My Pumpkin Cheesecake With White Chocolate And Candied Pecans is the sweetest way to end a holiday meal.

I don’t know… I’m thinking I may be getting a little better with the whole baking thing. You may notice the time it takes to make this cheesecake has a lot to do with all the inactive prep time. You see I like my cheesecake to have a firm texture. That means extended time in the refrigerator. That’s a personal preference.

I also am a big fan of vanilla granulated sugar. I always save my used vanilla bean pods to stick in my sugar container. Vanilla sugar is a staple in my house.

Let’s get started.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Yields: 12 servings
Equipment: Spring Form pan, parchment paper, Stand mixer with the paddle attachment, 2 large mixing bowls, double boiler

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of butter, unsalted and melted, plus extra to brush inside the spring-form pan
2 1/2 cups of cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
2 3/4 cups vanilla-flavored granulated sugar, (substitute granulated sugar)
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/4 cup of vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt, room temperature (strain any excess water)
2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin purée  (or pumpkin pie mix in a can)
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeded, reserve vanilla bean pod(s)
2 teaspoons of Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend (substitute store-bought)
1 cup of candied pecans
2 cups of white chocolate chips, melted

Ingredients For My Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend:
4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 pinch of allspice

Directions For Homemade Pumpkin Spice Blend Storage:
Add all the ingredients for the spice blend into a mixing bowl, whisk to combine. Place into an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.
Brush springform pan with melted butter. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade process the graham cracker crumbs and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add 12 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

Wrap the outside of the Spring Form pan with foil and place in a roasting pan. In a tea kettle heat up water until hot. Have ready to pour into the roasting pan.

In the meantime, in a Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed beat the cream cheese and the seeded vanilla bean until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of sugar and then beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the yogurt and continue to mix until combined.

In a second bowl add the pumpkin purée, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice blend. Combine pumpkin mixture in with the cream cheese mixture. Still, on low speed,  add the eggs, (one at a time), 1 teaspoon of salt, vanilla extract, beat until just combined.

Place the foiled covered Spring Form pan into the roasting pan. Pour this mixture into the cooled crust. Then place the roasting pan into the oven on the middle rack. Pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it comes up about halfway up the spring-form pan.

Bake until the outside of the cheesecake is set but the center is a little loose. This should take about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn the heat to off. Let the cheesecake remain in the oven for another hour.

Carefully remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and place it on a cooling rack, for at least 1 hour. Next, take a sharp knife and run it around the rim of the pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight).

Melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Spread the white chocolate on top of the cheesecake. Decorate with the candied pecans. Transfer the cheesecake to the freezer for at least 2 hours, then back to the refrigerator until ready to serve. This is an AWESOME way to end a holiday meal.

There you have it, my Pumpkin Cheesecake With White Chocolate And Candied Pecans.