkin puree and sugar to combine.
- Carefully add in one egg at a time, letting it combine after each egg.
- Lastly, add in the vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and flour.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crust in the springform pan. Smooth and lay the batter flat in the pan.
- Before placing in the oven, pour 2 cups of hot water into the roasting pan so that it surrounds the springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Once cool, pour on the caramel sauce and sprinkle on the chopped cashews. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Created using The Recipes Generator
