I am falling right back into the swing of things in my kitchen; after cooking a great steak meal, my next step involved something related to the autumn season in Saskatchewan. This week, I searched far and wide to create one of my favourite desserts, Cheesecake with a pumpkin spin. Thanks to the previous comments on my posts about different baking recipes! The source I used was from Natasha’s Kitchen, and it was an honest, trusted recipe with step-by-step documentation. However, the challenge in baking was lovely and in a setting where I felt like a professional due to the amount it produced. I gave it to lucky friends and family members who enjoyed the rich taste and hard-working effort. 
The history of Pumpkins in baking dates back to early American settlers of the 17th century, when they would make a pre-version of pumpkin pie with milk, honey, and a variety of spices inside the vegetable over hot ashes. Cheesecake evolved from Greek and Roman recipes using honey, flour, eggs, and crushed cheese. Fun fact: the “dessert” was presented at the first Olympic games. It would later include sugar during Tudor England (1485 – 1603). Then, cream cheese was created in 1872 by American immigrants, and its current form was created with New York Cheesecake’s creation during the Roaring 20s.
Here is the Pumpkin Cheesecake for your consideration, lifted from the website:
The Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs/12 whole graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp unsalted melted butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
The Filling:
- 24 oz room temperature cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Starting the recipe, my head was filled with thoughts about making this cheesecake, which is truly a science, like in the chocolate chip cookies. It made me confident and excited to conquer the long 7 hours and 30 minutes. First, I grabbed a plastic bag and put the graham crackers into it. Letting out some steam, I smashed them like the Hulk into a fine form that would soon resemble a crust. So, I added the crumbs into a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and everything nice (melted butter), stirring them to perfection. I deviated a little bit because I did not have a springform pan; instead, using a glass baking pan. I gently jammed them into the bottom and let the crust cook for eight minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. They then had to cool to room temperature, but that was alright since it was time to fill it with the Pumpkin Cheesecake goodness!
Luckily, my stove was already at the desired temperature, and I was reunited with an old friend, the mixer. This is the rich part with the heavenly cream cheese and brown sugar. I made sure not to have a lumpy filling, but the part I did not enjoy was how sweet the brown sugar was in the final result. So, I recommend putting less (1 cup instead of 1 ½) for your tastebuds to not be overloaded by sweetness, saving you a trip to the dentist afterwards, haha! Then, I added the remaining wet ingredients into another bowl and ensured they were finely combined. It is also great because this part of the recipe adds a little extra flair for the baker besides the traditional baked cheesecake! The final part, before baking, required me to transfer the completed filling to the graham cracker crust.
The Pumpkin Cheesecake was in the oven for around one hour and thirty minutes, and I remembered to leave the stove ajar to allow air to circulate during the 
baking process. Also, I let it cool for forty-five minutes. In the meantime, I made homemade whipping cream, beating the vanilla, sugar, and heavy whipping cream together for a delicious finish to the recipe that only took two minutes. Now, there was waiting time for the cheesecake to cool in my refrigerator for four-ish hours. Side note: it was cracked when I took it out of baking. I know it was only my first time making any cheesecake, but be sure not to bake it too long, get the perfect speed or time for incorporating air during mixing, take your time while cooling, and check the (cold) temperature of ingredients. Lastly, I have to work on my patience, precision, and timing, as mentioned earlier, while baking to limit mistakes. However, they are a part of the learning process, and I should accept that because nobody is perfect at everything! 
Thanks for reading about my discoveries in the kitchen with this famous rich and filling dessert! What is your favourite Cheesecake? As always, I am up for suggestions in the comments! Next week, I will dip my toes into the world of cooking shows on the Food Network. Keep staying positive, and have a tremendous week!
First things first, thank you for sharing this recipe! I have been craving cheesecake and this is exactly what I am craving so I will probably be making this ASAP!! Also love the Food Network so I am interested to see how you like it!
This looks unreal Kade !!!
7 & 1/2 hours is a commitment – well done!
Thanks for sharing the recipe with us and the photos 🙂
Since you’re asking, my favourite type of cheesecake has to be raspberry!
This look absolutely amazing! Your photos were a very nice touch and I appreciate putting the recipe right into your blog post!
Hi Kade! I love that you shared a little pumpkin history in your post! Those were some fun facts. You also did a great job breaking down the steps in the recipe. Sometimes baking can be tricky because it is such a science but it looks like you have it all figured out! Your cheese cake looks fantastic!
Love the post Kade, I also enjoyed reading about the history of pumpkins in your post! I have also found how imperfect I am in my baking experience I liked how you pointed out its just part of the learning process. Great job Kade, I am excited what you will be making next week!
-Cale
Hey Kade. This pumpkin cheesecake looks incredible! I love that you included the history behind pumpkins and cheesecake, it made the post even more interesting. Can’t wait to see what you make next week! Thanks for the recipe, you’ve definitely got me wanting to try this now!
I seen cheesecake and came running for this post! First off this looks delicious, but wow that is quite the time commitment! Good for you lol. I never truly understood how much work went in to making cheesecake, I have a new appreciation for it. Was this your first time making cheesecake and would you do it again?
Overall great job! At least you have a yummy dessert to treat yourself with after blogging 🙂
Thanks for commenting! Yes, it was my first time making cheesecake, and I would do it again. It was indeed a yummy treat!
Thanks to everyone who commented on this post! I am glad you all enjoyed the fun facts, recipe, and pictures during baking. I hope the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe helps with your sweet tooth cravings!