Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake

This is one of my husband's FAVORITE desserts!  Our friend Heather introduced us to it and we haven't looked back since! My husband recently returned on R&R and in order to avoid spending all the time in the kitchen I pre-cooked, pre-baked, etc.  I have to say this dessert froze beautifully!!!  It would even be great to make and eat half, freeze half for later company etc.....just a thought!  Hopefully you enjoy it as much as we do!

Pumpkin-Toffee Cheesecake

Crust:
¼ cup melted butter
1 ¾ cups finely crushed pecan-shortbread (like Pecan Sandies)
1/3 cup toffee bits (Heath brand; if you can't find plain toffee bits, the chocolate toffee bits work fine)

Cheesecake:
3 (8-oz.) pkg cream cheese
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 TB cornstarch
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup toffee bits

Topping:
2 cups sour cream
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup caramel syrup
1/3 cup toffee bits

Heat oven to 350° F

For crust, combine butter & cookie crumbs; stir and press into bottom and up edges of 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle 1/3 cup toffee bits on crust; bake 6-8 min; set aside to cool



For cheesecake, combine cream cheese with brown sugar and 1 cup sugar until creamy. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until smooth. Beat in cornstarch and pie spice. Stir in cream and 2/3 cup toffee bits. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake about 1 ¼ hours or until nearly set; center will slightly jiggle when shaken.



For topping, mix sour cream, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla. Remove cake from oven; spread topping on warm cake. Return to oven; bake an additional 8 minutes. Do not brown. Turn oven off; leave cake in oven 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan; place on cake platter



Just before serving, drizzle 1/3 cup caramel syrup over cake; top with 1/3 cup toffee bits. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.  Store in refrigerator.

To freeze:
Cool cheesecake in the fridge overnight before wrapping and freezing. I just put it in the fridge the night before and it thaws beautifully!