Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Pie

Baked in a pecan-shortbread crust, this blend of cream cheese, pumpkin and spices is easy to put together and even easier to eat!

Makes: 8 servings

Pecan Shortbread Cookie Crust:
1 1/2 cups lightly packed crushed shortbread cookies with pecans (16 cookies)
3 tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Gold Medal� all-purpose flour
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tablespoon milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients until crumbly. Press firmly on bottom and side of ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake about 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

In large bowl, beat sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and both packages of cream cheese with electric mixer on low speed until smooth; reserve 1/2 cup. Add all remaining filling ingredients except milk to cream cheese mixture. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl constantly, until smooth. Pour into crust.

In small bowl, mix reserved 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture and the milk. Spoon over pumpkin mixture. Cut through cream cheese and pumpkin mixtures with knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pie plate one-fourth turn and repeat. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Cool 30 minutes. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 510 (Calories from Fat 270 ); Total Fat 30 g (Saturated Fat 15 g); Cholesterol 140 mg; Sodium 240 mg; Total Carbohydrate 55 g (Dietary Fiber 2 g); Protein 9 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 100 %; Vitamin C 2 %; Calcium 6 %; Iron 14 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Special Touch:
There's really no need to garnish this stunning marbled pie, but if you can't resist, just add a dollop of whipped cream, a chocolate leaf or an edible flower.

Variation:
Put a slightly different spin on this pumpkin delight by using a store-bought graham cracker crumb crust instead of the cookie crumb crust you make yourself.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved