Ohio Thoughts: Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake

I had a request to do a blog post about this cheesecake because the kids think it just delicious!

I found the original recipe for this decadent cheesecake in a Paula Dean Cookbook, but for time and convenience sake, I made a few small changes to make it lots easier.

For one of the changes, I use a pre-made graham cracker crust and I use a bottled caramel sauce instead of melting caramels.

I also add a little vanilla. We just love our Homemade Vanilla.

And I'm sure using real caramels would taste better but I usually just don't have the time to spend melting them!

But even with the changes, this has become one of our favorite desserts for Thanksgiving! Everyone just loves it and there's usually none left over.

We do most of our prep work on Thanksgiving Eve, including making desserts. This works out great because this cheesecake needs to be chilled for a few hours.

If you're short on time, it can be made and refrigerated up to 1 to 2 days before serving.

Mix together cream cheese, sugars, flour, and spices

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:

1- 9-inch Gingersnap or graham cracker pie crust

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 /2 cup Caramel sauce

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Toppings:

Salted caramel sauce

Whipped cream

Graham cracker or ginger snap crumbs

Add eggs, one at a time or all together if you forget the one at a time rule

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl blend together softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and white sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.

Add eggs, one at a time, only beating just until combined. Stir in pumpkin, caramel sauce, and vanilla and mix just until blended.

Add caramel and pumpkin

Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees, for 75 minutes or until cheesecake barely wiggles in the center when gently shaken. Do not overbake.

Pour into prepared pie crust

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 2 hours.

Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
If you're using a pre-made pie crust, save the plastic cover that came with the crust to use to cover cheesecake.

Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake fresh out of the oven

To Serve:

To make the salted caramel sauce, add a little sea salt to the store purchased sauce.

Slice cheesecake, add a dollop of whip cream and then drizzle each serving with salted caramel sauce.
Last, sprinkle the top lightly with graham cracker crumbs.

Important:
*You can but please don't skip the "toppings" part, trust me. The toppings make this cake look like it came from a high-end restaurant and will WOW your dinner guests!

Store any leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator in an airtight container.