Pumpkin Cheesecake With Gingersnap Pecan Crust is a traditional cheesecake with pumpkin and spices added, plus a delicious crust made of gingersnap cookies and pecans. It has a gluten-free/dairy-free option as well.
It's the day before Thanksgiving! Do you know what you're baking? What's on your dessert menu for the holiday? Might I suggest this lovely Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Pecan Crust? It's festive, elegant and super easy to make using a food processor! Impress your guests this year with this dessert that's not your average pumpkin pie!
What's also neat about this "pie" is that there's an option to make it without gluten and dairy. My daughter and my mom are both gluten and dairy free, so I wanted them to be able to enjoy this special treat. If you CAN have gluten and dairy, you can make it with standard ingredients and it is just as good.
How to make the Gingersnap Pecan Crust
Note: This is just an overview, scroll down for the full recipe.
To make the crust, place 30 gingersnap cookies, ½ cup pecans, ¼ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until the cookies and nuts are ground into a fine crumb. Pour into a large bowl and add 4 tablespoons melted margarine. Stir until completely combined. (If you don't have a food processor, you can put the cookies in a sealed plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin. Then chop the nuts finely with a knife and chopping board. Proceed with the instructions above for making the crust.)
Press the crust mixture into an 8-inch round springform pan and set aside.
Next, whip up the filling in a food processor. (You could also you an electric mixer or beat by hand with a whisk in a large bowl.)
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake filling
Place the filling ingredients (tofu cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and salt) into a food processor and pulse until smooth. it should take less than a minute for all of the filling ingredients to be smooth and completely combined.
Note: I used tofu "cream cheese" for this recipe because my daughter can't have gluten. You could use regular cream cheese if you wanted to and it would work just fine.
Pour filling into the cooled crust. Bake at 325°F for one hour to one hour twenty minutes or until it's set in the middle.
Let cheesecake cool, then slice and serve.
If you CAN have dairy, garnish your cheesecake with whipped cream or if you CAN'T have dairy, you can garnish with a dollop of vanilla frosting (recipe follows). Then add a cookie and sprinkle some extra pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Pecan Crust is scrumptious and perfect for your holiday dessert table!
What's your favorite dessert for the holidays? Let me know in the comments.
Want even more? Stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates. If you make this recipe, share a photo on social media tagging @momlovesbaking and using the hashtag #momlovesbaking.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Pecan Crust
Ingredients
For the crust:
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened (use Tofu Cream Cheese, if you can't have dairy)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch salt
For the frosting garnish:
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons almond milk or water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnish:
- More gingersnap cookies and pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
For the crust:
- Place all of the crust ingredients (except butter) in food processor and press on for 20-30 seconds. (If you don't have a food processor, place cookies in a plastic ziploc bag, seal and pound with rolling pin until cookies are crushed. And you can chop the nuts on a cutting board.) Pour crumbs and nuts mixture into medium bowl, add melted butter and stir to combine. Press into an 8-inch springform pan or cake pan. Press crust up the sides slightly, about an inch. Set aside
For the filling:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Place all of the filling ingredients in food Processor. Puree for 20 seconds. Press STOP. Remove lid and scrape down bowl. Replace lid puree again. Let run about 20-30 seconds or until all is combined and smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325°F for one hour and twenty minutes or until the middle of the cheesecake looks set. Let it cool.
For the frosting garnish:
- Place shortening in large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on medium for two minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, almond milk (or water) and vanilla. Once incorporated, turn up speed to medium and beat for another two minutes. Place in a piping bag fitted with a 1M pastry tip. Pipe a swirl of frosting on each slice of cheesecake. Add a cookie and sprinkle with a little pumpkin pie spice. You could also garnish with whipped cream or cool whip.
- Store cheesecake covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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