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!).
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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 was worried about cooking it without a water bath and I was right there was a massive crack around the whole edge of the cake
Hi Chloe! I’m so sorry it cracked. Did you follow the cool down instructions that I provided? I provide the recommended cool down method for this recipe in the instructions above to help avoid cracks to not need the water bath like other cheesecake recipes.
My pumpkin cheesecake looks perfect, but is sticky on the outside! Should I bake more?
Hi Anne! It will be slightly sticky to touch but it shouldn’t be too wet. Please follow the recommended guidelines to bake it until it’s slightly wobbly in the center.
I want to make this cheesecake but only have plain pumpkin mix without sugar in it. In addition to the brown sugar, how much granulated sugar should I add (if any)?
Thank you in advance ☺️
Hi Ellen. I would add it to taste. I haven’t tested making this with just pumpkin purée.
Guess it’ll be an adventure lol. Thank you for answering so fast. Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! 😀
Darn I did the same thing but it’s already cooked for tomorrow.. ugh and it cracked! Hope it still tastes ok. 🙁
Hi Terri-Lynn! I’m sorry it cracked. A water bath changes the texture of the cheesecake, I provide the recommended cool down method for this recipe in the instructions above to help avoid cracks to not need the water bath. I hope this is helpful for now or the future.
Mine also unfortunately cracked during the 45 min cool down in the oven.
Mine cracked too, and I used a water bath. At least it tasted delicious 😋
This is the first time I made a cheese cake without a water bath. It did turn out with a few cracks. Fortunately I will be covering the tap with a caramel pecan topping, so the cracks will not be visible. In future, I will always use a water bath.
If you really want a tasty pumpkin cheesecake, substitute ginger snaps in place of graham crackers. YUMMY!
Sounds delicious! Thank you for the tip!
Do you have to grease the springform pan first?
Hi Jane, no you do not. There is butter in the crust.
Hi, can I use yogurt as a substitute for sour cream? Thank you! I have been baking some of your recipes like the dinner Rolls, cinnamon Rolls, beef broccoli and egg roll. Your recipe is amazing and it’s easy to follow with very clear instructions. 👍👍👍
I’m from the Philippines but married to an American, still learning some of the western food and came across to your site and it’s been a big help for me.
I think that will work if you use plain Greek yogurt. Thanks and I hope you and your family will enjoy the recipes that you will try!
This recipe is absolutely amazing. I have made it at least four times and people cannot stop raving about it. I’m pretty skilled at making your basic New York style cheesecake I’ve been making it for years.but this is everyone’s new favorite. The only problem that I continue to have is that it needs to be baked for a longer period of time. I do have a thermometer in my oven so I know that the temperature is correct. As with the traditional cheesecake that I make I always use a water bath. I have taken Natasha’s advice and I forgo the water bath and I never have a problem with cracking. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Hi Natasha , can lactose free cream cheese be used in place of regular cream cheese?
Hi Sandra, I imagine that will work!
I chose this for my birthday cake. I was very happy with it. I’m adding it to the Thanksgiving menu.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it? Do you know if it freezes well?
Yes, cheesecake freezes well. You’ll want to wrap it really well. Double wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil, to prevent freezer burn. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
Hi, wondering if this be made into bars? I’m feeding a lot of people for a fall bridal shower Thank you!
Hi Melissa! I’m sure the shape can be changed, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you how to adjust the ingredients quantities or baking time.
Can I put the caramel sauce on it as soon as it cools and put it in the fridge until Tuesday?
Hi Kaitlyn! That would be fine. Cheesecake can stay in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Hi! I have tried your other strawberry cheesecake recipe, which turned out fantastic. I was curious as to why this recipe does not use the water bath method.
Hi Jordyn, The water bath changes the texture of the cheesecake, I provide the recommended cool down method for this recipe in the instructions above to help avoid cracks to not need the water bath. I hope this is helpful.
Can this be done with pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie mix? Also, can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hi Ivette, Pumpkin pie mix is not quite the same since also has spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) and sugar added to it. If you’re wanting to use pumpkin purée, I recommend following the process in my Homemade pumpkin purée recipe but you’ll need to adjust sugar/spices in the recipe as well.
Hey! I made this last year and it is requested again this year for thanksgiving because it was a HUGE hit. I forgot what I used last year, the recipe calls for pumpkin pie mix, am I buying the mix that already contains the spices/sugars or am I buying a can of pure pumpkin? Thanks so much !!
Hi Alanna. Glad it was a hit last year. Pumpkin pie mix is what we used (with the sugar and spices added) not pumpkin purée. If you’re using purée, you’d have to add sugar and spices.
The store I used did not have pumpkin pie mix, I found a recipe that you add 3/4 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of pumpkin pie mix 🙂 turned out great!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
Can I omit the 2tbsp of flour or sub with gluten free flour?
Hi Amber! I have not really tested that to advise.
I was wondering the same and I found this on the internet…. This is what I plan to try
“If flour is being used for thickening you can substitute corn starch.
Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour, so you can use half as much cornstarch as flour. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of flour, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.”
Dang it! How important is the sour cream? It’s been in the oven like 20 mins and I just realized I forgot the sour cream
Hi Lynette! It helps with the taste of texture. But it should still be OK, I think.
Can I make this if all I have is a hand mixer?
Thank you
Hi Sheila! Yes, it may just take a little while longer to mix.
Is it okay to half the recipe if this is big for me thank you
Hi Ana, I imagine that will be fine but just check the cheesecake for doneness a bit earlier that the original time.
I’m living in a small village in Germany and have yet to find anything pumpkin in a can, need to make my own… Just pumpkin puree or is there more to it?!
Hi Michelle! I haven’t tested it with homemade pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie mix is not quite the same. It also has spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) and sugar added to it. If you’re wanting to use pumpkin purée, I recommend following the process in my Homemade pumpkin purée recipe but you’ll need to adjust sugar/spices in the recipe as well.
Hello! If I don’t want to make this with the crust, how would I modify the cooking time?
Hi Samantha! I haven’t attempted it without the crust to be able to instruct accurately but I assume it will take about the same amount of time.