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
Oh my! i made this for Thanksgiving and it was the very best part of the whole dinner experience. It is now going to be the most requested dessert from my entire family. Thank yu for sharing.
Wow, lovely to hear that this cheesecake was a huge hit! Thank you also for sharing that with us.
This cheesecake was absolutely delicious. It was so good, it didn’t even need the caramel sauce or rum-infused whipped cream. I decided to make the pumpkin pie spice rather than use store-bought. My only complaint is that the top cracked. I will definitely be making this cheesecake every year from now on. It’s the best pumpkin cheesecake I ever tasted.
Hello Trevor, thank you so much for your awesome feedback. I’m happy to hear that you found your new go-to recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake. Thanks a lot for sharing that with us!
I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with very large, very deep cracks in a plus shape that crossed through the middle of the cake. There was no way it was remotely presentable.
I’ve had cheesecakes with small cracks before and was able to cover with a topping, but this time there was no amount of whipping cream that was going to hide this disaster.
Neither of the previously provided explanations for cracks in the cake applied in my case. I used a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and was very careful not to go on too high of a speed. My oven is calibrated with an oven thermometer and does not run hot.
Sure, it tasted ok, but i have to believe there are recipes that taste as good AND are presentable.
Hi BG, large and deep cracks can indicate overbaking. With cheesecake, it’s also important to let the cheesecake cool slowly which is why we prop the door open with a wooden spoon for the first 45 minutes of cooling then let it cool completely at room temperature. If you try to speed cool it, it will more likely crack. I hope that helps for next time!
Hi there, I haven’t tried the recipe, though I want to make it but the 24 oz of cream cheese are holding me back (never used more than 16 oz before and it’s very expensive where I live). Regarding the cracks, I read somewhere that egg whites could be the cause, and if the recipe calls for 4 eggs in a pie or cheesecake, you may want to use 3 yolks and 1 complete egg. Hope that helps. And Merry Christmas 🙂
A water bath can significantly reduce cracking in cheesecakes as well! I’ve used this recipe twice now with the only difference being the water bath and my cheesecakes came out perfect with no cracks. I would definitely give it a try next time and see if it helps any! 🙂
Best recipe ever! Didn’t change a thing…so creamy & flavorful with perfect texture! Yummy x 100
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Mh!
Outstanding! Made this for Thanksgiving dinner last night, and followed the recipe exactly. Just delicious! Creamy pumpkin, with a drizzle of caramel, and topped with homemade whip and toasted pecans made it beautiful and decadent. I did take one short cut, and purchased a non-traditional Oreo cookie crust. The little bit of chocolate was a nice touch. Thank you so much! Just fantastic! I would recommend that the overall time be adjusted, as it does take 3-4 hours to chill before eating.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Fantastic recipe.
Only change I did was bake in a water bath.
The caramel sauce was awesome. The cheesecake creamy,great texture. Best pumpkin cheesecake ever!
Aaw love it! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much.
Yet another successful and delicious recipe from Natasha! This was the hit of out Thanksgiving meal! So creamy and flavorful. I was worried as, despite all my precautions, there still was water in the foil wrap, but I lined the springform with parchment which kept the water out. I was a good girl and followed all instructions, including having a couple of spoonfuls of the cream cheese/brown sugar mix…definitely do not skip that step! Thanks, Natasha! Your recipes are always fabulous!
Love it and I’m glad it turned out great! Thank you for sharing, Sarah. We appreciate this review.
This turned out really good, I did have some cracking on the outer rim but I’m going to cover that with whipped cream. I especially love that you put the measurements of the ingredients in the directions and in the ingredient list. I didn’t have to keep looking back while making it. Such a small detail but so appreciated!!
I’m so glad you found that helpful. Thank you for that feedback and Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I do not have the paddle attachment for a mixer, can I just use a regular mixer? I have never heard of a paddle attachment before.
Hi Taylor, the reason for the paddle attachment is so that it doesn’t incorporate too many air bubbles into the batter, which can cause the cheesecake to crack. Be careful not to beat on too high of a speed. I hope you love it!
In making cheesecakes, I always use a water bath, and in this case, it prevented cratering and cracking. It does slightly increase cooking time, so I went 70 minutes/50 minutes. Some like to use foil to protect the springform…I placed the 9″ springform inside a 10″ tart pan…way better and less leakage. I also broke up inclusion of the spice…added 1/2 into the pumpkin mix, the rest when incorporating with the cream cheese. Note: if not using a pumpkin mix with seasoning, you definitely want to add more spice and sugar. Terrific recipe…crowd pleaser! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing! I appreciate all of the helpful tips for baking in a water bath. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Would the measurement all be the same if I turned this into pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes?
Hi Tanielle, I haven’t tested this as mini pumpkin cheesecakes, but those can be tricky since they bake faster and if they are overbaked then tend to get caved in. You can see our mini cheesecakes here as a reference for baking instructions.
Hi I’m making this tomorrow morning and just realized you called for pumpkin pie mix not the regular canned pumpkin purée….would that work? Or do I need to go buy the pumpkin pie mix?
Thank you!!
Hi Anna, you can use plain pumpkin puree to substitute and it will still work. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hi all. Natasha, lovely recipe. My cheesecake also cracked…a lot. But I am sure I overmixed it, as I wanted any bit of cream cheese to be incorporated in. That wasn’t necessary. Next time I will mix to combine, and not mix over and over.
Hi Lynne, 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.
Hi, I made this last year and it was an amazing hit!
This year, I am not feeling as confident about the cheesecake. I didn’t take out all the lumps so there are some cheesecake lumps 🙁 I cooked it for one hour and left the door propped open for 45 mins. It’s been sitting out now for 3.5 hours and I put Saran Wrap on top to pop it into the fridge, the Saran Wrap stuck to the top. I then touched the top and it was a bit loose on top and was “wet” on top. Is this something I should be concerned about? I popped it into the fridge for the night.
Hi Tiffany, plastic wrap will stick to the surface of cheesecakes so you want to keep it tight around the baking pan and off of the surface of the cheesecake. Lumps usually indicate that the cream cheese wasn’t softened long enough. I think it will still be ok even with some lumps in the mixture. The cheesecake is supposed to fully set after it is refrigerated so I suggest checking on it in the morning to make sure it is set. It should be slightly wobbly in the center but mostly set when you take it out of the oven. I hope that helps.
Hello. I’d like to make this cheesecake with an egg substitute as my kids have egg allergies. Has anyone used an egg substitute yet to make this cheesecake? If so, which works best (flax, chia or bobs red mill egg substitute)? Appreciate the help in advance!
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tested that to advise on the outcome. I also looked through our reader comments, and there’s no mention of an egg substitute. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hey! I don’t have a wooden spoon to crack open the oven. Is there anything else I could use? Could I just open the door completely? Thanks!
Hi Stephnie, we used a wooden spoon since it won’t damage the door/ oven. You can also use other items like silicon spoons or a towel.
I am making this tonight but I have a pre-made crust I bought. If I use the store-bought crust do I need to place it inside a springform pan?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Nicole, I imagine store-bought may work! I haven’t tested that myself, but I hope you love this recipe!
Help! I’m out of sour cream! What can I use as substitute??
Hi Tiffany, I haven’t tried anything else so I can’t really say. Maybe plain Greek yogurt would be the next best thing?
hi how jiggly will it be once it finishes cooling in the oven?
Hi Sharon, I would let it bake longer if it is too jiggly in the center, but a little jiggle is okay, and it should be set in the fridge.
Can I use cocoanut brown sugar instead of regular sugar? I am just about to start making the recipe for pumpkin cheese cake.
Hi Mary Ann, I haven’t tested that, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!