Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

Yes please! Right I know, if you read yesterday's post, you know this recipe was created in a funny situation of not having certain ingredients- but trust me that doesn't matter. Because it's currently sitting in my fridge on it's beautiful pedestal that I've placed it on and I can guarantee you it won't be there tomorrow. It's creamy, it's flavorful, it's light, the crust is moist, and dark, and delicious AND IT'S SO silly easy to make. Like I said, born out of desperation, we used our leftover pumpkin cookies for the cookie part of the crust, but if you don't feel like making those to then just crush them up, I don't blame you. In that case, use boxed vanilla wafers. It'll still be amazing, trust me. Have a Halloween party, host the neighborhood families over for dessert after the fall parade, whatever... and serve this. It's the only thing you'll need to prepare for your guests to leave happy, full and in a chocolate wonderland.

You'll Need:

• 2 & 1/2 blocks (8 oz. blocks) cream cheese
• heaping 1/2 cup (4 oz.) pumpkin
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Crust:

• 1 & 1/2 cup pumpkin cookies, crumbled/crushed (alternately use vanilla wafers)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup dark or regular cocoa
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Make the crust first. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients really well until it forms a black crumbly paste. Press it into the bottom of your spring form pan that's LOCKED AND READY TO GO. Set aside and preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Melt your two cups of chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one assuring the chocolate doesn't burn. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk.

In a separate, larger bowl, combine the cream cheese and pumpkin with an electric mixer, then add in the chocolate mixture and blend well.

Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy... yes you'll have little cream cheese, pumpkin lumps and that's okay, it actually make the cheesecake really pretty when you slice into it.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until the top gets a little cracked and puffed! Let it cool in the fridge for a few hours before serving!

xox