Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Biscoff Crust

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Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only four days away? November is flying by...

In my family it's a given that I will be bringing dessert to the big meal. Actually, I'm cooking most of the big meal and the desserts. It's practically a law that pumpkin has to be on the dessert table but only a few of my brood will eat pumpkin pie so I wanted to make something this year that kept me in compliance with Thanksgiving Law but more of my family could enjoy.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake it is. Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Biscoff Crust to be exact.

I've been itching to make a crust with Biscoff cookies and it was perfect here. I loved the spiciness of the cookies against the smooth cheesecake. Gingersnaps or a traditional graham cracker crust would be great too. Because the star here is the filling.

I like my cheesecake to be firm, but not dense, creamy, but not spongy. Using a mixture of cream cheese and mascarpone provides exactly the texture I love. A small layer of pumpkin cheesecake is the first layer and then returns to provide the swirl, and the pretty, to the finished cake. The pumpkin is very subtle here and should satisfy the pumpkin lovers and fool the pumpkin haters.

In the spirit of efficiency I made the cheesecake early and popped in the freezer. I couldn't wait that long to taste it though. I had to check to see if it was worthy of serving my guests, didn't I? Mini cheesecake to the rescue. I love this cheesecake and don't know if I can wait four days to have my second serving. I hope you will give it a try and that you and your family love it too!

Here are a few other recipes that are the perfect ending to your holiday feast:

Ginger Custard Pumpkin Pie - a spicy, rich riff on traditional pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce - one of my favorite desserts, ever

Apple Pear Cranberry Honey Creme Mini Pies - I will be making these delectable pies too

Sweet Potato Bread with Orange Glaze - so easy and so delicious

Pecan Pie Cookies - addictive, pop-in-your-mouth versions of the classic

Chocolate Pudding - nontraditional, but I need some chocolate this year and these puddings are like chocolate crack

Linking to:

Thanksgiving Traditions

Foodie Friday

Joy of Desserts

A Themed Baker's Sunday

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Biscoff Crust

crust recipe via Bakerella

cheesecake recipe adapted via Kokocooks

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed Biscoff cookies, about 27 cookies

3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

4 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 large egg yolks

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup pumpkin puree

Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by cover the bottom and up the sides with aluminum foil to catch any drips. Place pan on baking sheet.

Prepare crust by combining cookies, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press mixture into 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, sugar, and flour in large bowl and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Scrap down sides of bowl and beat again. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. It helps to scrape down the sides of the bowl often as well to ensure that there aren't any lumps in the batter. Add vanilla and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk two egg yolks. Add in cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and pumpkin puree and stir until well combined. Add in about 1 1/2 cups of cheesecake batter and stir until no streaks remain in mixture.

Pour 3/4 of pumpkin mixture over crust. Add cheesecake batter. Dollop on remaining pumpkin mixture. Take a small knife (a butter or paring knife is fine) and gently pull it through the dollops of pumpkin, turning your hand to create a marbled, or swirl pattern.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, adjust oven temperature to 300 degrees and cook for another hour. Do not open the oven door during the hour. After one hour, turn off the oven. Open the oven door slightly and leave cheesecake in the oven to finish for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Once cooled, gently slide a paring knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen from the pan. Remove the side of the springform pan and place cheesecake in refrigerator until ready to serve.