25 Days of Treats: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

This was a fun pumpkin recipe I wanted to try. I decided to try it in muffin cups so I could have individual portions. Unfortunately, they do not come out. I think if I were to do it again, I would use the foil muffin cups.
Also, I used crushed up graham cracker (about 6 sheets), which worked out great because who has ginger snaps in their pantry? Not me.

None the less, it is very good and used up most of the enormous amount of cream cheese I procured from my mothe-in-law.Win win.

(This recipe is from the Kraft Food & Family magazine, so I was able to get a picture off the Kraft site so you can get an idea of what it should look like).

 Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake

 

25 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup  finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp.  vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup  canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp.  ground nutmeg

Dash ground cloves 

 

HEAT oven to 325°F
MIX crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 13x9-inch pan.
BEAT cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups batter. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.
SPOON half the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half the plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with knife.
BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

I would also suggest:

Line pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Use foil handles to lift chilled cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Or bake cheesecake in 9-inch springform pan instead, prepare as directed increasing the bake time to 55 min. to 1 hour 5 min or until center is almost set.