Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe for Thanksgiving

This Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe was found in the pages of Family Circle magazine ages and ages ago. I used to make it every year for Thanksgiving, probably until I went gluten free. I found the recipe again the other day and if I can find a ready made gluten free pie crust this year, I think I’ll make this again. Although, if I’m feeling extra bakey and want to try to make my own pie crust……

The recipe calls for a double pie crust and uses the second pie crust to cut out stars (however, I seem to remember having a leaf cookie cutter, I don’t remember cutting out stars…) to line the crust after you have filled it with the cheesecake and pumpkin layers to make it extra pretty. From what I remember this was always a pain in the you know what. One because I probably didn’t have the right size cookie cutter and two my patience with baking was not great back then LOL.

I do remember my Mom, Sister and I loving this pie so I felt it was worth the extra work of placing the stars (or leaves) around the edges. Although, I do remember one year the fancy crust pieces were burnt to a crisp, but the rest of the pie was delicious. I probably forgot to put the foil on the edges of the pie, therefore a burnt crust.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 package ready to roll piecrust (or handmade pie crust for double crust pie)

Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Pumpkin Layer

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Egg Wash

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fit one pie crust into 9 inch pie plate and refrigerate until ready to fill. Unroll second pie crust and cut out 50 stars, place on baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Cream Cheese Layer: In medium bowl, beat all cream cheese layer ingredients together until smooth. Spread evenly into bottom of pie crust.
3. Pumpkin Layer: In a large bowl mix pumpkin layer ingredients together until smooth. Using a ladle gently spoon pumpkin mixture over cream cheese mixture.
4. Brush edge of pie with egg wash. Overlap stars around edge. Brush stars with egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Cover edges with foil, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
5. Cool pie completely on rack. Refrigerate until completely chilled. Before slicing leave out for 30 minutes.