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| 1 3/4 | cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares) |
| 2 | tablespoons granulated sugar |
| 1/2 | cup butter or margarine, melted |
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| 1/4 | cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour |
| 2 | teaspoons pumpkin pie spice |
| 2 | tablespoons brandy, if desired |
| 1 | can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) |
| 4 | packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened |
| 1 | cup packed brown sugar |
| 2/3 | cup granulated sugar |
| 5 | eggs |
| 1. | Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with shortening. In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the melted butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Wrap foil around outside of pan to prevent drips. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate about 5 minutes or until completely cooled. |
| 2. | Meanwhile, in another small bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, brandy and pumpkin; set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and 2/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth. On low speed, beat in 1 egg at a time just until blended. Gradually beat in pumpkin mixture until smooth. |
| 3. | Pour filling over crust. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. |
| 4. | Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. |
| 5. | To serve, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Carefully remove side of pan before cutting cheesecake. Store covered in refrigerator. |
| Decrease butter for crust to 1/4 cup. Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups water on oven rack below center rack to help prevent cheesecake from cracking (leave pan in oven while cooling cheesecake). Heat oven to 350°F. |
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| To help prevent cracks in the cheesecake, don't overbeat the cream cheese mixture once the eggs are added. |
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| Serve with whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. |
Nutrition Information:
430 ( 260); 29g ( 16g, 1g); 145mg; 290mg; 36g ( 1g, 29g); 7g 110%; 0%; 8%; 10% 2 1/2 ; 0 ; 0 ; 5 1/2 2 1/2