Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

It's about time I join the pumpkin bandwagon.  Don't you think?

Pumpkin is everywhere right now.  Pumpkin lattes.  Seasonal pumpkin beer.  Pumpkin bread.  Pumpkin butter.  Spiced pumpkin seeds.  Pumpkin soup.  You get the picture.  Pumpkin season is here.  And I'm loving every second of it.

I should warn you that sometime within the next week (fingers crossed) you will be seeing a tutorial on how to roast a sugar pumpkin in order to make homemade pumpkin puree.  Process pictures included and all.  Remember when I used to be a good little blogger and include process picture on every recipe?  Ugh.  That good little blogger got replaced by a two job working, in the last year of college blogger.  Blogger #1 was way more fun and way less lazy.  Darn her.

The cheesecake.

The cheesecake came as a request from my roommate Nick for his birthday.  Cheesecake is his go-to birthday cake.  In fact he has never requested anything else.  However, the pumpkin shocked me a bit.  "You want a pumpkin cheesecake?"  Huh.  Usually he's an oreo/some sort of chocolate kind of guy.  But hey, ask and you shall receive birthday boy.

The bourbon was not requested but given his love of bourbon (in an unproblematic sort of way) I figured it would be a nice touch.  And I was right.  So right.

bourbon pumpkin cheesecake...

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes: 12-14 servings   Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes chill time   Bake Time: 50-60 minutes   Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients:
for the crust-
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

for the filling-
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

for the topping-
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon

Garnish-
candied pecans (optional)

Directions: 

1. For the crust- Butter a 9-inch springform pan and then stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until well combined.  Press crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan and 1/2 inch up the side.  Then chill crust for 30 minutes.
2. For the filling- Preheat oven to 350°.  In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat cream cheese and sugars until well combined.  Add the rest of the ingredients except for the eggs (pumpkin, cream, vanilla, bourbon, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt) and mix until everything is incorporated.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Pour filling into the crust, smoothing the top with a knife, and then bake until the center is set, 50-60 minutes.
4. For the topping- While the cheesecake is baking, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and bourbon in a small bowl.  When the middle of the cheesecake is set, spread mixture over the top and bake an additional 5 minutes.
5. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on a wire rack, about 3 hours.  Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours.  Serve chilled or at room temperature and garnish with candied pecans.