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
The one I use 9″x 2.5 a little bigger than what I see in the photo
Hi Marimar, the one I use is a 9×3 which has a 12 cup capacity while a 9×2.5 only has a 10 cup capacity.
Thanks for your answer. The pumpkin
cake was delicious. I loose quarter of the filling , but now I know for next time
Hello Natasha in the part of the ingredients you put pumpkin pie mix, but in the method you put pumpkin pure . I’m a fan of your recipes, but in this recipe I use a non stick 9 inch spring form, and the filling was double the 9 “spring form . is your spring form is bigger than 9 ”
t was perfect, maybe your bread is bigger of 9 ?? ‘
Thank you for pointing that out! I clarified it to read pumpkin pie mix in the instructions. Hi Marimar, I use a standard size 9″ springform pan with 3″ tall walls. Are you possibly using a cake pan or a short springform pan instead?
Can you use pure pumpkin purée? I don’t have the pie mix.
Hi Jayme, I have tried this with regular pumpkin puree from a can and it still worked well. The pumpkin pie mix has some additional seasonings in it.
This is so yummy. I made it a couple of years ago, and have been asked to make it again. To me, there is too much of an alcohol taste to the whipped cream with the added rum extract. Is there any way to take more of the alcohol taste out?
Hi Andrea, you can reduce the amount or just let the cream sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. If the cream is left refrigerated overnight, you will hardly taste the alcohol the following day. Also, for a quick fix, you can whip and fold in some fresh cream to mute the flavor.
Thank u for replying so quickly! I will try that. Also, do u think it would matter if I made one in an 8 inch or 10 inch springform pan instead of a 9 inch?
Hi Andrea, I’m not sure if an 8″ would be too small and if you try the 10″ you may have to adjust the baking time since it will bake faster being a shorter cake.
Hi Natasha!
My cheesecake split in the middle. I followed the instructions word for word. Any idea on why this happened so I can make adjustments? Regardless, it still looks great and I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Ashley, I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Be careful not to beat on too high of speed and do not use the whisk attachment if a paddle is called for in the recipe. This is so that it doesn’t incorporate too much air bubbles into the batter which can cause the cheesecake to crack. I hope that helps!
Could I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Would I need to add more pumpkin pie spice?
Thank you!
Hi Kimberly, I recommend the canned one for the most consistent results. Sometimes a homemade one that is too wet might cause cracking. I think you could make it work if it was very well drained.
Can you use regular pumpkin? What is the difference between pumkin pie mix and pumpkin ?
Hi Nicole, I have tried this with regular pumpkin puree from a can and it still worked well. The pumpkin pie mix has some additional seasonings in it.
I noticed the recipe said 15 ounce pumpkin pie mix, however I believe this can is always about 30 ounces. Should I measure out 15 ounces (it is suppose to be pumpkin pie mix, not just pumpkin purée correct?). Thank you!
Oh, I see you answered this question already. Thanks! Got it!
Hi Les, that is correct, you need half of the 30 oz can.
as a website owner and blogger myself, i have to tell you how much i LOVE your site! gonna make my first cheesecake today – pumpkin, and i couldn’t do it without you. thanks natasha!
dan harris
Thanks Dan! I’m happy to hear how much you are enjoying my site! Thanks so much for following!
Hi Natasha,
Is it a 15oz can of pumpkin pie mix or 30oz can? I just want to make sure 15oz is correct because I’ve only seen 30oz cans in stores…and the picture you posted with the can looks pretty big too.
Thank you for clarifying!
Hi Liliana, that is correct, you only need to use 15 oz of the mix. I used half of the can shown 🙂
ooooops… I used the entire can, I didn’t even think to check how much was in it. Just realized my mistake after reading this. Cheesecake just came out of the oven, but no telling what will happen when it’s cooled, I guess!
I haven’t tested it with that much. I hope it still turns out great for you!
Hi Natasha,
How I know when you add new recipes
Thanks
Hi Marimar, we send out weekly newsletter updates with new recipes. You can subscribe here 🙂
I don’t have a paddle only the standard mixer. Is this ok ?I would love to make this.
Hi Dayle, the reason for the paddle attachment is so that it doesn’t incorporate too much air bubbles into the batter which can cause the cheesecake to crack. Be careful not to beat on too high of speed. I hope you love it!
Thank you very much for your quick response I can’t wait to try this cheesecake
My pleasure Dayle! I hope you love it!
Could you make this with 15oz pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie mix? And maybe just add a bit more pumpkin pie spice?
HI Anna, this recipe does work with plain pumpkin puree as a substitute even without the extra spice – although you could add a little more if you wanted a little extra flavor.
Thank you!
You’re welcome Anna!
This sounds wonderful but I’m curious because there’s a huge difference between pumpkin pie mix and pumpkin puree. The pumpkin pie mix is a liquid and has added ingredients whereas the puree is more solid and just pumpkin. Which did you use and how would you adjust for using the other?
Hi Chris, it is pumpkin pie mix. I have tested it with both and they both work since there is enough spice added. Sorry for the confusion! I updated the recipe to clarify 🙂
I made this last year with gluten free graham crackers and pureed pumpkin and it was very very good. I honestly don’t remember if I used flour but if I did it would have been bob’s red mill 1 to 1 gf flour – I use it in everything I bake.
Omg! your recipe for this pumpkin cheesecake is to die for. I actually did it as an activity with my little girls and the recipe was super easy to follow. My girls loved it and we enjoyed eating it after very much!
Thank you!
You’re welcome Nancy! I’m glad to hear your family enjoys the recipe! Thank YOU for sharing your fantastic review!
I’m gluten free so I was going to skip the crust and just make the cheese cake. Can I skip the flour in the cheese cake or substitute it with a tapioca flour, corn starch etc?
Hi Charity, without testing that myself, I can’t really recommend it. Maybe someone else has tried making it gluten free? Thanks in advance!! 🙂
I NEVER PUT FLOUR IN MY CHEESCAKE …I LIKE IT BETTER
I can never find what size spongiform pan. Please specify. I have three different sizes. Thanx.
Hi Partricia, It is a 9″ springform pan. I have it written in red in step 2 with a link to the springform pan we have :). I hope you love the cake!
Thanx so much. I must have missed that. LOL! It’s cooling down in the oven right now… can’t hardly wait til later tonight. I used crushed pecans as the crust. Will top with homemade whipped cream. Edwards used to make a pie of this combination of flavors but it’s been years. That’s why I’m so excited to try. Thanx for sharing.
You’re so welcome! 🙂 I hope you love the recipe! I imagine your kitchen smells amazing right now! 😉
Amazing! Made it last year and will make it again this year for thanksgiving 🙂
I’m glad you love it as much as I do Kateryna! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Serving my pumpkin cheesecake tomorrow. So far, so good! BUT, how do I make caramel sauce.
Hi Deb, that recipe doesn’t live on my site but here is the recipe I used. There is a link above but it’s easy to miss :).
The pumpkin cheesecake was a BIG hit!!!
Yes! I’m happy to hear that Deborah! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This looks so delicious. I’m going to make it tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner. Just wondering if you have any tips to know if the cheesecake is done after an hour. How jiggly will it be? Do you insert a knife? I want this to turn out! The caramel sauce for the top is going to make it over the top 😊
Yum! Yum! Yum! What else is there to say? This looks delicious. I definitely want to try making it. Pinning for later.
It IS so GOOD! Please let me know what you think of the recipe Jennifer!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us! I didn’t have a springform pan so I used my rectangular glass baking dish instead. (I don’t mind if it turns in to squares) I used almond flour for my base and did not pre-bake it. Didn’t have any sour cream or regular flour so I used arrowroot flour instead and just omitted the sour cream. It turned out wonderful! Just the perfect mix of pumpkin pie and cheesecake! Does not require toppings but if making it for company then toppings would be a nice touch and presentation. Thanks again & God bless you!!!
I’m happy you love the recipe Priscilla! God Bless 😀