I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones, and pumpkin risotto, but I hate pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin coffee creamer, and everything else that has taken the humble pumpkin and turned it into something completely unnatural.  So now, let me say that I feel like a complete hypocrite. 

In planning my holiday menu, I had an idea for a pumpkin pie that I thought everyone would like…everyone minus me.  The filling mixed up quickly; the pie baked up beautifully.  As usual, I “taste” everything that I make.  Holy CRAP!  It was really good.  There was none of the clove flavor that I hate, none of the pastey, mushiness that I despise, and none of the squishiness that makes me gag. (TMI?) No, it was a cross between a pumpkin pie and a dulce de leche cheesecake…no clove, no nutmeg, no ginger, no baby-food texture.  I actually ate a WHOLE slice.

Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

Crust

2 ½ c. cinnamon graham cracker crumbs

3 TBSP sugar

4 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp cinnamon

Filling

8 oz. cream cheese-softened

4 eggs

1 can dulce de leche

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 can sweetened condensed milk

15 oz. can pumpkin

3 tsp cinnamon

½ c. cream or half n half

Topping

¾ c. chopped pecans

½ c. brown sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.  Press into a 10″ deep pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in dulce de leche, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Beat in pumpkin and cream.

Pour into cooled crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

While baking, stir together brown sugar and pecans.

To check for doneness by sticking a wet knife in the center.  When the knife comes out “almost” clean, add topping around edges, and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Allow to cool before refrigerating.