Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe [Video]

Pumpkin Cheesecake made with sweet gingersnap cookie crumbs crust, and creamy pumpkin filling is the best dessert you can have on your Thanksgiving table. If you love pumpkin pie, you are going to really love this cheesecake. 

Is your oven full of other goodies? Try our Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake seasoned with pumpkin spice, brown sugar, and vanilla. These Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are also a wonderful dessert with graham cracker crust on the bottom and cinnamon whipped cream on top.

Surprisingly, cheesecake has been around since the fifth century BC. The ancient Greeks made the first ones from fresh cheese that they pounded until it was smooth and then mixing it with honey and flour. Then, they cooked it on a griddle above the fire. The first cheesecake recipe was printed in 1390 by King Richard’s cooks who called them cheese tarts.

Also known as pumpkin pie cheesecake, this is my family’s favorite cheesecake now. Although we love traditional cheesecake, this dessert is just perfect for the holidays. It is my favorite recipe because it is so easy and makes such a nice addition to the rest of the pumpkin desserts.

During the holiday season, I love using gingersnap cookie crumbs as the base of the cake. However, feel free to use graham cracker crust as well. Both are great and work perfectly fine here. 

What I love about it is that is not overly sweet, and it has the perfect texture with the ideal amount of pumpkin flavor. When you bake it, your home will smell incredible. You will not want to wait for it to cool off. It is that appealing and delicious!

Also, this is an easy recipe to follow, and it tastes pretty much like a rich, restaurant-quality cheesecake but with a nice pumpkin flavor. Basically, you end up with a dessert that is not only rich and creamy, but also very seasonal, festive, and very yummy!

This is a great Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert to serve in individual slices. Also, for the ultimate sweet ending, top it with whipped cream and drizzle some maple syrup!

Ingredients needed:

To make this fantastic pumpkin cheesecake recipe, all you need are the ingredients shown below. When you are ready to begin making your cheese cake, scroll down to our recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Crust:

• Gingersnap cookie crumbs
• Melted butter: Unsalted butter is best.
• Packed brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg

Pumpkin cheesecake filling:

• Room temperature cream cheese: Softened.
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Salt
• All-purpose flour
• Large eggs: At room temperature.
• Pureed pumpkin: Pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Sour cream
• Heavy cream
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Ginger

Cinnamon whipped cream:

• Heavy whipping cream: Cold.
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon

How to make pumpkin cheesecake from scratch?

Make the pie crust:

1. Prep the pan: First, coat a nine or 10-inch spring form pan or cheesecake pan with baking spray and set it aside.
2. Wrap the outsides: Then, wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of aluminum foil. You need to cover the sides and bottom but only on the outside of the springform pan.
3. Combine the ingredients: Next, mix crumbled ginger snaps with the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4. Press it down: After, press the crust mixture into the springform pan and use a measuring cup to press it down. You want it to go about one inch up the sides of the pan.
5. Chill the crust: Last, put the crust in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to chill.

Make the filling:

1. Preheat the oven: Before you begin making the filling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Beat the cream cheese: While you wait, beat the cream cheese for one minute in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Then add the sugars, flour, and salt and mix until it is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a thin spatula to get it all mixed in.
3. Add the eggs: Then, turn the mixer to low and add eggs, one at a time just until they are combined. Do not overmix them.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients: Next, add pumpkin puree, spices, vanilla, cream, and sour cream and beat until it is mixed through, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
5. Pour it in: Lastly, pour the batter into the prepared pan. Level the top with a spatula.

Bake the cheesecake:

1. Make the water bath: To bake, place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan deep enough to add water. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
2. Bake the pie: Put the whole thing into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The cheesecake should be just a little wobbly in the middle but puffed up and solid on the sides.
3. Cool: After, turn off the oven and leave the oven door open with just a crack. You can use a wooden spoon to keep it open. Let it cool in the open oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Then remove it and set it on a wire rack or cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Chill the cheesecake: Once the cheesecake is completely cool, remove it from the oven, cover with plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for at least five or six hours.
5. Loosen the sides and chill some more: Then, run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to release it, and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Make cinnamon whipped cream:

1. Whip the topping: To make the whipped cream, first mix the vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and cold cream in a large bow with a stand mixer at slow to medium speed. Gradually increase the speed as you go. Continue to mix until soft peaks form and the whipped cream holds its shape.
2. Serve pumpkin cheesecake: When ready to serve, put the whipped cream in a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe it onto the cheesecake. Garnish with pumpkin candies and serve.

How to serve:

This delicious cheesecake recipe is so yummy and goes great with any meal but is especially popular at our house during the holidays. We always have to have a unique pumpkin dish, but this is one that we like to have every year. Here are some tasty serving suggestions to try.

• Top this scrumptious pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce for an even more decadent dessert.
• You can also add chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the whipped cream before serving.
• Instead of caramel sauce, try our creamy instant pot dulce de leche recipe.
• Chocolate syrup and mini chocolate chips would also be great on top of this scrumptious cheesecake.
• This pumpkin cheesecake goes great with any entree. If you are making Thanksgiving dinner, try our perfect oven-roasted turkey or this amazing herb-roasted turkey recipe.
• For more cinnamon flavor, go ahead and sprinkle some more cinnamon on top of the whipped cream. Or mix some cinnamon with sugar for a sweeter topping.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make my own pumpkin pie spice?

The ingredients for pumpkin spice are probably already in your kitchen cabinet. All you will need for this easy recipe is three tablespoons of ground cinnamon, two teaspoons each of nutmeg and ground ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of ground allspice and cloves. If you use pumpkin pie spice often, make a double batch and store it in your cabinet for future recipes.

Why is my pumpkin cheesecake runny?

Using low-fat ingredients can cause a runny cheesecake. The low-fat sour cream or lower-fat cream cheese could both be the culprit. It is the fat in these ingredients that make your cheesecake creamy. Also, using too much liquid in your ingredients could also be a problem. Make sure you read the recipe carefully.

How long do you bake a cheesecake?

As a general rule, you want to bake it for about 50-65 minutes. However, because each oven is different, the baking time might differ. Therefore, it’s best to check on it prior to the 50 minutes mark, not to overbake it.

Remember that it will be done, when the edges will be lightly browned and the center is just set and is a little jiggly.

Also, keep in mind to rest it in the oven with the door open and still continue cooking for a bit. Therefore, you do not want to have a firm center prior to resting.

Do I have to use a water bath?

You can absolutely make this creamy cheesecake without a traditional water bather. A water bath simply means baking the cheesecake in its springform pan inside another larger pan that is filled with boiling water (or hot water) and set on a large roasting pan. The benefit of the water bath is that it helps prevent cracks, and it does not overcook the cake. 

How do you keep the cheesecake from cracking?

To prevent it from cracking, I recommend doing the following:

1. First, ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature
2. Mix your cheesecake as little as possible once the eggs are added to avoid incorporating extra air into the batter
3. Also, adding some flour to the batter helps to prevent cracks as well
4. Do not open the door oven while baking the cheesecake. If you open it, the internal temperature will drastically change, and this might result in a crack. 
5. In addition, DO NOT overbake it. The cheesecake is done when the center is slightly wobbly, and the edges are lightly browned and puffy. The center will firm up as it cools in the oven. 

How to store leftovers:

• Store: You can store leftover pumpkin cheesecake in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to three days.
• Freeze: You could also freeze your pumpkin cheesecake for up to three months. First, ensure to cool it on the counter before freezing. You can also chill it in the refrigerator if desired. Just remove the outer rim from the springform pan. Then, wrap it with plastic wrap, after that in foil, and freeze it.
• Thaw: For the best flavor and texture, be sure to remember to put your frozen pumpkin cheesecake in the refrigerator to thaw overnight before serving.

More great Thanksgiving desserts: