A slice of the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake is smooth, rich, and creamy and will have everyone going back for more after Thanksgiving dinner.
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Every year for Thanksgiving we make and share this Traditional Pumpkin Pie. Why? Because it’s tradition to have pumpkin pie for dessert in November. Am I right?
Well, it was until a few years ago anyway. When my husband and I started making more cheesecake, we added pumpkin cheesecake to our holiday dessert list.
This one is simple version of the pumpkin chai cheesecake that we included in our cookbook Cheesecake Love. To be honest, I’m not sure which one I love more. The chai topping in the book version or the gingersnap crust in this one…
Maybe I need to make another one of each, so I can compare them side by side and bite by bite. LOL! That’s probably not the best thing I could do for my skinny jeans. Or is it?
Making the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake is actually easier than you think. I know a lot of people have a phobia when it comes to making cheesecake recipes. Cheesecake has gotten a bad rap over time because it can be difficult to master.
I’m here to convince you that making cheesecake is actually easier than you probably think. I shared a lot of tips and tricks for baking cheesecake when I made this Vanilla Bean Cheesecake.
Water Bath vs. Steam Bath:
One of the biggest controversies when baking cheesecake is whether to use a water bath or not. My personal opinion and preference is no water bath.
A water bath is when you wrap the bottom of your pan with foil and place it directly into a pan of water. The temperature of the water helps the cheesecake bake evenly. I prefer to not mess with this method. I’m lazy like that. LOL!
I like to place a pan of water on the rack under a cheesecake as it bakes…aka steam bath. The water heats up and begins to steam creating a steamy humid environment in the oven. This extra moisture will help your cheesecake bake extra creamy.
For the crust in this pumpkin cheesecake, I used a box of gingersnap cookies. Feel free to change it up and make a graham cracker crust, a brownie crust, or an Oreo crust. Any of those would be amazing!
How to make the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- Place a large sheet pan of water on the very bottom oven rack. Fill it at least halfway with hot water. Preheat the oven.
- Crush the cookies and mix with melted butter. Press the cookie crust into a parchment lined springform pan.
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated and brown sugar until creamy.
- Add the heavy cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, flour, and spices and mix again.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until just mixed in. Do not over mix the batter because that can cause the cheesecake to puff up as it bakes and then crack as it deflates and cools.
- Remove the cheesecake once the timer goes off and place it on a wire rack. Cool 5 minutes, run a knife around the edges, and continue cooling for an hour before refrigerating.
- Decorate the top of the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cool Whip swirls, extra gingersnap cookies, and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice right before serving.
Looking for a smaller pumpkin cheesecake to serve at dinner? These Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecakes and these Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake Bites always get rave reviews.
Tips for Pumpkin Cheesecake Success:
- Beat the cream cheese and sugars until light and creamy. It should be fluffy and pale in color. Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and blade. This will ensure that your final cheesecake will be creamy and lump free.
- Use a mixture of granulated and brown sugar in the cheesecake batter. The addition of brown sugar deepens the flavor and adds subtle hints of molasses to your final product.
- Line your pan with parchment paper before pressing the cookie crust into the pan. You will be able to remove this easily after the cheesecake cools.
- Bake the cheesecake with a steam bath to yield a smooth creamy consistency.
- Once the cheesecake is done baking, let it cool 5 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edge of the cheesecake from the pan. As cheesecakes cool, they shrink slightly. If it is still attached to the pan, it will pull and cause cracks in the center.
- Make the cheesecake ahead of time because it needs time to chill completely. The flavors in the cheesecake will blend and meld better if they have time to chill long enough. You can make this cheesecake 1-2 days earlier than when you need it.
How do you know when pumpkin cheesecake is done?
The center of the cheesecake should jiggle when you gently shake the pan. The top will jiggle as a whole and the center two inches will look soft. The center of the cheesecake will continue to cook and firm up as it cools.
Can you freeze pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust?
Yes you can. Freeze individual slices, then wrap each one in foil or plastic and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. You can also freeze a whole cheesecake wrapped this way and it will keep for 4-6 weeks.
Other easy Thanksgiving Day desserts you may like:
- Easy Pumpkin Crunch Cobbler
- Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
- Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
- Pumpkin Fluff Donut Salad
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Pie
- More Thanksgiving recipes
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Ingredients
For the Crust
For the Cheesecake
Instructions
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14 Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 516 Total Fat: 32g Saturated Fat: 18g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 123mg Sodium: 386mg Carbohydrates: 51g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 32g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 7g
Scarlet says
We do pumpkin pie every year but I think I may have to try this instead. I mean, who doesn’t want a little extra creamy goodness in their life?! Thanks for the recipe!
Jocelyn says
Creamy goodness is always a good idea!
Alexandra says
I only have a glass pie dish. It is possible to make this in that?
Jocelyn says
No, this would be way too much filling for a pie dish. This particular recipe makes enough to fill a 9 inch springform pan full. You could make half the batter and bake it in the pie plate. I haven’t done it with this particular recipe, so I do not have an exact time for it. My guess would be around 40-45 minutes…
Alexandra says
Thank you for the quick response!
Denise says
Can’t wait to try this! It looks so good! The flour is throwing me off in a cheesecake.
Jocelyn says
The little bit of flour in a cheesecake helps keep it from cracking as it bakes and cools. You can leave it out if you like, but I find my cheesecakes usually never crack when I add a little bit. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake.
Denise says
Thanks!
Denise says
Prepping to make this!! I know to have the cream cheese and eggs room temp. Does the heavy cream also need to be at room temp for this recipe?
THanks!
Jocelyn says
I usually just pull it from the fridge and use it right away. If you want to take it out a little bit earlier, that would be fine too. I’m making this one again tonight for our dinner tomorrow too 🙂
Denise says
Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!