Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Our first restaurant, The Purple Parrot, served many memorable dishes. This Pumpkin Cheesecake is one of those. When we do our Monthly Pop-ups, this is always a popular request.

Ingredients

1½ pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
Pinch salt
5 eggs
4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp allspice

Crust
2 ¼  cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup melted butter
½ cup sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Place softened cream cheese in large mixing bowl and beat using paddle attachment on medium speed until VERY smooth. Scrape sides and beat again to ensure there are no lumps.

Add sugar and mix well. Add in eggs and yolks a few at a time, allowing them to incorporate well before adding more.

Place the mixer on slow speed and add vanilla, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Blend well for another 2-3 minutes.

Crust

Combine crumbs, cinnamon and sugar and mix by hand Add butter in stages, mixing well before each addition.

Evenly distribute the crust in a ten-inch spring form pan, pressing it firmly on the bottom of the pan, and building crust up two inches on the sides of the pan.

Pour in the cheesecake batter and bake for 1-1 1 /2 hours. The cheesecakes should jiggle slightly when tapped.

Remove and cool refrigerate overnight before serving.

To cut, run a thin knife under hot water before cutting each slice.

Yield: 10-14 servings

Recent Recipes

Apple French Toast

French toast has been a favorite since childhood—probably one of the first things I could make on my own. Pancakes were my grandmother Muz’s domain, but French toast was all mine. King’s Hawaiian Bread is always a solid choice, but if you can find a bakery that makes fresh brioche or sweet sourdough, grab it. Never been shy about my love for apples, especially Honey Crisp and Fuji. Apple pie’s always been my go-to, but this recipe takes the best part of apple pie and turns it into breakfast.

Read more

Pie Dough

This crust has been the base for countless savory pies over the years. The key is keeping the butter ice-cold and giving the dough enough time to rest in the refrigerator. For a little twist, add 1 tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper or 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives to the flour mixture.

Read more

Denver Omelet Quiche

I love quiche. To me, it’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the morning, it’s perfect with fresh fruit. At lunch or dinner, it pairs well with a light salad. Never use the pre-shredded cheese in plastic bags from the dairy case. It's dusted with cellulose, which messes with the texture and flavor. Always grate cheese from a block. It’s an extra step but it will save money and taste so much better.

Read more