Pumpkin-Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheescake filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup candied ginger (optional)

Pumpkin filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree (NOT filling)
• 1 cup light cream or evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• whipped cream (optional)
• chocolate chips (optional) or chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325. In an ungreased 9-inch glass pie dish, stir together graham cracker crumbs with butter with fork until moistened. Press mixture down with your hand to cover just the bottom of the dish. Bake crust 10 minutes. Let cool.

2. 2

   Raise oven temperature to 425. Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, candied ginger, and spoon onto cooled crust.

3. 3

   In medium-sized bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and spices. Add pumpkin, cream/evaporated milk, and eggs, whisk gently until smooth (avoid beating a lot of air into the mixture).

4. 4

   Place pie in oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and bake another 30-40 minutes. Remove pie from oven and let cool to room temp, then refrigerate at least 3 hours until serving.