Mmmmm. I haven’t made my annual skating in Central Park trip to New York now for a few years. I miss seeing all my East Coast friends, I miss the city that never sleeps, Broadway performances, window displays, and boy, oh boy, do I miss Junior’s sandwiches and cheesecakes!!!

This little number showed up on a holiday table recently and alllllmost scratched my cheesecake itch. (The flavor was there, just not the jostling crowds, noises, and endless energy found in the Junior’s dining room!)

It’s your basic graham cracker crust cheesecake recipe, all dressed up in fall finery with the addition of 15oz of pumpkin and her spicy companions we just can’t seem to live without.

Wow your family and your guests, or simply indulge yourself with this decadent little treat.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
  

Filling:

• 3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

• 15oz canned pumpkin

• 4 large eggs

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350˚F.

Crust:

1. Use a food processor to pulse graham crackers to create fine crumbs .

2. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Dump into a 9” springform cheesecake pan and use a cup, glass, or large spoon to press the mixture down covering the bottom of your cake pan and pushing 1/3-1/2 of the way up the sides.

3. Bake at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool before adding cheesecake filling.

Filling:

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar on smooth (no lumps, bumps, or chunks!).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, pumpkin pie spice, salt and vanilla extract. Add this well-combined mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed just until uniform in color and consistency.

3. Pour filling into pre-baked crust, place in oven on middle rack, and bake at 350˚F for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly, and allow to cool for 1 hour. *

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit longer, until the cheesecake reaches room temperature. Then cover and refrigerated at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Just before serving, remove from its springform pan (run a knife along the sides, then release the spring and remove the rim.)

6. Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix.

   *Note - If you are comfortable doing so, use the water-bath method to bake. Cheesecakes love moist environments and this will help to prevent the top from cracking and the center from falling. (If you’re NOT all that comfortable with water-baths, skip it!)