Chocolate Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Just when you thought cheesecake couldn’t get any more delicious, we added a flavorful update from the bar: a generous shot of bourbon and a few dashes of aromatic bitters. The perfect end to a special meal.

PrepL 40 min | Total: 9 hr 35 min | Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (35 to 40 cookies)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling

• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons aromatic bitters
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Toppings

• 1/2 cup caramel topping
• 2 teaspoons bourbon
• Dash aromatic bitters
• Toasted pecans, if desired

Instructions

Crust

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan with shortening or cooking spray. Wrap outside bottom and side of pan with foil to prevent leaking.
2. In small bowl, mix all ingredients. Press mixture in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
4. Cool for 5 minutes.

Filling

1. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and creamy; do not over-beat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar, then flour, then eggs one at a time, just until blended.
2. Remove half of the cream cheese mixture (about 3 cups) into another large bowl; reserve.
3. Into remaining cream cheese mixture, stir 2 tablespoons of the bourbon, the pumpkin, 1 1/2 teaspoons bitters, the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg with whisk until smooth. Spoon over crust in pan.
4. Into reserved 3 cups filling, stir 2 tablespoons bourbon, the vanilla extract and melted chocolate; pour over pumpkin layer directly in middle of pan. This will create layers so that each slice includes some of each flavor.
5. To minimize cracking, place shallow pan half full of hot water on lower oven rack. Bake cheesecake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved.
6. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes longer.
7. Remove from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake.
8. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 30 minutes.
9. Cover loosely; refrigerate for at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
10. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cheesecake again; carefully remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate.

Toppings

1. Stir together caramel topping, 2 teaspoons bourbon and dash bitters.
2. To serve, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with pecans.
3. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

Notes

Expert Tips: The key to a smooth top on a cheesecake is using the correct oven temperature and bake time and beating the cream cheese mixture just until smooth.

Bitters are an intensely flavored blend of aromatic herbs, barks, flowers, seeds and roots. It is used in small amounts to flavor cocktails or foods. It comes in a variety of flavors and can be found at most liquor stores.

Nutrition

Per serving Calories 470 (Calories from Fat 250), Total Fat 28g (Saturated Fat 15g, Trans Fat 1g ), Cholesterol 115mg Sodium 350mg Total Carbohydrate 47g (Dietary Fiber 1g Sugars 34g), Protein 7g

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 40%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 8%; Iron 8%

Carbohydrate Choices: 3

Exchanges: 2 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 5 1/2 Fat

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Betty Crocker Kitchens