This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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 canned pumpkin pie mix (use half of the 30 oz can)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour *measured correctly
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 8-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 pie mix, 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:
The Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
- 1 cup cold heavy cream beat with 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 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 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.
- 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.
- In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together 15 oz pumpkin pie mix, 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.
- Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350˚F for 1 hour or until slightly wobbly in the center. 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 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
.
Hi! I’ve made this 2 times and it is amazing, everyone loved it! Do you think I can make them as mini cheesecakes and use the temperature and timing you use in you mini cheesecake recipe?
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tested this as mini cheesecakes but I think you’re on the right track! If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Thank you for this delicious recipe — I can’t wait to serve it for dessert on Thanksgiving. I, too, used a pie dish and thus had a good amount of filling left over. I spooned the leftover filling into small ramekins and cooked them in a bath in a baking dish at 325 for 45 minutes and then let them sit in the cracked oven for another 20 minutes. They are incredible!
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I’d like to try this recipe with fresh cooked pumpkin, not the mix. Any suggestions for tweeking it to incorporate the cooked pumpkin?
Thanks.
Hi Lynn, we prefer the canned for this dessert because it is more concentrated and forms better. If using homemade, be sure it is really well drained.
You can thoroughly drain fresh pumpkin using cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer.
Tastes delicious but the cheesecake cracked during the baking and cooling process. Any suggestions?
Hi Nina, 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.
Can’t you do a water bath or steak bath to prevent cracking?
I mean steam bath not steak bath. Lol
Anyone use fat free cream cheese for this recipe? Curious if that changes the taste/consistency at all?
Hi Rory, I have only tested it with regular cream cheese. I think it’s worth testing but haven’t tried myself.
Hi Lisa, I don’t do the water bath for this one and haven’t had any issues. If you prefer to have some moisture in the oven, you can add a metal pan (like a bread pan half full with hot water) and place it on a rack while the cake is baking.
I like your cake 🎂 👍Thank you
I’m glad you do. Thank you!
Hi! I’m making this today for a dinner party
Do you think I can add in some mini chocolate chips? Or will that ruin the cake?
Hi Amy, it’s hard to say how that will take or work texture-wise without testing it. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like that.
Hi Natasha, I would love to make this cheesecake. It looks yummy and the caramel sauce looks easy. My question is, can I use a 15 oz. can of pumpkin instead of the canned pumpkin pie?
Hi Audrey, that will still work. I hope you love the pumpkin cheesecake!
I live in Australia. Can you tell me what can replace the tin of pumpkin pie mix. I have never heard of it.
Thanks Carol
Hi Carol, I would use a good pumpkin puree. It doesn’t have to be pumpkin pie mix which is essentially seasoned pumpkin puree.
hi, do you think i could use 2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese instead of 3? my homemade cheesecake recipe only uses 2 and it turns out perfectly- is there any risk in consistency for not adding a third?
Hi Natalia, I haven’t tested it with only two but I imagine it would make a smaller cheesecake.
Wow. This looks amazing. My whole family are huge fans of pumpkin things. I can’t wait to see what new Christmas recipes you post too! Also, I love how funny you are in your recipe videos, my 7 yr. old sister had a laugh.
Hello Lily, same here we love pumpkin recipes and I hope to do more of it soon! Thanks for always watching my videos, I’m glad your 7-year-old sis is also enjoying them!
Cheesecake to die for! Made this yesterday as a trial run for Thanksgiving. Wow. Wow. Wow. Can you tell we loved it? I used pumpkin puree made from homegrown pumpkin.
Fantastic! So happy to hear that you loved this cheesecake, Karen. Thank you!
Do I need to use a water bath method for this?
Hi Kathy, I don’t do the water bath for this one and haven’t had any issues. If you prefer to have some moisture in the oven, you can add a metal pan (like a bread pan half full with hot water) and place it on a rack while the cake is baking.
I am so excited to try this! Especially now that it is fall! I have been looking for a perfect pumpkin cheesecake recipe and I could always go to your channel and find what I need thank you so much!
Hello Ruth, you are so welcome. I hope this becomes a favorite for you!
Hi Natasha, hope all is well with you and your beautiful family. I have a question about the pumpkin cheesecake, can you use pure pumpkin from a can or real pumpkin straight from a pumpkin, as opposed to pumpkin pie filling from a can.
Hi Wendy, Canned pumpkin puree will work great!
Hi!
Do you have a recipe for a pumpkin pie? Or can you recommend one?
I tried the apple pie and it was fantastic.
Thank you !
Hi Matilde, I don’t have a pumpkin pie recipe posted yet but I am working on one and will post it once it’s perfected.
Do you have to use pumpkin pie mix? Or can i just use pumpkin puree…
Hi Aubrey, Canned pumpkin puree will work great!
Can I make these into cupcake tins? If so how would I bake them?
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tested these as mini cupcakes. Here is our mini-cheesecake recipe.
Yes I have made your mini cheesecakes. They were a hit! Even had someone say best cheesecake they’ve ever tasted. But I was hoping to make a pumpkin version for our upcoming Halloween/anniversary party. Cupcakes are easier to grab at a party then slicing a cake. P.S. I’m also going to make your chocolate cupcakes for those who can’t eat pumpkin. 😁
I was thinking of doing mini pumpkin cheesecakes too for ease! How did the mini cupcakes turn out? Did you have to make adjustments with this recipe?
I just made it and it’s cracked in the middle. Does it mean it is over cooked?
Hi Shar, 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
Mine cracked too!
Mine cracked too!
This is a great recipe, was delicious and everyone loved it. I made it for Canadian Thanksgiving. I did cover the bottom of the pan with foil and placed it on a rimmed sheet with water to prevent it from cracking. Came out perfectly.
Fantastic! Thank you so much, Irene for sharing your good experience with this recipe. I hope you love all the other recipes that you will try.
The first time I cooked it, it came out perfect. 2nd time it cracked, and re-evaluated what I did differently, and realized I over beat the batter, which causes too much air in the batter and then causes the cracks. The only problem I’ve been having is the pumpkin cheese cake sticking to the sides. I’m waiting for a response from Natasha of what I can do. Anyone have any suggestions. I’m thinking of putting a little butter on the inside of the release sides.
For my cheesecakes I make a collar and put it around the inside of the pan using parchment paper and it works good.
It would be really nice if you would put the nutrition facts with each of the recipes that you share.
It’s cheesecake. If you’re worried about nutrition, then cheesecake isn’t for you.
This recipe is amazing!! I made it with the caramel sauce and whipped cream and my kids and husband absolutely loved it. This is definitely a keeper, will be doing it again at Christmas!