Your Very Best Expat Pumpkin Cheesecake

I don’t like pumpkin pie. And to be quite honest, plain cheesecake (or any type of cheesecake with any type of flavoring) isn’t my jam. But this specific pumpkin cheesecake? DIVINE. HEAVENLY. MANNA FROM HEAVEN.

This photo might not be the best photo, technically. But taste wise? It’s one of my most favorite fall treats. It’s the thing that makes Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving. It’s full of warm spices, creamy textures, and buttery crust. My mom has been making it for Thanksgiving since I was little — and to me, the holiday just isn’t right without it. This year, I made it (not for the first time, mind you) in our little South Asian town for our new friends turned family. And this year, I determined to make the recipe available for all those in need of a pumpkin cheesecake fix. No matter the location — seriously! The best part? This recipe makes TWO cheesecakes. And I promise it really is the best pumpkin cheesecake you’ll ever have.

Your Very Best Expat Pumpkin Cheesecake

serves 16 - 1.5 hours

CRUST:

4 cups crushed Good Day Butter Biscuits (or a cracker/biscuit similar to graham crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

1 - 1.5 cups melted butter

(or 2 graham cracker crusts with extra serving)

FILLING:

24 oz cream cheese, softened (I used Britannia)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 tbs cornstarch (optional)

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

TOPPING:

2 cups cream + 2 tbs vinegar mixed together and set in the fridge for 30 min minimum

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1. To your blender, add your topping ingredients and blend on high speed until there are no large biscuit chunks left. Divide the mixture in half and press into 2 deep dish pie crusts, using your hands to compact it well. Set aside. Note: if making this recipe in the states, just use 2 deep dish graham cracker crusts and skip this step.

2. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). You’ll want to make sure that if you’re using a toaster oven that you only have the bottom element on and that it’s set to conventional baking, NOT convection.

3. Beat cream cheese and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add in pumpkin, eggs, and milk and mix. Add cornstarch (corn flour), cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat again until incorporated.

4. Pour mixture evenly into your pie crusts and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the edges are set.

5. Meanwhile, mix the topping ingredients together. After the edges of the cheesecakes are set, pour the topping mixture evenly on both cheesecakes and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and cool completely before refrigerating overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours until cold.

7. Serve with hot chai or coffee!

NOTE: when making your own pumpkin puree, you’ll want to cook and puree it ahead of time. Then you’ll either need to drain or cook out some of the water in the puree. Make sure the puree is cooled before adding to the cheesecake mixture.

NOTE: I’ve used South Asia’s “digestive” biscuits to make this cheesecake, and honestly, I did not like the texture. I found that they absorbed too much moisture in the cooling process, making the crust soft and not the right texture.

NOTE: When making this recipe in the States, use 3 8 oz bars of cream cheese and 5 oz of evaporated milk instead of the 1/2 cup milk.

NOTE: For the topping, in the States, just use a 16 oz carton of sour cream instead of the cream + vinegar combination.