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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
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Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We all loved it and I’ll be making is again soon.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Virginia!
do u have this version of pumpkin cheesecake in oreo ?
Hi Maria, I do not, but I imagine that may be possible. Have you tried our No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe? You can make it with an oreo crust.
Ive made this cheesecake 3 times now, and each time it comes out beautifully! My father in law said it was the best cheesecake he’s ever had!! I love it so much. Thank you for the recipe!
How would I adapt this recipe to switch from pumpkin to lemon? Any ideas on measurements ?
Hi Cecilia, that is so wonderful to hear. Thank you for sharing your good comments with us, I’m glad you are loving this recipe. I haven’t tried that yet to advise of the measurements. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Spring time is here, and I gotta ask if you had any luck with creating a lemon cheesecake?!
Hi Cecilia, none yet but I have a recipe for lemon bars if you would like to try this.
To change to lemon zest 2 lemons, squeeze one lemon into batter 🤗
Something I will not do again on this recipe is leave it in the oven for additional time. The cheesecake was finished after an hour. I should have put it on the rack to cool and then refrigerated it.
Leaving it in the oven for an additional time , made it dry and not moist..
I just had a piece of this pie. It is exquisite! I went right to your website and saved the recipe. I was also impressed with your user-friendly web site. Thank you
Love it! I’m glad you fell in love right away with this recipe, so good to know that, Vena!
Hi Natasha. I got a cookie tin full of thin ginger snaps. Can I use this for the crust instead of graham crackers? Thank you. Happy holidays!
Hi Susan, I have not tested this with gingersnap crust to advise. We LOVE it with a graham crust, but I’m curious how you like this recipe if you test it out with gingersnap.
Can you use the foil pie pans instead of the spring form pan?
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tested that but I think it would overflow a small foil pie pan.
I found this recipe before Thanksgiving and have made it for family and friends. They all raved about it. I am making it before for our Christmas gathering. It is wonderful1
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This recipe is a keeper! I live at high altitude (6000 ft. above sea level), where baking can be a challenge. I’ve tried out this recipe twice so far, and both versions of the cheesecake had cracks. Possibly this is due to the high altitude. For my second attempt at the recipe, I made sure both the sour cream and the eggs were at room temperature before adding. I’m not sure whether that made the difference, but the cracks were significantly smaller for that version of the cheesecake. Well, anyhow — cracks or no cracks — the pumpkin cheesecake tastes absolutely divine, and this recipe has earned a coveted spot in my collection of favorite recipes.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Rena! I’m glad the taste was great!
This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is delicious. It was very easy to follow and make. Thank you for that. I also got the crack in the cheesecake, despite trying everything I could think of to avoid it. But I can move past it because the flavor is so incredible. I’ll have to try putting it in a water bath next time. I still love it though. Tomorrow I’ll make your whipped cream recipe for it. If I made it tonight and refrigerated it, would it still be good to use as topping tomorrow? Would it maintain its consistency?
Hi Christine, that should be fine to use it as a topping the next day if it was whipped sufficiently. If it gets loose, you can re-whip until it reaches the desired consistency, but be careful not to overbeat or it can turn buttery especially if it has already been whipped.
I also got the ceack in the cheesecake. I think it doesn’t need the extra oven time. That is what I plan to do next time. Otherwise the caramel sauce was easy and delicious on the pie
Exactly followed the receipt and baking instruction. However, I am getting cracked cheesecake. Very disappointing. Looks like the extra 45 mins sitting in the over makes the mess!
HI RL, I haven’t had that experience but a couple of things could have caused that – make sure to bake on conventional mode and not convection. Also, make sure to mix the mixture at the recommended speed. Whipping on too of speed can incorporate too much air and cause cracks.
I tried this receipt tonight and I loved it. Thank You
I’m glad to hear that, Cynthia. Thank you for sharing that with us.
HI How many days in advance can this be made?
Thank you
Hi Terri, It can definitely be refrigerated for several days. I recommend not adding any toppings until the day of, however.
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Will this work with a glass pie dish or is it better with a springform pan?
Hi Alexa, I haven’t tested this in a pie pan, but this will overwhelm a glass pie dish and is best done in a springform pan. Be sure to also check out our pumpkin pie recipe which is baked in a pie pan.
Wonderful!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Natasha, I have a food processor for the crust, but only a hand held mixer for the filling. Will that work?
Hi Dean, a hand mixer should also work.
This is the first time I have made a cheesecake and it turned out amazing! It literally tastes like an exact mix between a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake, and it was surprisingly easy! All of my friends loved it, and I will definitely make this again. It did crack during cooking, which did not affect the flavor, but I will attempt to cook it with a water bath next time and see how that goes. It was still fantastic and moist even with the cracking.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Megan!
I made this recipe this week. Excellent! My guests loved it.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
My daughter made your pumpkin cheesecake recipe for Thanksgiving this year. It was so good. We even had it for breakfast the next day.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
WOW this pumpkin cheesecake tastes divine! No more cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory Restaurant for us!
I used regular pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix and also I used 8″ springform pan instead of 9′ but it still came out GREAT! This is definately a must have every Thanksgiving from now on. It had a big X shaped crack after cooling but after filling with fresh whipped cream you could not notice anything even after slicing. Thank you so much Natasha!! Can’t wait to try out more of your recipes…
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Thank you for sharing this wonderful review with me!
I made this for Thanksgiving this year but I was disappointed that after I removed it from the oven, it had a huge crack/crevice down the middle. I decided to cover the top with the cream cheese frosting that was recommended. It was a hit and super delicious. I just can’t figure out why it had such a huge crack.
Hi Sheri, thanks for your feedback. The cracks could occur due to many different reasons, from over beating to over baking, but that should not impact the flavor. I’m glad you still enjoyed this recipe!