Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined. Make filling and bake cheesecake: Put oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350☏. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour, although, honestly, I do it for much less these days, often only 15 to 20 minutes. Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Make crust: Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan. I know it’s a little late in the game to change your dessert plans to this, and how arrogant for me to suggest that you should, but if you’re looking for that little something-something that will make your pumpkin cheesecake sing, that splash of bourbon ( of course), crunching of ground pecans in the crust or even slightly sweetened sour cream topping could be used to juice up any recipe.Ĭheesecake, previously: Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake, Key Lime Cheesecake, Nectarine, Mascarpone and Gingersnap Tart (almost no-bake!), Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake, Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares, Black-Bottomed Cupcakes (with a cheesecake filling) and Cream Cheese Marbled Brownies. The good news, however, is that is the remaining batter fit perfectly in a single 4.75-inch springform - no doubt purchased on impulse because it was sooo cuuute - I’d forgotten about which means we get both samples and pictures this year. (Why oh WHY did I not buy these the fifteen times I have seen them at the store and fawned over them? The headaches $15 could have saved me!) While the full-sized cake looks lovely, the jury is still out on whether those cupcake cheesecakes are ever coming out of the pan, and it’s not looking very promising. Already having two batters and crumb crusts prepared, I cursed several times, refilled my wine glass and decided I’d try to make twelve cupcake-sized cheesecakes with the second batter. I had intended to do the same this year until I realized that I’d left the base to one of my springform pans at my parents. Like any good newlywed, last year I made two cakes - one for the family we would spend the afternoon with, and one for the family that had reserved our evening shift. Although it was a total hit at Thanksgiving, my fleeting recipe attention span struck again this year, but as I began hunting for a new and different fall-themed cheesecake it was made clear I’d still be welcome at the table with something else - just a little less so. My sharp-eyed husband caught this bourbon pumpkin cheesecake recipe while I was - typically - flipping through a Gourmet magazine last year.