Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

A no-bake pumpkin cheesecake in a toasted pecan graham cracker crust.

Recipe Ingredients:

Crust:
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Pumpkin Filling:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
2 cups whipping cream, whipped

Cooking Directions:

1. For Crust: Combine pecans, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. For Pumpkin Filling: Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved.
3. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mix at medium speed until well blended. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and pumpkin; mix at medium speed until blended. Gradually add gelatin to cream cheese mixture and mix until blended. Chill cream cheese mixture until slightly thickened, approximately 20 minutes.
4. Fold in whipped cream; pour over crust. Chill until firm.

Makes 12 servings.

For Spider Web Decoration: Use cake decorating piping gel to draw concentric circles on surface of cheesecake. Take paring knife and draw lines from center of cheesecake outward (as if drawing spokes of a wheel). The gel will drag slightly, creating an illusion of movement.

For Spiders: Using pecan halves as spider bodies, attach small pieces of black or red licorice as legs. Place on top of cheesecake.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of the American Dairy Association.