Why choose between pie and cheesecake when you can have BOTH in this easy layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie - the best Thanksgiving dessert recipe for everyone!
Stir together graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar. Gently mix in butter and pour into pie pan (mine was 9.5"). Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to evenly press graham mixture onto bottom and sides of pan. Place in refrigerator to chill while prepping pie.
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 5 tablespoons melted butter
Place cream cheese and ¾ cup sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add vanilla, eggs and sour cream and beat well. Remove 1 ¾ cups of batter from bowl and evenly spread over crust.
24 ounces cream cheese,, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 eggs, ¼ cup sour cream
Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice to the remaining batter and stir until thoroughly combined. Carefully spread pumpkin layer over cheesecake layer in pie crust.
Fill a 9x13" pan about ¼ full with warm water and place in oven. Place pie pan in the larger pan. Adjust the water so it comes about half way up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Turn off the oven, prop the door with a wooden spoon and allow to cool for another hour.
Remove pie from water bath and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with freshly whipped cream, if desired.
Freshly whipped cream,
Notes
This recipe uses a large 9 ½" pie pan. Don't have a pie plate? Make this same recipe in an 8x8" pan and cut it into squares instead.
Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to evenly press the graham crust into the pie plate.
Room temperature cream cheese blends much easier than cold cream cheese and will give you a smoother, creamier cheesecake.
Gluten-free graham crackers can be seamlessly substituted for regular graham crackers to make this dessert gluten-free.
Use plain pumpkin puree, NOT canned pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling already contains sugar and spices. If you add it to the other ingredients in this recipe, your pie will be way too sweet and overspiced.
A water bath is essential to even cooking of your cheesecake as well as preventing it from cracking on the top.
To get neat cuts of pie, use a sharp knife and run it under warm water and wipe dry with a towel after every cut.
This pie can be made up to three days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.