Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake

Dive into this fluffy Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake. Smooth and creamy, perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon and peppery nutmeg, generously drizzled with homemade chocolate syrup, caramel, and roasted pecans.

Graham Cracker Crust

This is not your average graham cracker crust! I used Trader Joe’s old fashioned cinnamon grahams, and they can be found seasonally above the freezer section with all of their other fabulous treats! If you don’t shop at Trader Joe’s (what?), you can grab any of the following alternatives:

• cinnamon graham crackers (brand of choice)
• gingersnap cookies
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch
• regular graham crackers
• gluten free graham crackers

Note: If you use an alternative, your crust may require more or less butter, so just test that the texture of the crust resembles wet sand that can be easily pressed together.

Sour Cream?

Sour cream is often used in cheesecake, and here’s why we’re adding it:

• texture: the addition of the sour cream softens and lightens the dense texture of a cheesecake
• moisture: sour cream adds moisture. We don’t want a crumbly cheesecake! We want silky smooth and creamy goodness
• tang: the sour cream adds just the right tang that cuts through and compliments the intense sweetness of the cheesecake

Water Bath

In this recipe, we are using a water bath. This often seems like an annoying extra step to an already involved recipe, but trust me, it’s the right move. Water baths help the cheesecake cook evenly throughout and mitigate overcooking the edges. Your cheesecake will be silky smooth even on the outer edges! Yay!

Let’s get started!

Ingredients

Crust

8 whole cinnamon graham crackers or gingersnap cookies
6 tbsp Butter

Filling

6 large eggs, room temperature
32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree
⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

½ cup caramel syrup
3 oz Bixby Semisweet Baking Chips
1 tbsp butter
⅔ cup pecans, roasted and salted

Directions:

1. Crust

2. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Place butter in a microwave safe bowl, and melt for 20 seconds at a time until liquid. In a food processor, add graham crackers and butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the base of the springform pan or cheesecake pan using the back of a measuring cup to ensure it is evenly packed.
3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, wrap the springform pan with two layers of foil to water-proof it.

4. Filling

5. Prepare cheesecake filling by adding cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed, using the paddle attachment, until smooth, and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined. Add one egg at a time, mixing until combined, and repeat until all eggs are incorporated. Transfer the cheesecake mixture to the springform pan. Use a rubber spatula to transfer all of the mixture and to create a smooth top.

6. Water Bath

7. Prepare a water bath by bringing a kettle of water to a boil. Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until there is about one inch of water in the pan. Bake in the water bath for 55-70 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set with just a slight wobble in the center.
8. If the cheesecake appears to be browning at the top, cover with foil and continue baking. When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly. Allow to cool for an hour before transferring to the refrigerator to chill for at least four hours.
9. To serve, run a knife along the side of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Release the sides of the pan, and remove the rim.

10. Toppings

11. Prepare the toppings. In a small microwave safe bowl, add the Bixby Semisweet Baking Chips and butter. Melt until completely smooth, stirring every 20 seconds.
12. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag. Drizzle the melted chocolate and caramel evenly over the cheesecake. Sprinkle with pecans. Slice and serve.

Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake

Yield: 16 Slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes

Dive into this fluffy Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake. Smooth and creamy, perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon and peppery nutmeg, generously drizzled with homemade chocolate syrup, caramel, and roasted pecans.

Print

Ingredients

Crust

• 8 whole cinnamon graham crackers or gingersnap cookies
• 6 tbsp butter

Filling

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• ½ cup caramel syrup
• 3 oz Bixby Semisweet Baking Chips
• 1 tbsp butter
• ⅔ cup pecans, roasted and salted

Instructions

1. Crust

2. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Place butter in a microwave safe bowl, and melt for 20 seconds at a time until liquid. In a food processor, add graham crackers and butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the base of the springform pan or cheesecake pan using the back of a measuring cup to ensure it is evenly packed.
3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, wrap the springform pan with two layers of foil to water-proof it.

4. Filling

5. Prepare cheesecake filling by adding cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed, using the paddle attachment, until smooth, and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined. Add one egg at a time, mixing until combined, and repeat until all eggs are incorporated. Transfer the cheesecake mixture to the springform pan. Use a rubber spatula to transfer all of the mixture and to create a smooth top.

6. Water Bath

7. Prepare a water bath by bringing a kettle of water to a boil. Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until there is about one inch of water in the pan. Bake in the water bath for 55-70 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set with just a slight wobble in the center.
8. If the cheesecake appears to be browning at the top, cover with foil and continue baking. When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly. Allow to cool for an hour before transferring to the refrigerator to chill for at least four hours.
9. To serve, run a knife along the side of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Release the sides of the pan, and remove the rim.

10. Toppings

11. Prepare the toppings. In a small microwave safe bowl, add the Bixby Semisweet Baking Chips and butter. Melt until completely smooth, stirring every 20 seconds.
12. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag. Drizzle the melted chocolate and caramel evenly over the cheesecake. Sprinkle with pecans. Slice and serve.