Easier to make than a pumpkin pie, this attractive, pastel orange–colored cheesecake is a crowd-pleaser, especially for fall and winter holiday occasions. The delicious crust is gluten-free when made with gluten-free oats. When cooking for someone who has celiac disease, be sure to use oats processed in a gluten-free facility; look in the gluten-free section of the supermarket.
Yields one 10-inch cheesecake
Prep time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
In-oven cooling time: 20 minutes to 1 hour
Room temperature cooling time: a couple of hours
Chilling time: at least 3 hours
Butter or cooking spray, for the pan
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup walnuts or pecans
½ cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (1¾ cups)
1½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously butter or spray a 10-inch springform pan. (See Note.)
In a food processor, whirl all the ingredients for the crust until crumbly. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan and press it to form an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling: In a food processor, whirl the pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Run a rubber spatula around the sides and if there are any lumps of cream cheese, break them up and process again briefly until smooth. Add the eggs and process for a few seconds, just until smooth and evenly colored.
When the crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 300°F. Pour the filling into the pan and bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes, until the sides are firm and the center still moves a bit when gently shaken. Turn the oven off, open the oven door a couple of inches, and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool it in the pan to room temperature. Cover it with a plate and refrigerate in the pan until firm, at least 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan when you’re ready to serve it. Release the clasp slowly and run a knife around the edges if necessary. Using a long, offset spatula, you’ll probably be able to slide the cheesecake from the pan bottom onto a serving plate, but if it sticks, warm the bottom by holding it over hot water for about 15 seconds to melt the butter just enough to release the crust from the pan.
NOTE: You can use two smaller (7- or 8-inch) springform pans; the baking time is still 45 minutes. If you use one 9-inch springform pan, bake for 55 to 60 minutes. The height of the cheesecake, not the diameter, is what influences the baking time: the deeper the filling in the pan, the longer the time.
Pumpkin Cheesecake is simply and beautifully garnished with a sprinkling of spiced nuts. Arrange some fresh apple or pear slices on the side, or if you’d like a more elaborate topping, try a chunky apple or pear sauce, or a cranberry sauce made with whole cranberries.
CHEESECAKE TIPS
Cheesecakes have a tendency to crack, but they don’t have to. Avoid overbeating the batter, because overbeating incorporates additional air. Mix the batter well and eliminate cream cheese lumps before you add the eggs. To help with this, bring the cream cheese to room temperature or soften it by unwrapping it and placing it in a glass or ceramic bowl and microwaving for 30 to 45 seconds until slightly softened. Eggs hold air in the batter, so add them last, and mix the batter as little as possible once they are in.
Another cause of a cracked surface is a too-rapid temperature change. If you heat a cheesecake too fast or cool it down too fast, it’s likely to crack. So, bake the cheesecake at a low oven temperature and don’t overbake. When perfectly done, there will still be a 2- to 3-inch wobbly spot in the middle of the cheesecake. The texture will smooth out as it cools.
Cheesecake shrinks as it cools. Hence the directions for a slow, gentle cooling down. And generously butter the sides of the baking pan before pouring in the batter to allow the cake to pull away from the pan as it cools and shrinks instead of pulling apart from the middle.
If, after all this, you still have a crack, and you care what your cheesecake looks like, spread on a topping or a sauce to camouflage the crevasse.
Baked cheesecakes freeze well. First, freeze the cheesecake, uncovered, on the level, and then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and then heavy-duty foil. Do not freeze cheesecakes with garnishes or toppings. Defrost in the refrigerator.