First off, I must begin by acknowledging that the topic of cheesecake is a somewhat contentious one. I myself love cheesecake, and would happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But many people loathe cheesecake, either on general principle, or because they dislike the texture, or because they dislike the sour notes of cream cheese. Nothing wrong with that, but it is something to take into account. 

 

I wouldn't make pumpkin cheesecake as the sole dessert for Christmas dinner, in other words. But if you are asked to bring something, and you know that other people will be bringing more traditional fare (to satisfy those who require pecan pie, for example), then why not go a little way off the beaten path and whip up a pumpkin cheesecake?

 

Unlike many other forms of cheesecake (where the flavor is either a swirl or a topping on plain cheesecake), pumpkin cheesecake is cheesecake made with the pumpkin puree and pie spices mixed right in. Basically, you are blending a pumpkin pie into a cheesecake. It's as delicious as it is unusual, at least in my experience. Whenever I have made one, people exclaim with surprise, perhaps because it looks so much like a pumpkin pie (albeit somewhat taller).

 

People stress out about baking cheesecake, but it really isn't as difficult as some people make it out to be. You don't necessarily need a stand mixer, although it certainly helps. I don't have one, myself, so I just take care to bring the cream cheese fully to room temperature before I start mixing, just as I would with butter in a cookie recipe.

 

Technically you need a springform pan to make a proper cheesecake. These are somewhat pricey items, and you can only use them to make cheesecake. How many cheesecakes do you plan to make in your life? Myself, I just bake the darned thing in my normal 9" deep dish pie plate. It turns out fine!

 

The most important thing with cheesecake is to let it cool slowly. It will continue to cook and set as it cools, and because of the density of the stuff, this can take quite a while. If you cool the cheesecake too fast, it will crack. Some people find this a fatal flaw, and shed tears. I shrug and call it "that hand-made touch." It doesn't affect the taste, so it's just a matter of how important looks will be to the presentation, and your audience.

 

Here are some great recipes to get you started: