? 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
? 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, the plain puree)
? 3/4 cup white sugar
? 1 teaspoon cinnamon
? ½ teaspoon ginger
? ¼ teaspoon clove
? ¼ teaspoon cardamom
? ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
? ¼ teaspoon allspice
? 2 teaspoons vanilla
Ingredients for the crust:
? 2 cups gingersnap crumbs (You can make homemade gingersnap cookies and crush them up, or just use a boxed brand. My family used to use Sweetzels spiced wafers, because they were cheap, and we were not affluent. Now that I bake, I make my own.)
? 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
?½teaspoon ground cinnamon
?¼teaspoon ginger
? ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
? ¼ teaspoon allspice
? Pinch of cloves (Be very light on the pinching! Too much clove will overpower.)
? 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Method:
? Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
? Combine gingersnap crumbs, brown sugar, spices, and melted butter until you form a crumbly dough.
? Press the crumbly mixture into the bottom of the pans and tap down until you create an even layer.
? Pop these pans with the crust in the freezer for about twenty minutes while you make the filling.
? In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream until it reaches the stiff peak stage (between 3-5 minutes). Be careful not to overbeat or you’ll end up with something like butter.
? Set the whipped cream aside. If you only have one stand mixer bowl (I only have one, but I want another one for Christmas), just scrape the whipped cream into a bowl and set aside. You don’t have to wash out the bowl, because you’re going to mix all of this together anyway.
? In a mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin puree, white sugar, spices, and vanilla at medium speed until you get a beautiful, smooth mixture.
? Gently fold whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until evenly combined.
? Spread filling evenly into pie crust.
? Refrigerate until firm, 3 to 4 hours.
