My easy Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe yields a perfectly spiced, creamy cheesecake nestled in a buttery homemade crust. It’s a fan-favorite that looks impressive on a plate, but it is easy to make (no water baths here!).
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Helpful Reader Review
“Hands down the best cheesecake recipe. I will use any excuse, any holiday as an occasion to make this. Everyone in my family loves it.” – Alex ★★★★★
Pumpkin Cheesecake Video
Pumpkin Cheesecake has been one of the most popular recipes on my blog for years (the reviews speak for themselves!) I added a video tutorial and added some great tips to prevent cracks without using a water bath.
Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe mixes Cheesecake (the creamy filling and crunchy buttery crust) with Pumpkin Pie (the iconic pumpkin and fall spices) for the ultimate dessert.
This pumpkin cheesecake is so easy and delicious by itself, but it is just over-the-top impressive when you add some of my easy Butterscotch Sauce or Caramel and rum-infused Whipped Cream. Make this velvety-smooth pumpkin cheesecake up to 5 days ahead for easy holiday entertaining.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust
- Crackers – You can buy graham cracker crumbs, or crush 13 whole graham crackers for 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. You can substitute with gingersnap cookies, Vanilla wafers (Nilla Wafers), Shortbread cookies, or Biscoff (speculoos) cookies.
- Add-Ins – unsalted butter, sugar, and cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
For consistent results, use room-temperature ingredients to get that velvety pumpkin cheesecake texture.
- Cream cheese – room temperature – to warm it up quickly, cut the cream cheese into small cubes, place them on a plate, and let sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes
- Brown sugar – Use packed light brown sugar. “Packed” is when it holds its shape as it comes out of the measuring cup
- Pumpkin puree – I prefer Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin because (see why below). A well-drained homemade pumpkin puree will work. I’ve also tested this with canned pumpkin pie mix with great results.
- Eggs – To quickly bring to room temperature, set eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Sour cream – cuts the heaviness of the cream cheese, while giving a creamy texture
- Flour – acts as a stabilizer to give the cheesecake strength and prevent cracking, measure correctly
- Flavorings – Use store-bought or make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice and Vanilla Extract.
Pro Tip:
The best pumpkin filling for my cheesecake recipe is Libby’s brand because other brands tend to be too watery and lighter in color. This is the brand I recommend for all of my pumpkin recipes, from my Pumpkin Roll to Pumpkin Pancakes.
How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
- Prep – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. You could also put graham crackers in a large zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs.
- Bake – mix the crust ingredients together in a bowl, and then press into a 9-inch springform pan. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch butter drips), and bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temp to 325˚F.
How to Make a Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed (Now it’s similar to a yummy frosting!)
- Make Pumpkin Filling – Whisk together the remaining filling ingredients, and add them to the cream cheese mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Bake – Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust, then tap it several times on the counter to release any bubbles. Place a loaf pan half-filled with water next to the cheesecake on the center rack and bake for 50-60 minutes. When the edges are set, but the center 3 inches is still wobbly, turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon to let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes. Note: If you have a gas oven, you can leave the door closed and turn the oven off since gas ovens cool much faster.
- Chill – Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges to release tension and cool to room temperature on a rack, then cover and chill for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Serve – Remove the springform pan and slice the cake. The cheesecake itself is not too sweet, so the toppings complement it nicely. I start with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce or Butterscotch Sauce on each slice, pipe on Whipped Cream, and dust with pumpkin spice.
Pro Tip:
I love serving pumpkin cheesecake with festive Rum-infused Whipped Cream (1 cup cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, & 1 tsp of rum instead of vanilla).
How to Prevent Cracks in Pumpkin Cheesecake?
- Reduce bubbles – Avoid overmixing or mixing on high speed, which creates air bubbles, and tap the filled pan on the counter to release air.
- Add water – Adding steam will keep the cheesecake moist to prevent cracks.
- Keep the oven closed – If you open the oven too early or too often, it creates temperature swings, which contribute to cracking.
- Avoid overbaking! This is HUGE – bake until the cheesecake is still wobbly in the center 3″. Since not all ovens are created equal, check for doneness in the last 10 minutes.
- Cool slowly – propping the door open with a wooden spoon prevents sudden temperature changes and prevents cracks.
- Loosen the cheesecake from the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven to reduce tension.
Sometimes, even if you’ve done everything right, you might get a tiny crack. If it does happen, cover the top with Caramel Sauce, Candied Pecans, Ganache, or whipped cream. It will still taste great!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Once the pumpkin cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, cover and chill until cold and fully set (at least 4 hours or overnight).
- To Refrigerate: Keep leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. It keeps best if stored without toppings.
- Freezing: Tightly wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add your toppings just before serving.
Everyone loves my popular pumpkin cheesecake recipe because the cheesecake is velvety and smooth with a buttery graham cracker crust. Top with caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream for the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from about 13 whole graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, Libby's brand, or well-drained homemade puree*
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, plus more to dust
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Prep – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- Bake – In a medium bowl, stir together the crust ingredients – graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and 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, going about 1/2" up the sides of the pan. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any drippings and bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- Beat the cream cheese– Preheat to 325°F. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat softened cream cheese and 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.
- Mix the pumpkin – In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cream cheese filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Bake – Transfer the filling into the pre-baked and cooled crust, and then tap the pan on the counter 15 times to release air bubbles. Place a loaf pan half filled with hot water (steam helps prevent cracks), and your cheesecake on the center rack and bake at 325˚F for 50-60 minutes* or until the edges are set and there is a slight wobble in the center 3" of the cheesecake when you jolt the pan. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes to cool slowly. Note: If you have a gas oven, turn the oven off and leave the door closed since gas ovens cool much faster.
- Chill and Serve – Once the cheesecake is out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan (helps release tension), then cool on a rack until room temperature; about 2 hours. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove chilled cheesecake from the springform pan, cut into slices, and add your desired toppings.
Notes
*Bake Times: Not all ovens are created equal so check your cheesecake for doneness before pulling it out of the oven. If your oven doesn’t preheat fully, it may take 60-70 minutes in the oven. Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
- Make Ahead – bake and cool the cheesecake. Cover tightly and chill for up to 5 days in the fridge. Add toppings when ready to serve.
- Freeze – wrap the chilled cheesecake (I keep it in the mold), or individual slices in plastic wrap and foil, or place in a freezer-safe ziptop bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add toppings just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Fall Baking Recipes
Fall always puts me in the mood to bake, so here are a few of my favorite recipes we repeat each year.
- Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Bread
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Apple Turnovers
- Baklava
- Carrot Cake
- Apple Crisp
- Baked Apples
- Cinnamon Rolls
I’ll be making this cheesecake for Thanksgiving 2020. However, be careful there is a difference between a can of plain pumpkin and a can of pumpkin pie mix. Don’t be like me and get the wrong one. I did the New York style cheesecake and it was amazing, nobody believed that I baked it. I hope the pumpkin one turns just as good. Thank you Natasha
I hope you absolutely love it and thanks for sharing that with us.
I sure got the pumpkin puree instead of mix and already have cake in oven.🤦♀️ What should I expect to he different? Thank you, Natasha!
Hi will the cheesecake be ok if I make it today, Tuesday for Thursday.
Hi Kathy, yes that will work great, just keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to serve and wait to add any whipped cream or toppings until it’s time to serve.
How difficult would it be to make the filling by hand? I don’t have a mixer but I want to make this for thanksgiving because it sounds so good! Thanks!
Hi Jackie, it could be done but would need more time and quite a bit more elbow grease/ effort.
I’m making it right now and it smells delicious. I also tasted the batter… so yeah it’s really good. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate that you put the measurements of the ingredients in the directions! I have never seen it in any other recipe. It makes things a lot easier for me so I don’t have to scroll up and down the whole time on my phone. Thank you. This is my first recipe I have tried of yours but for sure won’t be my last.
Thanks for your appreciation! I hope this recipe becomes your favorite.
Hi Natasha, during the 45 minutes cooling period in the open oven, the cheesecake had a huge crack in the center. Is there a way to avoid it? It’s pretty deep (about halfway down the cake) and it was not cracked after the 1 hour baking period.
Hi Inga, 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.
Did you place it in boiling water in another larger pan when you went to bake it? Also was your cream cheese room temp when you started? Also spraying the pan with pam so it does not stick will also help.
Can I add parchment paper to the bottom of the pan to remove pie from pan bottom?
Hi April, yes that would be a good idea too.
Hi Natasha,
This cheesecake doesn’t need to be cooked in a water bath?
Hi Eve, 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.
Has anyone had problems with jiggly middles? I baked it for an hour at 350 like the recipe states but my middle is still raw. Oven is usually spot on and I don’t see any other comments with the same issue? Advice?
Hi Bethany, usually if the center is too wobbly, baking a little longer will do the trick. Using a smaller springform pan can make the cake taller and make it take longer to bake also.
Hello Natasha.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I made this without the caramel sauce or whipped cream and it was fantastic. I had to use a pie pan (no springform) so I have enough left for another one.
Again, thank you. It is wonderful.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Matt! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I want to make this pumpkin cheesecake next week for Thanksgiving. I went to buy the needed ingredients and they only carried canned ‘pumpkin’ and had no ‘pumpkin pie mix’. What can I add to the recipe to make just the pumpkin work? It’s my understanding that the mix has sweeteners and spices along with the pumpkin. Any guidance on what I could do?
Hi Ron, we have made this with pumpkin puree and it still works. You can add a little extra spice to compensate.
Hi Natasha my question is how do I stop the pumpkin cheesecake from sticking to the springform circle every time I release it the pumpkin cheesecake is sticking to the circle
Hi, one trick is to line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper to make it easier to transfer.
When ever I do a cheesecake I use 2 tbsp of cornstarch. It makes the world of difference in texture and no cracking on the surface. Nothing tops pumpkin!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Just a quick question. The recipe call for pumpkin pie mix. Is that the equivalent of pumpkin pie filling or is it pumpkin puree? Canadian asking.
Hi Les, It should be the equivalent of pumpkin pie filling. If you are not able to find that, you can use pumpkin puree.
Hello! If using canned pumpkin purée instead of pumpkin pie mix, how much pumpkin pie seasoning would you recommend to add? Seems like it would need more than the original recipe calls for. Thank you!
Hi Allyssa, I have tried this with equal parts of regular pumpkin puree from a can and it still worked well. I recommend for you to check out the comments section too below the recipe for more tips.
How would it affect the recipe if I use a 10 inch pan?
Hi Peggy, I haven’t tested that in a 10-inch pan, but I would watch it closely since it will be a thinner cake and may bake quicker.
Every recipe I loved I tried the most recipes is very tasty
Thank you Natasha for your delicious food recipes.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipes!
Hi Natasha,
Can’t wait to taste this cheesecake! The recipe calls for 1 Tbsp. vanilla. Is that a typo? Seems like a lot of vanilla.
Hi Loretta, that is correct. You can use less if you prefer but it does not overwhelm the cake to use the amount listed in the recipe.
I made this for my sons Halloween birthday. It came out delicious now i will always use this recipe.
Hello there, thanks for sharing your great feedback with us. I’m glad you loved this recipe!
Hi I did this with a water bath and it was a bit undercooked in the middle I figured it was my fault for not following the recipe exactly as it should be then I did it how you said and there is a gigantic crack on the top
Hi Pamela, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to see where the process may have changed or the product started to look different.
I can’t find any video related to the pumpkin cheesecake . Only the regular . Please share.
Hello Natalia, there’s no video for this yet, just this recipe. Hopefully, in the future, we can do a video on this.
Video tutorial ?
Hi Natalia, we do not have a video tutorial for pumpkin cheesecake yet. We have an amazing pumpkin pie though that we just posted.
Making this today as a trial run for Thanksgiving. Looks amazing! Do you think I could use Captain Morgan spiced rum for the whipped cream?
Hello Candace, I haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
I made this today, and it risen really high over my springform pan, is there a reason that it done this
Hi Joshua, a cheesecake will do that – rise and then settle back down as it cools. The result will be a lovely souffle/cheesecake consistency.