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
This pumpkin cheesecake GOES CRAZY! One of the best cheesecakes I’ve had in my life. I used the 6oz 9-inch premade graham cracker crust from Aldi instead of making one per the recipe. With the portions from this recipe, I was able to fill two of those premade pie crusts. I was able to put both in the oven at the same time with the loaf pan with water in it and I cooked at 325F for about 60 mins. They came out so perfect. No cracks, perfect consistency. The flavor is so good, and they were a hit at my family Thanksgiving dinner!
I’m all smiles reading your review. Thank you so much Jess!
This was so easy and a big hit with my Thanksgiving guests. My husband had requested a pumpkin cheesecake and this turned out amazing. He actually took half for himself and hid it away. This will be my go to in the future.
I would do the same if I had to share, haha. I’m so happy it was a hit, Jennifer!
I made two of the cheesecakes, one split and one didn’t. But it didn’t matter because I covered both with some whipped cream. They were a huge hit with the family and friends. Definitely will make them again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad they were a hit, Mark!
This was fantastic! 1st time making a cheesecake. I followed the recipe down to the letter minus the pan of water when baking because I forgot. Still turned out amazing and no cracks! Did the caramel and whip with a dash of pumpkin spice, perfect! This is a keeper! Thanks!
I’m so happy you found a keeper on my blog, George!
I really liked the cheesecake. Was really good but mine didn’t set well in the middle. I left it in the oven for 60 minutes so didn’t want to overbake it. So not sure what I did wrong. I’ve still been eating it so hopefully its not fully raw lol
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Hi Courtney, I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out as expected. Did you test for doneness before pulling the cheesecake out of the oven? Some ovens run cooler and will need a longer bake time. I added a note in the recipe card to clarify this. For example, my own oven says it’s preheated but it’s still 25 degrees under so I have to wait for it to preheat fully. If you bake until it’s slighly wobbly in the center then let it cool per the instructions, it will set properly.
Love this! I use another about 6 oz of pumpkin, a little more flour, and a tablespoon of maple syrup, teaspoon of vanilla, homemade crust, also with a dabble of maple syrup. The graham crackers have seed oils and artificial flavors…..Simple Brown Sugar–Maple Cheesecake Crust
Ingredients
• 1.25 cups flour (all-purpose or a mix of regular + almond flour and/or or a little coconut flour)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon or chai tea spice pumpkin spice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Break up any sugar clumps.
3. Add butter + maple syrup: Pour in the melted butter and maple syrup. Stir until the mixture forms a soft dough that holds together when pressed.
o If it feels too dry, add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or water at a time.
o If too wet, add a spoonful of flour.
4. Press into pan: Firmly press the dough into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. You can go slightly up the sides if you want a higher crust.
5. Dock the crust: Prick a few holes with a fork to prevent bubbling.
6. Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until set and lightly golden at the edges.
o Do not overbake; it will bake again with the cheesecake.
7. Cool slightly, then pour in your cheesecake filling.
Thank you for sharing! That crust sounds yummy!
The cheesecake is not the typical cheesecake. Both my son and I had the same reaction. I think we were looking for more of a cheesecake taste with pumpkin kind of swirled through, though I realize mixing it all together you wouldn’t have that. Overall it was good, and easy, and I had no cracks. It’s just not the taste we were looking for.
I made this for thanksgiving, even though it cracked the flavor was sooo good! I covered it with whipped cream and sprinkled it with cinnamon.
It’s a good idea to cover it with cream and cinnamon. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor!
The cheesecake part tasted great. I added a lot of extra spices because I love a lot in my pumpkin. I made a salted caramel topping and that paired really well. There were two glaring issues: the cheesecake got a huge crack in it despite my following the baking instructions exactly, and the crust had too much butter so got too hard. I’d halve the amount of butter for next time and will do a water bath
Even if a crack forms, the flavor will still be fantastic! You can always cover it with caramel sauce or whipped cream if needed. Also for next time, see the section in the post above titled: “How to Prevent Cracks in Pumpkin Cheesecake?” You can also do a water bath, it will help with the crack! As for the butter, I ever had issues with the amount of butter but feel free to try it with less butter next time.
I added 1/2 Cup of crushed pecans that I pulverized in my food processor and an additional 2 Tablespoons of melt butter to the crust and it made a very sturdy crust and a nice toasted pecan flavor to the cheesecake
Thank you for sharing, Sara! Great to hear that it was a success!
Fantastic! By far the best cheesecake I have ever made. The texture is lighter and fluffier than a classic cheesecake which I think works well with the brightness the pumpkin brings. The recipe itself was very clear and easy to follow. 10/10 will definitely be making again. Also I agree, Libby’s pumpkin is absolutely superior.
I’m so happy that you loved this cheesecake! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Absolutely amazing! I can’t stop eating this cheesecake…and I’m not a fan of pumpkin.
Thank you for the detailed instructions!
Hi Diana! I’m so happy to hear you loved it so much!
I made the pumpkin cheesecake for my family this Thanksgiving – everyone loved it!
Followed the recipe exactly and the cheesecake did not crack. The flavor was amazing. I do have a question about the texture of the finished cheesecake. It was not dense – but much softer – maybe fluffy is the right word. Is this the right texture? Love all your recipes.
Hi Jean! I’m so happy to hear you loved this cheesecake. That’s correct, it’s not a very dense cheesecake.
Made this for thanksgiving and it was a hit!! Great recipe! No cracks and the texture was so thick and delicious. I do like a little more crust so I used one stick of butter and 2 cups of graham crackers. But followed the directions otherwise it came out amazing!
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for sharing your thoughtful review. I’m so happy to hear that you loved the pumpkin cheesecake.
Served this to my family on Thanksgiving, everyone absolutely LOVED it, made the greatest Thanksgiving ever
That’s so great to hear, Jackson! Happy thanksgiving. I’m happy it was enjoyed.
How would i bake this in a 7inch pan instead of a 9 inch?
Hi Pravaani! You need to scale down the recipe. You can do this by changing the number of servings/slices at the top of the recipe card. I would change it to 7-8 servings.
Watch it in the oven, because it will bake faster. See my notes above for how to check for doneness.
Mine took an hour and forty five minutes to get to the described doneness, it was still super liquidy after 60 minutes. Not sure if my oven is super accurate but I’ve never had to go over a baking recipe by so long before. In any case looks like it’ll be really tasty!
I think the original recipe was better. Just made this one after getting the correct ingredients. I’m not sure. But it definitely cracks more than the other one. I personally don’t understand the obsession of not have cracks in cheesecake. Doesn’t matter to my family. But I followed the recipe to a T even using Libbys brand pumpkin puree. And it came out with huge cracks. I don’t day this to be ugly. I just wish we wouldn’t have messed with what wasn’t broken. The original recipe we’ve been making for years. And it’s been incredible. I personally don’t care about the cracks. I just thought id still give the feedback since it’s my understanding that’s why the recipe was tweaked. It was better before in that regard. Tastes great still though.
Same! I don’t know why she changed up the recipe, I still have the screenshots when I saved the original back in 2020.
Where can I find the 2020 recipe?
I made one in the past and it was perfect. I just now made one using 2025 recipe and there were so many cracks. I followed the recipe as written. Thanks!
OMGoodness! This came out amazing! Thank you, Natasha🧡
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you loved it, Allyson!
Followed all directions. When I went to run the knife around the edges, it was as if the filling is still raw. Will it firm up as it cools? Or do I need to throw it back in the oven??
Hi Melissa! Make sure to fully preheat your oven prior to baking, if not, it will take much longer to bake through. Every oven bakes differently, so I highly recommend using an internal oven thermometer (affiliate link) to verify your ovens temperature accuracy. It sounds like it needs more time to bake. Please see the details that I provided in the notes to check for doneness. Use those visual cues to help.
I just put mine in the oven, can’t wait to see how it comes out! Made this for my son-in-love, he loves pumpkin cheesecake!
I hope you all love the pumpkin cheesecake! It’s extra delicious with the butterscotch sauce.