Get a jump on Thanksgiving baking

One of the most stressful aspects of cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner is trying to bake pies early enough so you can get the turkey in the oven on time. Why not try something new this year — like this easy pumpkin cheesecake?

Make this cake the day before the dinner. It’s a simple  mix-and-chill recipe, you don’t need to use the oven at all. I adapted it from one I found online at Better Homes and Gardens.

No-bake pumpkin swirl cheesecake

3/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 15-ounce can pumpkin

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup orange juice

Mix the crushed graham crackers and melted butter until the crackers are moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Cover and chill while preparing the filling.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine one 8-ounce package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of milk, the vanilla and the orange zest. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Combine the two other 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, the pumpkin, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and the pumpkin pie spice. Blend with a mixer until smooth.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over the orange juice and let it stand for five minutes. Cook and stir over low heat until the gelatin is dissolved.

Stir one tablespoon of the gelatin mixture into the white cream cheese mixture. Stir the rest of the gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.

Chill both the pumpkin mixture and the cream cheese mixture for at least an hour.

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the chilled crust in the pan. Carefully pour the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin mixture. Using a table knife, swirl the two mixtures together, being careful not to disturb the crust.

Cover and chill overnight. To serve, loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the springform pan and then remove the sides. Slice and serve. This cake is rich and can serve 12.

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