Momservation: To a kid pumpkin pie is just an excuse to eat whip cream.
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I’m going to give you the secret right now for a perfect Thanksgiving:
Dessert.
Your turkey can be dry, you gravy lumpy, and your stuffing can miss the mark, but if you wow them with dessert on Thanksgiving—all is forgiven.
Who’s going to care that you burned the crispy onion topping (really, the best part) on the green bean casserole when you finish with warm apple pie and ice cream or an amazing slice of pumpkin cheesecake in your hands.
That’s right. I said it. Pumpkin cheesecake. The. Way. To. Go. for Thanksgiving dessert.
Now I’m all for keeping things simple and easy or giving yourself one less thing to worry about during the holidays. Every year I bring home a frozen apple pie from our annual fall excursion up to Apple Hill to pass off as my own. I also order a lemon meringue from Marie Callender’s and would try to pass it off as my own, but I’m fooling no one that meringue is in my wheel house of culinary skills.
The point being, that if it makes your holidays less stressful to just order a pie for Thanksgiving, grab a fork and go for it. Pumpkin, apple, store bought or homemade—it’s all good.
But if you enjoy baking (way more fun than cooking a turkey I think) have I got the winning recipe for you for a delicious way to end your Thanksgiving meal! (Plus, you won’t have to worry about a last minute store run because you forgot the ice cream or whip cream for the pies.)
This pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Nestlé I consider pretty easy, it looks great when it’s done, and it tastes heavenly. Your pumpkin pie purists will even love it, because of the great pumpkin flavor.
Pumpkin Cheesecake 
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ½ cups graham-cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake
3 packages 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 15oz can pumpkin purée
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Topping
1 16oz sour cream at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Crust: Combine graham-cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes
Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat well. Pour into crust. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly
Topping: Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake (at 350 degrees) for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan.
I like to embellish with fall leaves (washed) and a mini-pumpkin pick.
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the journey.