The best pumpkin cheesecake recipe! A lusciously creamy cheesecake layer infused with pumpkin puree and rich fall spices sits atop a buttery graham cracker crust. Pumpkin cheesecake is a delicious fall dessert, perfect for Thanksgiving - especially topped with homemade whipped cream.
Butter and flour the sides of a 9” spring form pan. Line the outside, bottom of the pan completely with heavy-duty foil so no water can leak into the pan from the water bath. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until combined.
Pour the crust mixture into the prepared springform, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides.
Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then remove the crust from the oven and set aside to slightly cool.
Make the Filling
While the crust is baking make the filling.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy and there are no lumps.
Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt and sour cream and beat until just combined.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each addition.
Gently stir in flour.
Prepare a Water Bath
Find a large pan (baking pan, cast iron skillet, fry pan, etc) that will fit your springform pan and put it in the preheated oven. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
Bake & Chill Overnight
Pour the filling over the baked and slightly cooled crust.
Place the springform pan in the large pan in the preheated oven. Slowly fill the large pan with boiling water until it is halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake in the water bath for 50-55 minutes or until the top and edges are set but not browned and the pumpkin cheesecake is only very slightly jiggly. You can test it by inserting a knife or cake tester in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean you know it is done. However, this can cause the pumpkin cheesecake to crack so I don’t really recommend it (but it’s better than a soupy cheesecake if you’re unsure).
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and set on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Make the Whipped Cream
Once the cheesecake is sufficiently chilled, make the whipped cream and decorate the top. Save some for serving.
Video
Notes
Make sure all ingredients are room temperature.Ingredient Substitutions
Graham Cracker Crumbs. You can buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs, however I opt to make my own. Simply break apart 12 full-sheets of graham crackers and process them in a food processor fitted with the "S" blade, or blend in a blender, until they reach they texture of fine crumbs. Easily make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free graham crackers!
Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for regular white sugar.
Salted butter. Unsalted butter or coconut oil can be used in the crust instead of salted butter, if desired.
Sour Cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the best results, you can use heavy cream as a substitute.
Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds of one whole vanilla bean are a good substitute for vanilla in this cheesecake recipe.
All-purpose flour. bread flour, cake flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
Pumpkin puree. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree (store-bought or homemade) and not pumpkin pie filling.
Cinnamon. use high-quality ground cinnamon for the best results.
Pumpkin pie spice. You can make your own, if you prefer. See below:
Homemade Pumpkin Pie SpiceUse this recipe to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice! Or, to make only 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice combine:
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp allspice
Note on springform pan:If you don’t own a springform pan you can make this recipe, however it is not easy to get a cheesecake out of a cake pan. I have done it with this recipe though, here’s how:
Butter and flour the sides of a 9” cake pan.
Cut and fit a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside with handles (=o=).
Follow the recipe.
As soon as the pumpkin cheesecake is cooled to room temperature, use a sharp knife to cut around the sides of the cheesecake.
Use a long, skinny metal spatula and run it under the “handles” of parchment paper to try to release the cake.
Flip the cake over and tap the bottom hard.
StoreStore leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.FreezeThis pumpkin cheesecake freezes well in one of two ways:1. Freeze the entire cheesecake. Make and chill the cheesecake, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they're frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.