Fall is upon us, and what better way to get festive than to cook up some pumpkin recipes! Here are a couple of our favorite desserts to get the family excited about October!
Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Praline Topping
Garnishes: coarsely chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans, fresh sage leaves
- Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
- Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
- Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, if desired.
Pumpkin Tart with Whipped Cream and Almond Toffee
(TART)
1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
6 tablespoons butter, melted
4 large eggs
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
(ALMOND TOFFEE)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup slivered almonds
Vegetable cooking spray
Parchment paper
(WHIPPED CREAM)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- Prepare Tart: Preheat oven to 350°. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish tart or quiche pan with removable bottom; press into fluted edges. Whisk together granulated sugar and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together pumpkin and next 2 ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk pumpkin mixture into sugar mixture. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking until blended after each addition. Whisk in evaporated milk, and pour into crust.
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
- Prepare Almond Toffee: Cook brown sugar and 4 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Add almonds, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until golden. Pour mixture onto lightly greased (with cooking spray) parchment paper; cool completely. Break into pieces.
- Prepare Whipped Cream: Beat cream and 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Top tart with whipped cream; sprinkle with toffee.
Getting festive this fall is a breeze with recipes like these. Comment below if you have any inspiring pumpkin recipes that you think others might enjoy!