MBG’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:
CRUST:
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
3 Tbsp. melted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda

FILLING:
8 oz. pumpkin puree (from a can – just the pure pumpkin)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves (optional – I make it without the cloves half the time)
12 oz. cream cheese (1 ½ of the big packages) (softened)
½ cup sugar or Splenda
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Step 1 – To make the crust, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly butter (or Pam) a cheesecake pan or individual cheesecake wells in a multi-cheesecake pan.Combine the finely chopped pecans (I whir them in the food processor to get them fine, but they can easily be done by hand), the melted butter and the sugar. Stir. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the cheesecake pan(s) firmly.

Step 2 – Bake for about 10 minutes (until the crusts are set). If you are using individual cheesecake wells in a multi-cheesecake pan, check them after 5-6 minutes and take them out when they are set. Don’t overbake. (don’t underbake. 😉 ) REDUCE the oven temp to 300 degrees at that point.

Step 3 – While the crusts are cooling to room temperature, combine in a small bowl: pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and brown sugar. Then, in a separate bowl, beat the following with an electric mixer: cream cheese, and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until blended. Scrape the sides during both beating processes as necessary. Add the pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat on low until completely blended, which takes about a minute or two. Pour the batter onto the crust(s), dividing evenly in the wells, if you are using miniature cheesecake pans, or pour the whole batter in a big cheesecake pan.

Step 4 – Bake until the filling is set. On the small ones, that means about 18 to 20 minutes. On the big one, it may mean 30 – 40 minutes, so you’ll have to just keep checking on it. Serve with whipped cream after refrigerating for about 3 hours. Divine!