Fluffy Pumpkin Cheesecake

A patient of mine has asked me to post my recipe for a quick and easy pumpkin cheesecake that I baked and brought to the office for my patients to sample.  My office manager and friend 'Cookie' really loved it, although she is like me...not too hard to please when it comes to home-baked goodies...I love you Cookie!  But, I am glad that Mary asked for this recipe.  She is a wonderful baker herself, with a great Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.   I should be asking HER for recipes...which I have.  ;--)  I hope you enjoy this one.  It can be made celiac-friendly using gluten-free graham cracker crumbs which I purchase from Kinnikinnick, at glutenfree.com.

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CRUST:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 TBSP butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar


FILLING:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cooked pumpkin (canned or fresh)
2 eggs, extra-large, at room temp


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, combine the butter, graham cracker crumbs, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl.  Pour mixture into 9 inch pie plate.  Bake the crust for 8 minutes.  Remove and prepare filling.

Using a mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Stir in pumpkin and mix on low until combined.  Add the eggs and mix until blended.  Pour this pumpkin filling into the graham cracker crust.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden orange color and cake seems to have just set in the center.

Cool the cheesecake on a rack until it is at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 hours,  or for best results, overnight.

This serves about 8.  I really love this with homemade whipped cream, but my patient Mary said "No way!"  She's all about the pumpkin flavor.

I hope you enjoy it!  I will post my recipe for homemade gluten-free graham crackers at a later time.  They make great tasting crumbs, but I have found I get too eager for the pie to go through the process of making the crackers one day, and using the cumbs the next!!