Classic Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

You'll need a few ingredients for the crust and several others for the rich filling. To make the crust, you'll need 1 ½ cups  of cookie or graham cracker crumbs, 4 tablespoons of melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. As for the filling, you'll need two 8-ounce containers of cream cheese, ⅓ cup of light brown sugar, one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree (unsweetened), two large eggs (let them get to room temperature first), 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of mixed spice, 1 tablespoon of plain flour, and finally ¼ cup of heavy cream. Before serving the pie, finish it off with another ½ cup of heavy cream (to whip) and some caramel sauce if desired. 

Bryant notes that the mixed spice adds a unique touch that enhances the flavors of the cheesecake. She explains, "[it] contains the usual ingredients — cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg," adding that it "also contains coriander seeds and dill seeds!" She points out that these spices "add a great depth of flavor," and describes that "the coriander seed adds a mild lemony citrus sweetness and the dill seeds add a nutty aniseed flavour." In case you can't get your hands on premade ground mixed spice, she lists the following proportions to combine: "1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander seed, and ¼ teaspoon ground dill seed."

While the cheesecake base is cooling, grab a large clean bowl and a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Add the cream cheese and beat it for around a minute, until it softens. Then, pour in ⅓ cup of light brown sugar and beat the two together for about two or three minutes until they are well combined and you can't see the sugar anymore. Next, it's time to scoop the contents of the pumpkin puree can into the bowl, crack in the eggs, and add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, mixed spice, and flour. Beat the filling ingredients well until you have a smooth consistency. Lastly, pour in ¼ cup of heavy cream and beat it with the rest of the ingredients for about 30 seconds.

Once the cheesecake has set, turn off the heat and open the oven door. Let the cheesecake cool down in the oven until it reaches room temperature. Then, move it to the refrigerator to chill for six to eight hours, or even overnight. When the spiced concoction is nice and cool, carefully remove it from the cake tin and place it on a serving plate. With a hand mixer, whip ½ cup of heavy cream and spread it over the top of the cheesecake. Bryant recommends adding a drizzle of caramel sauce to finish it off before serving this decadent dessert.

If you have any leftovers, keep them in the refrigerator for three to four days. Bryant advises to store the cheesecake in an airtight container or with a proper seal to prevent it from absorbing any fridge odors or drying out.