A sweet spin on a traditional dessert, this pumpkin cheesecake is an indulgent treat that will leave your Halloween party guests screaming for more!

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 5 tbsps. melted butter
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Filling

• 1 cup Sugar
• 3 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup canned/purée pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. allspice

Topping

• Chocolate powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with 1 tbsp. of sugar and then drizzle the melted butter over the top. Mix this together well enough to cover all of the crumbs with the butter. Do not let it turn into a paste.
3. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of a spring form pan. It’s ok if it doesn’t go all the way up the sides. You want part of the cheesecake to extend above the crust.
4. Bake for 5 minutes, then chill it in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
5. Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth using an electric mixer. Don’t over-mix. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture onto the graham cracker crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The cake will rise and turn a nice golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.
6. When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator to chill. When the cheesecake has chilled, release the spring and remove the sides of the pan.
7. To create the pumpkin face on the cheesecake, cut a pumpkin face out of paper. Lay the pumpkin design over the cheesecake. Use a screen strainer to lightly dust the chocolate powder over the paper template. Carefully remove the paper template.

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