Saturday, October 29, 2011

It's the Great Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie, Charlie Brown!

This is a delicious variation on the popular classic! This pumpkin-cheesecake pie gives you the best of both pumpkin pie and cheesecake. Creamy, smooth, and amazing!



Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Printable recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 pastry for single-crust pie
  • 1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1/2 c light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 large eggs + 1 yolk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • lemon zest of one lemon, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 c canned pumpkin
  • 2/3 c half-and-half

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Zest lemon if not already done.
3) In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugars and blend until smooth again.
4) Prepare pie crust and bake for 5-7 minutes. If using a disposable pie plate, place on cookie sheet first.
5) Add remaining ingredients to bowl and blend until evenly mixed and smooth.
6) Pour the filling into pie shell, (still on cookie sheet).
7) Place in oven on the center of the oven rack.
8) Bake for 25 minutes.
9) Rotate pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes, until the top is slightly puffed up. The center may be wobbly but should no longer be soupy.
10) Transfer pie to cooling rack and cool for at least 1/2 hour before moving to a refrigerator.
11) Cover loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
12) Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

1*) If you want to do something a little different, buy or make phyllo dough shells and for single sized servings!
2*) Bake 10 minutes for mini-muffin sized shells, or 20 minutes for regular muffin-sized shells.
3*) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.