Bourbon is not only put into the cheesecake filling, it’s also infused into the cream cheese that graciously borders the top of cheesecake. It isn’t baked, the bourbon is married into it and it harmonizes the pumpkin flavors of this cheesecake which makes it a great Fall dessert. Finally, it’s decorated with some toasted pecans around the edges to add crunchiness to it. Also, don’t forget to pay attention to the snappiness of the graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham crackers (crumbled)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1¾ cups light brown sugar
- 4 lg eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
- 2 tbsp bourbon whiskey
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Garnish/Topping
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp bourbon whiskey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces whole pecans
- ½ cup caramel sauce
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit onto bottom of 9” spring form pan (or use pre-cut 9” round parchment paper). Spread Crisco on bottom and sides of spring form pan; set aside. To make Crust
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers and sugar till finely crumbled. Add butter and pulse till moist. Pour and press onto bottom of spring form pan; set aside. To make Cheesecake Filling
- In a mixing bowl with mixer on med-high speed, beat cream cheese and brown sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs (one at a time) and beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin and bourbon, and beat till incorporated. Add flour and pumpkin pie spice; beat on low till smooth. Pour and spread onto crust.
- Bake in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or till center is set. Turn off oven, slightly open oven door. and leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes. Then remove cheesecake from oven and let cool to room temperature. With a Viennese spatula or plastic knife, scrape around edge of spring form pan to loosen cheesecake (this will keep it from sticking to sides). Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. To make Garnish/Topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast whole and chopped pecan pieces for about 8 minutes; remove from oven and let cool. In a mixing bowl with mixer on med-high speed, beat cream cheese and brown sugar till smooth. Add bourbon and beat well. Then put in pastry bag and pipe around outer edge of cheesecake.
- Pour and spread caramel sauce in center of cheesecake and then sprinkle pecan pieces on top. Arrange whole pecans on top of piped cream cheese around edge.