Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

Meal Monday is a weekly post series on the subject of food. I’ll talk about my love for food to sharing recipes that I love cooking to food tips.

 Do you love cheesecake? What is your favorite flavor? I’m a big fan of cheesecake. I’ve even had cheesecake as my cake for my birthday before. I love cheesecake that much.

When Fall arrives, I especially love pumpkin cheesecake. I have to get a slice of pumpkin cheesecake at Starbucks when it arrives. This season, I’ve already had a slice that I shared with my girls. I’ll definitely have more.

Usually around Thanksgiving time, I like to bake a maple pumpkin cheesecake. I get my recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Below is my recipe for maple pumpkin cheesecake.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

Makes: 12 slices

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F.

Crust:
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham crackers, granulated sugar, and melted butter.
3. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan.

4. Bake for 8 minutes; remove from oven.
5. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

Filling:
6. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese (in an extra-large mixing bowl) with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth.
7. Add pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla.
8. Beat cream cheese mixture until well combined.
9. Fold in eggs.
10. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan.

Baking/Cooling:
11. Place the springform pan in a shallow baking pan.
12. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

13. Cool the cheesecake in the springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
14. Using a small thin knife, loosen the crust from the sides of the springform pan.
15. Cool for 30 minutes more.
16. Remove sides of the springform pan; cool for 1 hour.
17. Place cheesecake on a serving plate.
18. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Serve and enjoy!

Will you be baking this maple pumpkin cheesecake this Fall? What else are you baking for this Fall and upcoming Holidays?