If you are a cheesecake fan, then you will fall in love with this delicious creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake. A lightly spiced pumpkin crust and a dreamy cheesecake filling.
Let’s discuss this delectably delicious pumpkin cheesecake. First of all, I refer to this recipe as one of my holy grail recipes because, in my opinion, this cheesecake is absolutely the best.
This Pumpkin Cheesecake is the holy grail of 1. Cheesecakes 2. Pumpkin everything, and 3. Fall desserts. I mean, with that triple threat, you really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
We have a homemade crust that I spiced lightly with some pumpkin pie spice which, if you haven’t done before, I highly recommend because it gives it such a wonderful flavor.
I’m a pumpkin lover by nature and don’t necessarily think that it just has to be a fall thing, but definitely, it is most popular in the fall, so that is when we make this Pumpkin Cheesecake the most.
Some of our other favorite pumpkin recipes we have on our site include Caramel Pumpkin Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With staple pantry ingredients, this recipe is a breeze to make.
- It serves a crowd as you can cut as large or as small slices as you’d like.
- It has the perfect ration of pumpkin flavor as it is swirled with regular vanilla cheesecake, so nothing too overpowering.
- Topped with homemade cinnamon whipped cream. The perfect pairing!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
Graham cracker crumbs
Unsalted butter
Pumpkin spice
Light brown sugar
Salt
Cream cheese
Eggs
Egg yolk
Sour cream
Granulated sugar
All-purpose flour
Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Pure pumpkin puree
Stabilized cinnamon whipped cream
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, pumpkin spice, brown sugar, and salt until well combined. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and whip until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Whip until combined.
- Take 1/3 of the mixture and add it to a small bowl, set aside.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice into the first bowl, and whip until combined. Pour half of this mixture over the graham cracker crumbs, smooth evenly.
- Add 3/4 of the vanilla cheesecake mixture on top, and smooth out evenly.
- Add the remaining pumpkin cheesecake mixture on top of the vanilla, smooth out evenly, be careful and make sure to cover up all the vanilla mixture.
- Using a teaspoon and the remaining vanilla cheesecake, make small dollops all over the top.
- Take a toothpick and swirl through the dollops to make a pretty pattern.
- Wrap the outside of the springform pan in a double layer of foil and then place it in a roasting pan with 1-2 inches of hot water.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until the center is just slightly jiggly. Once done baking, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside the water bath with the door closed for 40-60 minutes.
- Then remove it from the water bath and let it finish cooling on the counter completely before transferring it to the fridge to set for 8 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve with the cinnamon whipped cream, or topping of your choice.
WHAT SIZE PAN DO I NEED?
This is made in a 9-inch springform pan. This makes a thick cheesecake, so this will make it thick, if you want a thinner cheesecake, you can also use a 10-inch springform pan as well.
HOW LONG DOES THIS NEED TO COOL?
This Pumpkin Cheesecake needs a full 8 hours to cool so it can set up properly. If you do not let it cool all the way, it can still be jiggly and slightly wet in the middle.
Make sure that you take the extra time to do that, that makes this dessert a great make-ahead treat.
WHY DO I NEED A WATER BATH?
This helps release moisture into the oven while this is baking and helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking. We absolutely love water baths for this reason.
If you do not have a pan that is big enough, you can place a pan of water below the cheesecake on the next rack, and it should do the same job.
HOW TO STORE:
This Pumpkin Cheesecake needs to be covered with foil or plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator and will last for up to 3-4 days.
This can also be frozen! Bake and cool as directed, once cooled in the refrigerator, remove your springform pan sides and place uncovered in the freezer for about one hour until frozen.
Remove the bottom of the springform pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or tin foil, and place it in an airtight container or a large ziplock bag, and this should keep for about 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- I highly encourage you to add pumpkin pie spice to the crust, it really gives this cheesecake a little more pumpkin power!
- Make sure that you cool your cheesecake on the counter, this helps prevent cracking before you place it in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- This does need a full 8 hours to set up, do not skimp on that, it’s hard to wait but it’s worth the wait!
- You can swap vanilla bean paste 1:1 with vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, it’s easy to get them mixed up!
- My trick for cutting the perfect slice of cheesecake is to run a sharp knife under warm water, wiping it off and cutting the perfect slice every time!
- You can use regular graham crackers for this or the pre-packaged crumbs.
- Make sure you do not skip the water bath, this is essential!
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
Looking for that perfect fall dessert, don’t look any further – this Pumpkin Cheesecake is all you need! Everyone will be asking for more!
If you like this recipe you might also like:
If you’ve tried this PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- pinch salt
For the cheesecake:
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 11 ounces pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ½ recipe stabilized cinnamon whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, pumpkin spice, brown sugar, and salt until well combined. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and whip until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Whip until combined.
- Take 1/3 of the mixture and add it to a small bowl, set aside.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice into the first bowl, and whip until combined. Pour half of this mixture over the graham cracker crumbs, smooth evenly.
- Add 3/4 of the vanilla cheesecake mixture on top, and smooth out evenly.
- Add the remaining pumpkin cheesecake mixture on top of the vanilla, smooth out evenly, be careful and make sure to cover up all the vanilla mixture.
- Using a teaspoon and the remaining vanilla cheesecake, make small dollops all over the top.
- Take a toothpick and swirl through the dollops to make a pretty pattern.
- Wrap the outside of the springform pan in a double layer of foil and then place it in a roasting pan with 1-2 inches of hot water.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until the center is just slightly jiggly. Once done baking, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside the water bath with the door closed for 40-60 minutes.
- Then remove it from the water bath and let it finish cooling on the counter completely before transferring it to the fridge to set for 8 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve with the cinnamon whipped cream, or topping of your choice.
Notes
- The whipped cream is not included in the nutritional value.
- I highly encourage you too add pumpkin pie spice to the crust, it really gives this cheesecake a little more pumpkin power!
- Make sure that you cool your cheesecake on the counter, this helps prevent cracking before you place it in the refrigerator to cool completely
- This does need a full 8 hours to set up, do not skimp on that, its hard to wait but it's worth the wait!
- You can swap vanilla bean paste 1:1 with vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, it's easy to get them mixed up!
- My trick for cutting the perfect slice of cheesecake is to run a sharp knife under warm water, wiping it off and cutting, perfect slice every time!
- You can use regular graham crackers for this or the pre-packaged crumbs.
- Make sure you do not skip the water bath, this is essential!
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Jess K says
Such a beautiful cheesecake. Love this recipe for the Fall season. Pinned!
Dana DeVolk says
Thanks so much Jess!