Happy Thanksgiving!

So, every holiday (seems like it’s a tradition) that I fix a big dinner I call my son, Dustin, to ask if he wants anything special. He usually requests his usual “noodles,” but the last couple of years, he has had a different request. He says, “the cheesecake with walnuts.”

This has become a family favorite.

The first couple of times I made it, I felt like the crust needed something, so I decided to change it from the usual graham cracker crust to a better tasting version, and it really works well.

The crust compliments the filling and the topping, well, that just makes this cheesecake perfection.

It takes center stage on the dessert table; it looks pretty and the pumpkin color fits right in with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I, however, do serve it at Easter. It’s just that good, and my son requests it!

I hope you enjoy it, as much as we have. Maybe it will become a holiday tradition at your home too?

Pumpkin Walnut Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

8 Tablespoons melted butter.

Mix well and press in a greased spring form pan, and up the sides as much as possible.

Filling

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, cream, and cinnamon until blended. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. The recipe calls for putting the springform pan in a large baking pan and add 1 inch of hot water. I have never done this. But if you are used to making a cheesecake by this method you can.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Topping

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mix the above ingredients for the topping, and sprinkle over the hot cheesecake, and bake an additional 30 minutes or until center is just set. Remove and cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes and carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer, refrigerate overnight, remove sides of pan. Yields 12 servings.

Enjoy!