My Bestie Tara's Totally Delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake

Bestie Tara's Pumpkin Cheesecake

I got this recipe from one of my Besties, Tara.  She swore that this would be the most delicious cheesecake I've ever had....and she was SO correct!!  Really super easy - a bit time consuming due to the baking & cooling time but so well worth it!! 

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 c Graham Cracker Crumbs

6 Tbls Butter

Cheesecake:

4 - 8oz packages of Cream Cheese - softened - best if left out overnight

1 3/4 c Sugar

1 can (15oz) Pumpkin Puree

5 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamin

1/4 tsp grated Nutmeg (freshly grated is best)

1/4 tsp Cloves

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Tbls Vanilla Extract

2 Tbls All Purpose Flour





How To:

Crust:
-Melt the butter and mix with the graham cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of a well buttered Spring Form pan.
-Bake @ 350 degrees for approx. 8-10 minutes until lightly golden brown - set aside to cool.

Filling:
-Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar with electric mixer until light & fluffy (2-3 minutes).
-Add in pumpkin puree & blend well.
-Add Eggs - one @ a time is best and mix until well blended.
-Add Spices and Flour - mix until incorporated.

Pan Prep:
-Wrap the outside of Spring Form pan with foil and place in a large deep roasting pan.
-Add 1 1/2" of Hot H2O to large roasting pan - should come up to about half way up the spring form pan.
-Pour Cheesecake filling into spring form pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour & 20 minutes.
When Cheesecake is set - turn oven off and crack oven door for at least 15-20 minutes before removing from oven - This will prevent the Cheesecake from cracking ontop.

After 20 minutes, remove from oven, take Spring form pan out of roaster and remove foil and place cake on wire rack to continue to cool.

Chill at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Can be served with Coolwhip or Whipped Cream.