Easiest Pumpkin Layered Cheesecake

These cookies make the crust. Seriously the best crust ever! I got these at Trader Joes, but I know I've seen them in the grocery stores too.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

My friend Mary from work was looking at this Women's Day magazine and spotted this recipe on the front cover. We both made copies and am so excited to finally have made it. I ended up making a few changes in the cheesecake layer. This is such a treat because you don't bake it at all! For a no bake cheesecake, this one is worth trying. I'll be bringing it to my Thanksgiving dinner for sure. Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Layered Cheesecake with Ginger Lemon Cookie Crust

1 7 oz box Carrs Ginger Lemon Cremes Cookies (finely ground in food processor)

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

20 oz softened cream cheese

2/3 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

22 oz canned Pumpkin, (I used 1 1/2 cans of the 15oz size)

12 oz softned cream cheese

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1/4 Cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Caramel sauce to drizzle if desired

1. Spray a 8x13 inch springform pan (mine was a little bigger) with non stick cooking spray. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl and then press into bottom of springform pan.

2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust.

3. In same mixer, beat the pumpkin, cream cheese, sugars and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Spread over cream cheese layer. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm.

4. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.

You Can't Get Any Easier Than These!

Ok, so I'm addicted to making pumpkin cookies, I just had to try these. Thanks to Tricia and Lisa, I made these tasty and simple pumpkin cookies and added a few extras. Check these out, I've had about 10 today, pure heaven.

1 box spice cake mix
1 box yellow cake mix
2 15oz cans pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated, preferrably)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting
1 tub vanilla frosting
4 oz softened cream cheese
1 Tablespoon William Sonoma Vanilla Spice Butter (See puffy pumpkin cookie recipe below), you can leave out if you don't have it, but totally worth the trip.

1. Place cake mixes, pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon in a mixer and mix until well combined. With a cookie scoop, scoop onto a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees F. for 11-13 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool completely.

2. Mix frosting, cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, spread on cooled coookies. These cookies are great cold! Enjoy!

about 6 dozen cookies

Puffy Pumpkin Cookies with Spiced Vanilla Frosting

I Love anything with pumpkin and these cookies are really good. They almost look like a small cupcake. This Spiced Vanilla Butter from William Sonoma makes the BEST Frosting. You've got to try it. If you don't go out and buy it, you can always stick to the traditional cream cheese frosting.

Puffy Pumpkin Cookies

½ Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
½ Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 small can pumpkin
2 ½ Cups flour
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Frosting
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Spice Butter from William Sonoma (use butter if not using this)
2 ¼ Cups powdered sugar
Cinnamon to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars in a stand or electric mixer until creamy. Slowly add eggs and pumpkin, mixing until well combined.

2. Place flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add to wet mixture on low speed until just combined. With a cookie scoop, drop onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes. Let cool completely.

3. Whisk cream cheese and butters in a medium bowl. Slowly stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Frost cooled cookies and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

about 3 dozen