I honestly don’t wake up in the morning and think, “Hmmm, how can I make all of our cholesterol levels go dangerously high today?” Yet, it happens. Again, and again, and again. Which is why I knew when I picked up a can of organic pumpkin puree from Trader Joe’s something amazing and totally artery clogging was going to happen this weekend. And it did!

The fact is I need to practice my gluten-free graham cracker crust for the holidays (Grandma’s Graham Cracker Pie recipe coming in time for Thanksgiving), so a brunch where a gluten-free dessert was requested was the perfect time to test it out. Also, who doesn’t love spreading the heart attack risk around more than one family? So I grabbed Kinnikinnick S’Moreables Graham Style Crackers and crushed ’em up like so.

This particular recipe also called for two tablespoons of flour, so I used my new standby of King Arthur’s all-purpose gluten-free flour. It was a gluten-free match made in heaven. And this is what a pumpkin cheesecake looks like after you’ve mixed all the ingredients and poured it into your springform.

A word of warning when you go to the store. This recipe calls for three (3) 8 oz packages of cream cheese. Three!!! Oh my god, I don’t know if my people are going to make it to 2012 without a major heart-related illness.

Here’s how you can do the same thing in your house.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

adapted from Paula Deen/Food Network

Prep time:  10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Chill time: 4 hours

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

4. Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Makes: 8 servings