
I’ve been bragging for the last week or so about how I’m going to whip up an epic pumpkin cheesecake topped with bourbon cream for the massive Thanksgiving potluck we’re having here at the Shady Dell tomorrow. So this evening, accompanied by one of my favorite retro music playlists for baking (check it out below the recipe), my friends Jen and Justin let me loose in Dot’s Diner.

- Jen and Justin in Dot’s Diner
I actually borrowed this recipe from Rachelle Lucas, a fellow Travel Channel shortform journalist/innkeeper/foodie extraordinaire. When she’s not filming for the Travel Channel, Rachelle and her husband run an inn in Florida and she blogs about her favorite recipes from her favorite bed and breakfasts. Check out her website, Inn the Kitchen!

- Me at Dot’s Diner
So without further ado, I present my soon-to-be-legendary pumpkin cheesecake!!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then…
Mix together the following ingredients:
THE CRUST:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely ground ginger snaps
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4-6 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
Tip: If you don’t have a food processor (like I don’t), you can put the graham crackers and ginger snaps in a sealed plastic bag and crush them with your hands or a rolling pin.
Press the crumb mixture firmly into a pan. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, bake it for 10 minutes and then let the crust cool on a wire rack while you make the filling. Now for the ingredients that make this cheesecake extra special…

- My Kitchen Friends: Jack Daniels and Pureed Pumpkin
THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
Two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
3 large eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Note on pumpkin puree: Pumpkins retain a lot of water, and in order to make the cheesecake firm you’ll need to drain some of that water out. Place a few paper towels on the counter, scoop the pumpkin puree onto the towels, cover it with several more paper towels and then pat it to remove the excess water.

After draining the pumpkin, mix the cream cheese and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and pumpkin, then add the spices and vanilla.
Pour your filling onto the crust, fill a separate cake pan with water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven to keep the oven moist. Pop your cheesecake in the oven and let it bake for an hour. Let it cool for an hour, then cover and place it in the fridge for the night.
While your cake is baking, it’s on to the super simple bourbon cream topping!!!
BOURBON CREAM TOPPING
One 16 oz container sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp bourbon (I doubled this and used 2 tsp after tasting)
Beat together the sour cream and the sugar. Add the bourbon and taste:

Jen Says, "More Bourbon!!"
I’m planning to serve the bourbon cream on the side tomorrow. I’ll also post some photos of the cheesecake served up with the cream at our grand celebration!
My Vintage Music Playlist:
When I bake I love listening to this vintage music playlist, inspired by the Shady Dell, where life remains frozen in the 50’s:
- Moonlight Serenade (Glenn Miller version)
- At Last (Etta James)
- Blue Moon (Mel Torme)
- Moon River (Henry Mancini)
- Trust in Me (Etta James)
- Beyond the Sea (Bobby Darin)
- Black Coffee (Sarah Vaughan)
- Sleepwalk (Santo and Johnny)
- Lover Man (Billie Holliday)
- My Dearest Darling (Etta James)
- Sincerely (The Moonglows)
- I Love You For Sentimental Reasons (Nat King Cole)
- Body and Soul (Coleman Hawkins)
- Misty Blue (Dorothy Moore)
- Feeling Good (Nina Simone)
- My Baby Just Cares for Me (Nina Simone)
- These Arms of Mine (Otis Redding)
- Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (Duke Ellington and his Orchestra)