Fall is here and it is virtually impossible to avoid seeing pumpkins everywhere. Vendors along the side of the road are busy selling big orange and even white carving pumpkins (which you should NEVER eat). Baking pumpkins (like the one pictured to the right) are abundant at local farmers’ markets.

It’s funny how nostalgic something as simple as a pumpkin can be as people are reminded of Halloween and various other childhood memories. The smell of Pumpkin Pie Spice causes me to reminisce of Thanksgivings and Christmases from yesteryear.

I love pumpkin anything – except pumpkin pie. (I know, call me crazy!) This Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is a great alternative to pie, especially for those cheesecake fans out there. Add a dollop of whipped cream to the top and you’re all set for a delicious treat.

PS. Since they’ve created a national holiday to celebrate National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, it has to be worth a try!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup homemade whipped cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 325º.

1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time.
2. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
3. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Don’t worry if there are a couple of cracks; when you refrigerate it they will close up.
5. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
6. Garnish with whipped topping before serving

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If you’d rather watch your calories this season, Meg Benson of Clermont, Iowa, shares this Cooking Light recipe with only 256 calories per serving and less than 10 grams of fat. She says this cheesecake is also good with a graham cracker crust and recommends going heavy on the spices!

COOK’S TIP: Meg says it took almost 2 hours for the cheesecake to bake in her oven. She also notes that she bakes cheesecakes in a water bath and then lets them sit in the oven for an hour or so after turning off the oven off.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 56 reduced-fat vanilla wafers (about 8 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
• Cooking spray

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of allspice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

• To prepare crust, place wafers in a food processor; pulse 2 to 3 times or until finely ground. Add butter; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and next 8 ingredients (granulated sugar through vanilla), beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin; beat well.
• Pour cheese mixture into prepared crust; bake at 325° for 1 1/2 hours or until almost set. (Cheesecake is done when the center barely moves when pan is touched.) Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature; cover and chill at least 8 hours.