Reviewed: Dec. 1, 2008

Tasted too much like pumpkin pie and not enough like cheesecake. I'll go back to the old recipe I used to use.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

HISTORYGIRL04

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: San Diego, California, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Dec. 1, 2008

For all who read reviews and tweak! This recipe is amazing! I made it for Thanksgiving to take to the neighbors and everyone raved! I adjusted the recipe to serve 18 and it filled out my springform perfectly. Eggs and cream cheese were brought to room temp before I started. I followed the recipe as changed with the new serving size exactly. Except: Added 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the pumpkin filling. Note - If using your mixer use the paddle attachment not the wire wisk. Also, still only need about 3/4 C filling to marble in. Baked at 325 for 70 minutes, with a pan of water on the lower rack - couldn't do a water bath my springform pan leaks. When the time was up, I turned the oven off and opened the door. Left in the oven cooling for 1 hr. Then moved to the counter to cool another 1 1/2 hrs before moving the fridge. ABSOLUTELY NO CRACKS! Crust and filling was perfect! Great recipe, has been requested for Christmas as well.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
5 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Kathryn

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 30, 2008

Have now made this recipe twice and had to fight to get a piece for myself. My family and friends love it!! Even the kids take seconds.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Tece

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Burlington, Iowa, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 29, 2008

Made it for Thanksgiving and got raves.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

NewsteadECS

Cooking Level: Intermediate

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 28, 2008

This is the recipe I use every year that is DEMANDED by my family. They don't realize how easy it is! The only difference is I use 3 pkgs of cream cheese, makes it creamier and less runny as others stated. It's great because you don't need to use a water bath to keep it from cracking and the marbled look is wonderful. People can't believe I didn't buy it at a bakery! And as another reviewer stated, it's good with 1/2 ginger snaps & 1/2 graham crackers. I prefer it this way as I find the all gingersnap crust a little over the top but for the family get togethers, they like the full strength ginger flavor.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Michelle

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Trout Lake, Washington, USA

Living In: Shelton, Washington, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2008

This cheesecake was such a hit that I made it twice back to back for Thanksgiving dinner at church and at friends this year. My friend who claimed the pumpkin pie as one of the "must-have" items of thanksgiving declared that she would take this cheesecake over Pumpkin pie anytime!!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

hawaiian_munshkin

Cooking Level: Intermediate

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2008

This was very good -- as adjusted according to suggestions by Trish (nov 18th 08 review). Added dash of ground gloves, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp or so of fresh nutmeg. Baked at 325 for 55 mins over a pan of water. Cracked oven and let cool in oven about an hour. Didn't have time to put in fridge for several hours, as she suggested. (No cracks) I also held back around a 1/4 c of the pumpkin batter and drizzled 1/2 c of the plain batter on the top, then the 1/4 c of pumpkin batter, then the rest of the plain batter and swirled from there. Looked great. I used vanilla wafers and almonds in the crust, as that was what I had on hand. I would prefer the pecans - but the almonds were okay too. All in all this was a very good cheesecake, with the changes!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Natalie

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2008

This is the FIRST cheesecake I have ever made, I've now made it twice! Both times I used McCormick Pumpkin-Pie Spice instead of the spices called for in the recipe only because I love the flavor of pumpkin pie. I also added about a pinch of ground cloves. I read the reviews before making this and tried the water bath in the oven and my cheesecake didn't crack. One cup of the white marbling seemed too much at first- but the second time I made this cheesecake I decided to give it a try and I am very glad I did-it looks and tastes even better!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

jen15

Cooking Level: Beginning

Home Town: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 26, 2008

What an awesome holiday cheesecake!!! This was my firsy ever attempt at a cheesecake so I ws sure to read all of the reviews and look up articles about baking cheesecakes. Here's what I found to make it come out right: I wanted to do a water bath, but I didn't have a large enough pan so I just placed a pan full of water below it just so it could add moisture to the oven. And like others suggested, when the timer went off I turned the oven off and kept it in there for an hour and then refrigerated. I was also careful about keeping my cream cheese and eggs at room temperature and I beat the cream cheese until fluffy BEFORE adding the eggs or any other liquid. I used pumpkin pie filling that has the spices in it AND added extra spices (including cloves) just because that's my personal taste. (and fyi, I could've added more! still not enough to my liking but still delicious). I increased the cream cheese to 3 packages, I definitely recommend that to have a nice, rich cheesecake. I did not use the gingersnap crust only because I didn't have any of the cookies on hand so I used the graham cracker crust from this website and I made my own whipped topping (Whipped Cream from this site, with extra vanilla of course!). All in all, this recipe took quite some time but it was FOR SURE worth it :) :)

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
4 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Alisan

Cooking Level: Intermediate

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 26, 2008

Reserving 1 cup of batter seemed to be too much. Also, does the crust always get dark brown to almost burnt looking?

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Melody

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 26, 2008

I tried this one last year and it was a disaster. I vowed to never use this recipe again. Then my boyfriend put a thermometer in our oven and I found out it runs 75 degrees hotter than what the knob reads! Long story short, this year it came out perfect, I've got the picture to prove it :), and I can't wait for everyone else to try it tomorrow!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Julie

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Owosso, Michigan, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 21, 2008

Too cheesecaky and not enough pumpkin

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
4 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

chrissymoo

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 19, 2008

I made this in gold foil cupcake holders. It was perfect for a party! I followed the recipe, but after baking and cooling I topped each mini-cheesecake with chocolate cinnamon ganache. I also made some spiced pumpkin seeds, and put 2-3 on top of each mini-cheesecake for garnish. They looked beautiful! I wish I had taken a picture.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

MARY

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 18, 2008

My first ever cheesecake and it was fantastic! Dad thought the gingersnaps in the crust really made the difference. Searched lots of pumpkin cheesecake recipes, but i really loved the presentation of the marbled affect. Plus, i liked how this recipe had "cheesecake parts" and "pumpkin cheesecake parts" instead of just mixing it all together. It did crack...I'll try a water bath next time, but I cut off the heads of some flowers and stuck them in the crack, just for initial presentation and it was beautiful and autumny!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

jcmeade79

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 16, 2008

This is a great recipe, and i've made it twice, the first time it was OK, the second time was perfection. The 2nd time, I did what other have recommended and added more spice to the pumpkin cheesecake mixture (nothing specific, a couple shakes of clove, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg), but after reading a lot of "how to make cheesecake" websites i decided against refrigerating the mix before baking- the marbling looked perfect without it- and, unlike the first time i made it, i didn't whip the mixture "to make it fluffy." Apparently air is bad for cheesecakes. I was also very careful to make temperature changes gradual; starting with room temp cream cheese and eggs, not refrigerating the batter, and baking the cake at 325 instead of 350, with a pan of water set on the lowest rack of the oven to increase humidity in the oven. I let the cake bake a full 45 minutes before i even peeked (which, btw, it was hard not to look!) and then when the cake was still slightly soft and jiggly in the middle (around 55 mins), turned the oven off, propped open the door with a peice of full rolled up to keep the oven door about 2" open, and let it rest in the oven for about an hour. Moved to the counter, slid a knife around the edge, covered with a plate, rest another hour, and then rest in the fridge for about 4 more hours. Lots of resting! But in the end, this cake came out PERFECTLY, with not even a crack in site! the texture was exactly right for a cheesecake, and it was yummy, yummy, yumm

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
29 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Trish

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2008

I uploaded a pic. of mine; the pumpkin swirl came out brown, because I added brown sugar to that portion of the cheesecake, instead of white sugar. If you want it to look like traditional ‘pumpkin’ I’d recommend not using brown sugar in the pumpkin mix, as some have suggested. I doubled the crust, but would recommend doing 1 1/2 crust recipe; it was a little too thick doubled. I’d also cut back on the butter, it was coming through the bottom of the pan, so to me that means too much in the recipe. I added nearly all of the pumpkin from the 16oz can (so 12oz) for a richer pumpkin taste, and also added an extra 8oz of cream cheese and an extra egg; basically I did a recipe and a half of the filling. Taking others advice I added extra spices to jazz up the flavor. I baked it for 30 min at 350 and then reduced the heat and baked it at 320 for 70 min. I did get a crack on top, but I blame it on my husband who needed to use the oven to make his dinner after the cake was done, so I had to take it out right away and wasn't able to let the cake cool in the oven as I usually do. This has proven to be the trick to a non cracked cheesecake, for me; let it cool in the oven before removing. I wrapped the pan in foil and set in a larger pan filled with water. The flavor turned out great, it had a pumpkin pie taste with a little bit of cheesecake flavor and all the consistency of cheesecake. I got a good marble by layering the mix; started with laying the pumpkin on the bottom, th

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
4 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

KLEVANG

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Tacoma, Washington, USA

Living In: Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 10, 2008

This was excellent! I've made it twice both times it did crack on top but I think it was me and not the recipe so didn't hold it against my review. Wonderful taste, crust, just overall Yummy!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

toletiquesbysam

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Living In: Fremont, Nebraska, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 9, 2008

Made this for a fall-themed dinner the other night. It was okay. My husband really liked it and my guests professed to as well, but I think it needed more seasonings than I put in. I doubled the amounts and even threw in some pumpkin pie spice and yet, it still tasted bland to me. I used cinnamon graham crackers and pecans for the crust because I couldn't find any pre-made gingersnaps at my local grocery (which is tiny). I think I'll keep looking for my pumpkin cheesecake keeper.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

kTd86

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Fergus Falls, Minnesota, USA

Living In: Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA

My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews
Photos | Recipes | Blog

Reviewed: Nov. 9, 2008

This cheescake was delicious and everyone loved it!... I gave it four instead of 5 stars though because of it's appearance. I was sorry to see it cracked all around the outer rim. I also agree with the other reviews... 1 cup of white filling was too much to take out for the marble design, take out maybe 3/4 cup.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful