Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake
As a recent member of the Blogging Fifty group, I'm sharing this Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake with the Fifty and Fab blog hop! What is so special about being fifty? For starters, we are still alive! Just kidding...kind of. In my early teens, I thought being 50 is SO old and people shouldn't live past it. Oh my, have I changed my mind in a hurry when I turned 50! LOL.
Why do we think we are fabulous? We are the super generation. We are caretakers for our kids, grandchildren, AND our elderly parents while still working full-time. Even though our stamina is declining we are constantly challenging ourselves and striving to go beyond our full potentials. What’s not fabulous about that?
So, what does a cheesecake have to do with being fifty?
If you are following my little blog you probably know that I dislike hate baking. I hate measuring with all my heart and yet, the older I get the more I bake. I was always intimidated by cheesecakes; however, I like love to eat them. It would be easy to buy a cheesecake and call it a day.
But no! I might as well sit in a rocking chair all day long and knit. That's not how this grandma rocks. Sure, I know how to knit too but I'm not going down without learning how to make a cheesecake if it's the last thing I do! But it doesn't end with mastering the cheesecake. New challenges are awaiting me and I'm ready to tackle.
Turning fifty is not something you look forward to. But you can still make it fun. Find out how I celebrated it in this post. I know so many people who are 50+ and fabulous. They go parachuting, zip-lining, or bungee-jumping, you name it. I’m not that ambitious, thank you very much. But they also craft and create and inspire!
At my age, you don't believe that, at midnight, your pumpkin can turn into anything else but a cheesecake. Yet, you don't give up creating your fairy-tale. This goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake represents the can-do attitude many get in the autumn of their lives. Autumn, goat, pumpkin - get it? Here's to all of us Fifty and Fab!!!
Ingredients:
- vanilla wafers
- pecans
- brown sugar
- ground cloves
- ground nutmeg
- ground ginger
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- butter
- goat cheese
- granulated sugar
- cream cheese
- eggs
- pumpkin puree
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
Roasted pears (optional):
- pear (Bosc or Bartlett)
- pure maple syrup
How to make it:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor, pulse cookies and pecans until finely ground (it makes about 2 cups). Add sugar, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt and butter; pulse until combined.
- Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden and set. Cool completely before filling.
- Meanwhile, with an electric mixer set on low speed, beat together the goat cheese and sugar. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low speed after each is added. Combine the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until the mixture is very smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan; the center should be still soft. Cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Roasted pears (optional):
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Slice pear lengthwise ⅛-inch thick (I used a mandoline slicer, but a knife works well too).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat with cooking spray. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Roast until pears are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and heat the broiler. Brush pears with remaining syrup and broil until browned in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool.
- Arrange pear slices, overlapping slightly, on cheesecake.
Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 6 oz. about 46 vanilla wafers
- 2 oz. pecans
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon butter melted
- 6 oz. crumbled goat cheese
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Roasted pears (optional):
- 1 large pear Bosc or Bartlett
- 4 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor, pulse cookies and pecans until finely ground (it makes about 2 cups). Add sugar, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and butter; pulse until combined.
- Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden and set. Cool completely before filling.
- Meanwhile, with an electric mixer set on low speed, beat together the goat cheese and sugar. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low speed after each is added. Combine the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until the mixture is very smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan; the center should be still soft. Cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Roasted pears (optional):
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Slice pear lengthwise ⅛-inch thick (I used a mandoline slicer, but a knife works well too).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat with cooking spray. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Roast until pears are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and heat the broiler. Brush pears with remaining syrup and broil until browned in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool.
- Arrange pear slices, overlapping slightly, on cheesecake.
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Wow this is so beautiful!
Thank you, Laura!
What an amazing sounding combination of flavors! Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing at Friday Frenzy Link Party! PINNED!
Hi, Kelly! It really tastes amazing. 🙂
You always make things to look easy! Gorgeous photos for a very delicious cheescake 🙂 Thank you for sharing at Sweet Inspiration Link Party 🙂
You are too sweet, Christina! Thank you so much! XO
Congratulations on the big 50 and for a lady that hates baking Jas you make the most delicious cakes
I like to challenge myself because I'm crazy like that, haha. Thanks for the birthday wishes, 52 in less than a month (this is an old post). 😉
This looks so wonderful! Love the photos of the finished cheesecake! Just delicious! I will be trying this week!
Thank you, Stacey! I hope you like it! 😀
I'm way past 50 and life is good! What a unique sounding cheesecake with the goat cheese and the pears. I'm sure it's delicious! I struggle with food photos, but yours are always great. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe at Party in Your PJ's. I pinned to my dessert board and shared.
1
Thank you, Teresa, it means a lot! Your food photos are good too! You can increase the vibrance and contrast to make them pop a little and you're golden. 🙂 Have a happy Thanksgiving!
50 does sound old until you are way past it! 🙂 This looks delicious! I'm sure the goat cheese adds a wonderful flavor. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
So true, Jann! The goat cheese just lifts the flavor of this cake, it doesn't overpower it at all 🙂
This cheesecake looks so creamy! Thanks for sharing at The Blogger’s Pit Stop! Roseann from http://www.thisautoimmunelife.com
Oh, it is definitely creamy! 😀 Thanks for visiting, Roseann!
The pears on top make a wonderful presentation, fabulous! Thank you for bringing it to FF.
Thank you so very much!
Your Cheesecake is just beautiful! What a great syrup to have on hand with winter coming on. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Come to next weeks Thanksgiving party on Tuesday at 8:00 am, CST, see you then!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen! Glad you like it!
This is a gorgeous cheesecake, Jas! I love the roasted pears on top. You're really making me think about trying my hand at cheesecake again!
You should! If I can do it, everyone can! I don't even like baking, ha!
That cheesecake is a thing of beauty! I'm not the biggest fan of cheesecake. Not that I don't like it, but it's not high on my list. However, goat cheese makes every one of my lists. You hooked me with the darn goat cheese!!! This is on my to do list and soon!
Haha, sorry...not sorry! I love meeting more people that love goat cheese! I have few recipes on the blog that uses it, the latest a flatbread pizza with goat cheese as a base. You'd love it! Even the people that turn their noses up at goat cheese loved it. You can find it on my home page, just scroll down a bit 😀
I hope I have your fantastic, upbeat attitude when I turn 50! I've always felt like age was just a number, and it's what you do with your life at that time that matters most!
This recipe sounds simply amazing! I'm a nut about goat cheese so I was excited to see it as the base of your cheesecake. How delicious!
So true, Heather! The only problem with age is that your head thinks you're 20 and your body says you're 100, LOL.
Happy you like goat cheese. It's not everyone's forte 🙂 Thanks for stopping in!
This looks like it could become a new holiday tradition - it looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner Link up.
Thank you, Helen! It easily could 🙂
I bet that goat cheese gives it a beautiful tang! I love the presentation. Thanks for sharing with us this week at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
It does. Even the non goat cheese lovers liked it.
Hi Jas, I'm making my way through the fiftyandfab posts slowly, but surely. I love your humor and your photography and I'm sure I would LOVE that cheesecake. Keep up the fun attitude!
Thanks, Pam! I still have many posts to visit myself, but I'll get there 🙂 Hope your weekend is fabulous!
This right up my alley. I love anything pear, will keep the recipe booked marked
Maria
Fun fact: I love cooking with pears but dislike eating them fresh. It's a weird fact, actually. Ha!
Oh my word! This looks perfect for fall. Everything I love combined into one amazing desert. Pinned!
Thank you, Kati! Hope your week is wonderful!
That a pumpkin won't turn into anything but a cheesecake, that's good!! I agree, 50 did seem so old back when I wasn't near it. I think we're realizing we don't have to be out grandmas...yet. Your cheesecake is to die for. You had me at goat cheese!
Hi, Amy! You are right, we are not our grandmas yet, but our grandkids probably beg to differ, ha. You're either a goat cheese lover or a hater, no one is in between 🙂 Thank you for stopping in and have a great week!
Wow that looks delicious! And I no longer eat sweets so this was very hard to turn away from. You're photography is beautiful as well 🙂
What a compliment! Thank you, Anne! I wish I could stay away from sweets 🙁
Hi Jas! As another Blogging Fiftier, I'm checking out ALL the posts from our blog hop, tho I usually skip over the ones having to do with food. OK, I'm embarrassed to admit it...I not only hate to cook, but baking comes under that heading too, right?? Plus I'm trying desperately to shed some pounds, but your cheesecake looks SO GOOD! I would love to have a piece. I hate to cook, but obviously that doesn't apply to eating! I also checked out how you celebrated your 50th! Happy belated! You look much too young to be 50. This was a fun post to read! Yes, I pinned it b/c I have one board having to do with food...only 1 out of 76 other ones. LOL
Hi, Florence! Well, in that case I feel extra honored 😀 Believe it or not, I hated food (you read that right) until I got pregnant with my daughter. I'm not a heavy person but I'm heavier now than I was at 9-month pregnant.
No need to feel embarrassed for skipping food blogs. No shame in that - we all have different interests. Thanks for stopping in and pinning my cake to your only food board! I'm thrilled!!!
Jas, you are so cool, you know that 50 is the new 30 right?? I am a strong believer of that, cause I'm turning 40 next January and so that means that those are the new 20s lol! Anyway, who cares about age, it matters how you feel inside, at least that's what my mom always said and now I know what she meant! Your cheesecake looks stunning, as all of your recipes, and this one comes in the right time for fall with the touch of pumpkin, I know I'd love it!
Thank you, Katrin! It is true what your mom said. In my head I feel like 30, but my body doesn't always agree, lol. I don't mind looking old, I hate those aches and pains. Oh, well...it beats the alternative, right? Hope you have a wonderful weekend! XO
OMG that is one inspiring cheesecake!! It's gorgeous... 🙂 And I'm sure delicious as well. Yep, being 50 can be totally fabulous!!
Thank you, Lory, I like everything that's out of ordinary. Yep, being 50 beats the alternative, lol. 🙂
Loved finding you on the Fabulous Fifty group (have to find you and join on Facebook) - but now you've got another fan and I'm definitely going to try one of your cheesecakes!
Aw, thank you Laura! Will stalk you for sure 😀
Jas you are so funny. Only you can take goats, pumpkins and cheese and combine it with the fall of our lives. Haha. I have been experimenting with my girl and we are trying to make bake cheesecakes not the easy ones. So we will definitely be relying on your superwoman recipe here. Btw, the idea that you are a grandmother is just impossible. You look way too young to be a grandma. Or grandmothers don't look like they used to! Pinned it twice!
I get pinned twice?!! Once for each time I'm a grandmother? Whoo-hoo! THANKS!!!
You caught that, hehe. I didn't think of it originally, Mary. As I was writing the post I thought, what a coincidence! In my country we associate goats and pumpkins with being old, then it's fall season and we're talking about autumn of our lives. There you have it. Did you know that word pumpkin originated from the Greek word Pepõn? Now my favorite movie "my big fat Greek wedding" makes sense, haha!
Hugs!
Pepon, or peponi is the greek word for melon. It never ends haha!
Ha ha, I love it! 😀
Bake? I don't even cook anymore! It's one of the perks of getting old and living alone. Your goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake is beautiful!
I enjoyed reading your Fab 50 post Jas!
gail
I don't know if I could give up cooking all together, Gail. Maybe if I lived alone...Growing up, mom always put homemade meal on the table, although she worked full-time. It's in my veins, lol. I don't always enjoy cooking, though, so I try to make enough meals ahead of time. That way I free up my evenings after work to visit grandchildren, blog, garden, or whatever. Thanks for taking the time to read my post 🙂
I'll never ever believe you hate baking, Jas! If you love unpacking and count the pieces of clothes then you would/should enjoy measuring ingredients...LOL
At 50 you ARE absolutely fabulous with loads of energy and so much love to give and not looking a day of being 40. Forget 50! Not to mention such a gorgeous and sexy looking Grandma too! 😀 😀 😀 I am so honoured and blessed to know you, Grams Jas! *muuacks*
Funny that I've been thinking of what-can-I-do-with-pumpkin-thoughts lately! Heheh! And for sure I've never thought of using goat cheese for cheesecake. That's such a great idea!!! I'm gonna be packing up the fats on my hips...
Hehe...that's where I store my fat and only take photos above them, to full people into believing I'm sexy, haha. And I still dislike baking....
Thank you for your kind words, Ann! I am happy and blessed to know you! You bring joy and smarts to my life 😛
Jas, This looks so delicious! I LOVE to bake and I'll be printing this off and pinning it. The pears on top really make it! I've bakes cheesecakes before and even a pumpkin one, but none ever had goat cheese in it. I'm excited to try this.
Thank you, Carol! If you really like goat cheese, you can add 8 oz. Although I love it, I found its flavor in a cake was a bit too strong, so I only used 6 oz. this time. Hope you do give it a try 🙂 Thanks for stopping in!
OH that looks so good, I enjoy baking but have never tried a cheesecake. It is now on my bucket list and pinned to my Sweet Stuff board.
Glad I could inspire you. It's not as hard as it seems, although, it does take time and patience. If I can do it, anyone can 😀
This looks absolutely divine and I look forward to trying it. I'm so happy I found you via Wonderful Wednesday's, so nice to discover the over 50 and fab community. I'm 61 and loving it!
Hi, Sandra! Good for you for loving your age. We can't do anything about it, so might as well embrace it and make the best of it, right? Thanks for stopping in! Wishing you a wonderful day!
Jas, so happy to find you in this 50 and over party! You are one of the first 50 and over ladies I met along side of Katherine our dear friend. Love your recipes always.
Hugs
Maria
Hi, beautiful! Right back at ya! I'm always amazed and inspired by your classy designs! XOXO
Jas, you can send a slice of that delicious looking goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake this direction, please. It would be perfect as I sit here enjoying my morning coffee. You summed up life in one's fifties in a nutshell in your second paragraph. We need to grow extra arms in our 50's for all the directions we are pulled in. I'm your newest follower on social media and pinning to share!
Thank you, Marie! I think we all feel the same at this age, no matter our background. Nice to have something in common, right? Thanks for stopping by and following. I'll be stalking you for some great DIY ideas 😀
Hi Jas,
Your cheesecake looks delicious! I'm a big fan of goat cheese and cheesecake too for that matter but who isn't. I love the fact that you thought 50 was sooo old when you were young, and I'm sure we all did. Funny thing, the older I get the younger every decade seems.
You are absolutely right! That's why with age comes wisdom, right? They say 50 is the youth of old age, so I'd say we are young and wise, ha!
My word this cheesecake is a beauty! Hey, you are reading my mind about being 50 as actually ...clearing my throat ...lol I will hit that milestone this weekend. 50 is Fabulous. I love the lighting in your photos and how the pears are glistening. I am so glad you share your passion with us. Get that kettle going Jas as I will be right over to sample a piece of this delicious cheesecake.
Ha, just say when...this weekend? It could be your birthday cake! 🙂 Hope you have the time of your life celebrating your milestone! Wishing you abundance of happiness and everything your heart desires! XOXOXO