Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Hello friends! This Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is an absolute fall favorite that’s sure to impress. A rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake sits atop a buttery pecan gingersnap crust, and it’s topped with spiced whipped cream. The indulgence doesn’t stop there—this dessert is finished with a drizzle of my caramel sauce for the perfect autumnal touch.

Whether you’re serving it at a holiday gathering or just treating yourself, this cheesecake is the ultimate way to celebrate the flavors of the season.

The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

In this post, I’ll guide you through each step of making this decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake, complete with a crunchy pecan gingersnap crust, velvety pumpkin cheesecake batter, and a spiced whipped cream topping. Get ready to indulge in the ultimate fall dessert!

All ingredients and steps are listed on the bottom of the page as well, and here you can enjoy complete instructions with pictures that can help you achieve success when baking!

Best Cheesecake Tips

Before you embark on making this delicious cheesecake, make sure to review my Best Cheesecake Tips! This post is full of crucial tips and tricks that will set you up for success for any type of cheesecake!

What Pan Should I Use?

Using the right pan is very important for making a good cheesecake. For this recipe, an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan works best. If using an 8-inch pan, ensure it’s deep, at least 3 inches. A springform pan is ideal for easy removal and serving. I use the Fat Daddios Springform Pan.

Preparing the Pecan Gingersnap Crust

Preheat your oven to 325ºF and prepare your cheesecake pan by lining it with parchment paper. Begin by processing gingersnap cookies and pecans into fine crumbs. Mix these crumbs with brown sugar and pumpkin spice in a bowl. Melt the butter and stir it into the crumb mixture until everything is well combined.

Press this mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan and up the sides, ensuring it’s even and compact. Bake the crust until it’s slightly golden brown, then remove it from the oven and let it cool.

Making the Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

While the crust is cooling, prepare the pumpkin puree by draining excess liquid using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Place the pumpkin puree in a strainer set on top of a bowl, then place a piece of paper towel on top, a bowl with something heavy to put weight on the puree.

This step is essential to prevent the cheesecake from becoming watery.

If you don’t have a fine mesh strainer, and the holes in your strainer are too large, use a cheesecloth.

After about 30 minutes, the puree should have drained enough. You can also press down on the weight to help squeeze the excess water out.

Start boiling a large pot of water for the water bath.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until it’s creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar, beating until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed

Next, mix in the drained pumpkin puree and sour cream until combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one until just incorporated to avoid over mixing. Scrape the bowl in between each egg addition.

Finally, stir in the vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and salt.

Prepare the Pan & Bake

Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking in. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust.

Place the pan in a larger roasting pan and add the boiling water to create a water bath, which helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking.

Bake the cheesecake in the 325ºF preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes. The cheesecake should jiggle slightly in the center but look set around the edges. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour to cool gradually. You can slightly prop open the oven door if you like.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before refrigerating for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Don’t remove the ring from the pan until after the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge thoroughly.

Preparing the Spiced Whipped Cream

Just before serving, whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with your desired tip, and pipe it onto the chilled cheesecake. I used a tip 1M. Other piping tips I like to use are 2D and 4B.

Finish the cheesecake by sprinkling a bit more pumpkin spice on top, if desired.

Drizzle caramel sauce or melted Biscoff cookie butter over the whipped cream, and serve.

Storage

Store the Pumpkin Cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4-5 days. Alternatively, freeze it for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

Whenever I freeze cheesecake, I like to slice it first, then I cover each side of the slices with a piece of parchment paper. Place the cheesecake in the freezer until solid, which should take about 2 hours.

Then, wrap each individual slice in plastic wrap, place each slice in an airtight container. This keeps the surface of the slices from drying out, and keeps the cheesecake nice and fresh.

To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for an hour or so.

Tips & Tricks for Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Pumpkin Purée: Make sure to use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient in the purée should be pumpkin.
• Water Bath: Don’t skip the water bath—it helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
• Cream Cheese: Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in the batter.
• Check for Doneness: The cheesecake should be slightly jiggly in the center when done. It will continue to set as it cools.
• Over mixing: Be cautious not to over mix the batter, especially after adding the eggs, to prevent cracks.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Variations

• Biscoff Crust: Swap the gingersnap crust for a Biscoff cookie crust from this recipe for a different flavor profile.
• Graham Cracker Crust: Use graham cracker crumbs instead for a more classic cheesecake
• Maple Whipped Cream: Replace the pumpkin spice in the whipped cream with 1 tbsp of maple syrup for a sweet, autumnal twist.
• Pecan Topping: Add a crunchy topping by sprinkling toasted chopped pecans or candied pecans on top of the cheesecake before serving.
• Chocolate Drizzle: For a touch of richness, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the whipped cream topping.
• Gingerbread Topping: Crumble gingerbread cookies on top of the cheesecake for extra spice and texture.

If you like this Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe, you’ll love these other pumpkin inspired desserts:

• Biscoff Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons
• Pumpkin Tiramisu
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cupcakes

Thank you so much for reading, if you make this recipe leave a comment below, or tag me on instagram! I love to see what you are baking!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Camila Hurst

This Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe combines a spiced pecan gingersnap crust with a creamy pumpkin-flavored filling, topped with spiced whipped cream and caramel sauce, making it the perfect fall dessert.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Cooling time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Pecan Gingersnap Crust

• 2 cups gingersnap crumbs 292 grams
• 1/2 cup pecans 50 grams
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 55 grams
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter 70 grams

Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 340 grams
• 680 grams cream cheese room temperature (3 packages of 8 oz)
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 275 grams
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 large yolk
• 1/3 cup sour cream 80 grams
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt

Spiced Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Topping

• Caramel sauce recipe here

Instructions

 

Pecan Gingersnap Crust

• Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF.
• Place the gingersnap cookies in a food processor along with the pecans, and process to obtain fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl, add the brown sugar and the pumpkin spice and stir to combine.
• Melt the butter in the microwave and pour in the bowl with the cookie crumbs. Stir to combine.
• Press the mixture on the bottom of an 8” or 9” cheesecake pan. If using an 8” pan, it must be deep.
• Bake the crust in the oven for 15 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.
• Remove it from the oven and let it cool down.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

• Measure out the pumpkin puree, pour it on a fine mesh strainer, it must be fine. If you don’t have a fine mesh strainer, you can use a regular strainer lined with cheesecloth. Place a couple of layers of paper towels on top of the puree, and place something heavy on top, like a small plate topped with a can of pumpkin puree, a can of beans, or a bowl filled with water to put some weight on top of the pumpkin puree. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, you can press down occasionally to help drain the puree. This will eliminate any excess liquid and prevent the cheesecake from becoming watery.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil as you start making the cheesecake, to make the water bath.
• Beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes with a mixer at medium speed, until creamy.
• Add the brown sugar to the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
• Add the pumpkin puree and the sour cream, and mix to combine.
• Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times during the mixing process, to avoid the cream cheese from forming lumps in the batter.
• Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg. Avoid over mixing once the eggs are added, to prevent cracking of the cheesecake.
• Add the vanilla, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix to combine.
• Grease the sides of the cheesecake pan.
• Pour the cheesecake batter in the pan, over the baked and cooled crust. Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of foil.
• Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and add hot water to the roasting pan, to form a water bath. This is very important so the cheesecake doesn’t crack.
• Bake the cheesecake in the pre-heated 325ºF oven for 60 to 70 minutes.
• To check if the cheesecake is done baking, give the pan a little wiggle, it should jiggle slightly in the center, but the edges should look set. Time baking depends on your oven, and if it runs low or high in temperature.
• Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Don’t remove the ring from the pan until after the cheesecake is done chilling.

Spiced Whipped Cream

• Right before serving the cheesecake, beat the cold whipping cream with the powdered sugar and pumpkin spice in the bowl of a mixer for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
• Place it in a piping bag lined with the tip of your choice, I used tip 1M.

To Decorate/Top

• Pipe the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake, sprinkle more pumpkin spice on top if desired.
• Serve with caramel sauce, or melted Biscoff cookie butter.

Notes

Crust: Alternatively, you can use the classic graham cracker crust from this New York Cheesecake Recipe, or the Biscoff crust from the Biscoff Cheesecake Recipe, if desired.

Storage: You can store the Pumpkin Cheesecake in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days, covered in an air tight container. The cheesecake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to place it in an air tight container. You can also freeze the cheesecake first, then once it’s frozen, wrap it with plastic wrap very tightly and then place in an air tight container. This will extend its freezer shelf life.

Pumpkin Puree: Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. Pumpkin puree is made of only pumpkins, that should be the only ingredient in the label.

Greasing the Cheesecake Pan: I like to grease the sides of the pan after baking the crust, because if I grease the cheesecake pan before adding the crust in, first I have a hard time making the crust stick to the sides of the pan, and also, it makes the crust soggy.

Oven Temperature: If using a convection oven, you may have to use a lower baking temperature, around 300ºF instead. And baking time may also vary. Bake until the cheesecake is slightly jiggly in the center, and set around the edges.

Oven Thermometer: It’s best to have an oven thermometer to ensure the oven temperature is accurately measured. Often times, ovens are not accurate, and if the oven is off and the actual temperature is too low, the cheesecake can take way longer to bake. And if the temperature tends to be higher than what you actually set it to, the cheesecake can crack because of being baked at too high of a temperature.

Topping Suggestions: caramel sauce, melted Biscoff cookie butter, toasted pecans, candied nuts like from this Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe.

Pumpkin Spice: Mix together 1 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder, with 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of ginger powder, 1/4 tsp of allspice, 1/8 tsp ground cloves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 350kcal

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin

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