Better Homes And Gardens Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

'Tis the season for all things pumpkin, from savory bread and muffins to sweet pies and lattes. This year, spice up your fall menu with the perfect pumpkin cheesecake recipe: This two-layer version is just as gorgeous as the swirled cheesecakes you're used to seeing in stores ... but less complicated to make and even more fun to eat. Before you get started, note these tips from our pros in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen:

Mess-proof your graham cracker crust. To avoid coating your fingers in pesky graham cracker crumbs, tear off a square of plastic wrap, lay it over your pan, and press down on the plastic until your crust is packed just the way you want it.
Bring on the alcohol. We like the taste that bourbon gives this recipe, but you could easily swap it for two teaspoons of another dark liquor (think: your favorite rum or whiskey) or even vanilla extract.
Don't forget the water bath. Baking your cheesecake in a water bath is so important because the moisture it generates in your oven is what keeps your dessert from cracking. To keep water from leaking into your cheesecake, though, we recommend wrapping the cake pan in aluminum foil before it ever hits the oven.

Yields: 12 - 16 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Crumb Crust

1 c.

graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp.

butter, melted

2 tbsp.

granulated sugar

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 c.

granulated sugar

can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin

3/4 c.

sour cream

2 tbsp.

bourbon

1 tsp.

ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp.

ground allspice

1/4 tsp.

salt

large eggs

Sour Cream Topping

1 1/3 c.

sour cream

3 tbsp.

granulated sugar

1 tsp.

vanilla extract

Sugared Cranberries

1/2 c.

granulated sugar

3 tbsp.

light corn syrup

1/2 c.

frozen cranberries

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Crumb Crust

To springform pan, add graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Use a fork to stir together until moistened.
With hands and plastic wrap, press mixture onto bottom of pan.
Tightly wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil.
Bake crust at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth.
Slowly beat in sugar until blended, about 1 minute, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula.
With mixer at low speed, beat in pumpkin.
Add sour cream and bourbon.
Add cinnamon, ground allspice, and salt.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Pour pumpkin mixture into cooled crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan.
Place pan on oven rack. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the pan to come 1 inch up side of springform pan.
Bake cheesecake 1 hour, or until center barely jiggles.

Sour Cream Topping

In a small bowl, add sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until blended.
Remove cheesecake from oven and spread sour cream mixture evenly over top.
Return to oven and bake 7 minutes longer.
Remove cheesecake from water bath to wire rack; discard foil.
With small knife, loosen cheesecake from side of pan. Cool cheesecake completely.
Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, until well chilled.

Sugared Cranberries

Place granulated sugar on a sheet of waxed paper.
In a small saucepan, heat light corn syrup to boiling. Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in cranberries.
With slotted spoon, transfer cranberries onto sugar and roll until coated. Let dry.
When ready to serve cheesecake, remove the side of springform pan and garnish with sugared cranberries.

Kate Bennis

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Heather Finn Content Strategy Editor Heather Finn is the content strategy editor at Good Housekeeping, where she heads up the brand's social media strategy and covers entertainment news on everything from ABC's 'The Good Doctor' to Netflix's latest true crime documentaries.

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