Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is easy and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. It tastes exactly like a cheesecake that crossed paths with a pumpkin pie – the best of both worlds. The only thing difficult about this cheesecake is waiting for it to cool down so you could eat it! This pumpkin cheesecake is delicious by itself but is just over-the-top impressive when you add some of that caramel sauce and rum-infused whipped cream. This is the perfect holiday dessert. It’s inspired by Fall, makes your home smell incredible, and will have your dinner guests humming with delight.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 whole graham crackers)
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) melted, unsalted butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (about 9 oz by weight) packed light brown sugar
15 oz can pumpkin pie mix or puree (or well drained homemade puree)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or make your own)
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
Optional Pumpkin Cheesecake Toppings:
1 cup of cold heavy cream beat with 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp rum or vanilla
Pumpkin pie spice to dust
Toasted pecans
Caramel sauce – this 7-minute recipe will rock your cheesecake
How to Make a Pie Crust:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
1. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 6 Tbsp melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3″ tall walls and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan, and going about 1/2″ up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
1. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the 3 packages of softened cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar on med speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (5 min), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don’t have chunks of cream cheese. Tip: brown sugar is considered “packed” when it holds it’s shape as it comes out of the measuring cup.
Have a taste of this cream cheese frosting. It would make a super yummy frosting actually! Just don’t eat too much. You need it for your cheesecake.
2. In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together 15 oz pumpkin puree, 4 large eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp flour, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350˚F for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and let cheesecake sit in the oven another 45 min. Then remove from the oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight).
4. Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of the cheesecake to release from the springform mold. Add desired toppings (see list above) and serve
To Make the Whipped Cream:
Tip: Freeze mixing bowl for 10 minutes to get the best whipped cream results.
1. In a cold mixing bowl, add 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp rum or vanilla. Beat on high speed until fluffy and spreadable. Don’t over-beat or it will turn buttery. It only takes less than 2 min to make fresh whipped cream.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
The Crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 whole graham crackers)
- 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) melted, unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
The Filling:
- 3 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1½ cups (about 9 oz by weight) packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix or puree (or well drained homemade puree)
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
- 1 cup of cold heavy cream beat with 1 Tbsp sugar and ½ tsp rum or vanilla
- Pumpkin pie spice to dust
- Toasted pecans
- Caramel sauce
Instructions
How to Make the Crust: Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
- Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon and 6 Tbsp melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3" tall walls and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan, and going about ½" up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling: Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
- In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the 3 packages of softened cream cheese and 1½ cups brown sugar on med speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (5 min), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don't have chunks of cream cheese. Tip: brown sugar is considered "packed" when it holds it's shape as it comes out of the measuring cup.
- Have a taste of this cream cheese frosting. It would make a super yummy frosting actually! Just don't eat too much. You need it for your cheesecake.
- In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together 15 oz pumpkin puree, 4 large eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp flour, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, ¼ tsp salt and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350˚F for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and let cheesecake sit in the oven another 45 min. Then remove from the oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight).
- Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of the cheesecake to release from the springform mold. Add desired toppings (see list above) and serve.
To Make the Whipped Cream:
- Tip: Freeze mixing bowl for 10 minutes to get the best whipped cream results.
- In a cold mixing bowl, add 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 1 Tbsp sugar and ½ tsp rum or vanilla. Beat on high speed until fluffy and spreadable. Don't over-beat or it will turn buttery. It only takes less than 2 min to make fresh whipped cream.
.
Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread Recipe 
Raspberry Apricot Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust 
Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe 
Here you'll find classic Ukrainian food and other favorite recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
20 Things You Should Buy At Costco 
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Creamy Honey Lemon Dressing 
Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon 
Do you absolutely have to have a springform pan or can u use the crusts aleast made at the store???
Hi Victoria, the crust and the pan the crust is in which is store-bought is too small for this recipe. It would overflow the pan. Maybe it would work ok if you divided it between 2 of those pre-made store-bought crusts but I haven’t tested it that way to give any recommendations on baking times.
I did everything as said and when I proped the door open it sat for about 17minutes and it started cracking. My cheesecake is cooling right now but I was wondering if it was okay that it cracked.
There could be several reasons why it could have cracked, but it’s definitely ok even if it did crack 🙂 It will not affect the flavor of the cheesecake 🙂
While this cake was baking it started to smell really bad, the butter from crust got out of pan and dripped onto oven floor. I think its my fault but I am not sure. Any advice what happened?
Hi Lillian, did you pre-bake the crust and use the correct amount of butter in the recipe? I’ve never had that happen before so I wonder if it’s due to too much butter or maybe a springform pan that doesn’t fit tightly enough?
I tryed this at my cousins house and HAD to find this recipie. I did not know the name of your site but I found it somehow, thank god i did, So i got to work and made this. I fell in LOVE even when It did not come out of the oven. my house smelled like heaven. It was of course delish! I love it so much! I will always use this recipie and none other. Thank you soo much!!! I wish I could give it a million stars!
Bella, welcome to the site and thank you for such an amazing review, I’m all smiles 😬. I hope you’ll find many more favorites here.
Hello. My springform pan is 10″ in diameter (across the top). Should I modify the baking time? Please and Thanks!
It will probably bake up a little faster since the cheesecake will not be as thick. Without testing it in a 10 inch pan myself, I can’t give you exact baking times. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
I am planing on makeing this for our Christmas party but my mom does not like pumpkin and I dont know how it will taste. Any ways that you can explain how it tastes like? Thankyou!
It’s very mild in flavor and difficult to explain without trying it.
Okay, thanks for trying
Made this for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it. It was requested for Christmas immediately. This will definitely be on our holiday menu. Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad you enjoyed it as much as I do! Merry Christmas Cyd 🙂
My Daughter made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving and followed the recipe exactly, although we used 8″ springform so didn’t use all of the mix. Anyway- the cheesecake turned out very well in terms of texture and taste (had a seam open on the top -to much steam build up during the bake). We topped it with good old homemade whipped cream. Wow really nice and flavorfull cake. Thanks for sharing. Next up your overnight cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning!
Thanks for sharing such a great review Kevin! What a treat that is going to be come Christmas morning!!
This recipe is a winner! Thanks!
Thank you Ed! So glad you love it! 🙂
Has anyone topped with sour cream topping (no whipped cream) and also drizzed with the caramel sauce? I would like to try the caramel sauce, but my family will miss having a cheesecake without sour cream topping.
I haven’t tried that but I do think it would work with traditional sour cream topping like for regular cheesecake. Now I’m curious, how do you make that topping? 😉