Warning, warning!! This recipe is not healthy!

There, can’t say you haven’t been warned. 🙂 But seriously, this pumpkin cheesecake is pretty much the most amazing thing ever.  I found this one on myrecipes.com about two years or so ago. Usually I reserve this cheesecake for fall, often around Thanksgiving, but I’m going to a party and was tasked with a dessert and had everything on hand to make this. And really, is there ever a NOT good time to eat cheesecake? No, I didn’t think so.

So without further ado, here it is:

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramelized Pecan Topping

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients. Press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Bake crust at 325° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Beat cream cheese and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Pour mixture into prepared crust.
4. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until almost set. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife around edge of pan, and release sides. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours.
5. Stir together 3 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and pecans; spoon over top of cheesecake.
6. Broil 3 inches from heat for 2-3 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Watch it carefully! Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Store in refrigerator.