Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice is combined into the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake. The smooth, rich, and creamy filling loaded onto a gingersnap crust will have you coming back for more. This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe will be a hit every time.
If you are looking for other fall desserts, check out our apple crisp pie and this pumpkin cobbler recipe.
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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 a pumpkin cheesecake recipe to our holiday dessert list.
⭐ Why Make This Cheesecake
Our pumpkin cheesecake is a great fall treat. The gingersnap crust is perfect crisp and the creamy filling has just the right amount of spice.This dessert will be your new favorite this season.
It's so easy to make too with our easy to follow instructions. You can make it ahead of time, so you have time to relax before Thanksgiving dinner.
Your friends and family will think you bought it at a bakery when they taste how creamy and delicious this pumpkin cheesecake is.
📋 Key Ingredients Needed
The best pumpkin cheesecake is made with pumpkin puree and fall spices, so it tastes just like Thanksgiving.
For the crust in this pumpkin cheesecake recipe, 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!
For the Cookie Crust
- Gingersnap Cookies - Gives the crust a great spicy flavor. You can also use graham cracker crumbs, if you prefer that instead.
- Sugar - Sweetens the crust.
- Butter - Unsalted, melted, and mixed with the sugar and cookie crumbs.
For the Creamy Filling
- Cream Cheese - 4 blocks set out ahead of time.
- Sugar - A mix of brown and granulated sugar sweetens the filling.
- Heavy Cream - Adds moisture to the filling.
- Pumpkin Puree - Adds a great pumpkin flavor. Make sure you do NOT buy pumpkin pie filling!
- All Purpose Flour - Stabilizes the filling a little bit, so it doesn't crack.
- Vanilla and Spices - Adds flavor and compliments the pumpkin.
- Eggs - Gives cheesecake mixture a smooth and rich texture.
Looking for a smaller pumpkin cheesecake to serve at dinner? These Oreo pumpkin cheesecake and this pumpkin spice cheesecake always get rave reviews.
💭 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, experience, 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 place a pan of water on the rack UNDER a cheesecake as it bakes...aka a steam bath. The water heats up and begins to steam creating a humid environment in the oven. This extra moisture will give you a creamy cheesecake.
⏲️ How to Make the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake
Follow these steps to make this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool before you can dive in. The measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step One: Make the Gingersnap Cookie Crust
- Crush the gingersnap cookies and mix with melted butter.
- Press the cookie crust into a parchment lined springform pan.
Step Two: Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 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.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the batter. Do not over mix!
- 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 at room temperature before refrigerating.
BRUCREW TIP: 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.
Step Three: Chill and Decorate
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for 6-8 hours or until chilled through.
- Decorate the top with Cool Whip swirls, extra gingersnap cookies, and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice right before serving. You can also use this easy whipped cream recipe, if you prefer.
👩🏻🍳 Tips and Tricks
I'm here to convince you that making cheesecake is actually easier than you probably think. I shared a lot of tips and tricks when I made this vanilla bean cheesecake recipe.
- 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.
- Make sure you use a 12 cup 9-inch springform pan with 3 inch sides. Anything smaller will be overfilled and cause a mess. Not every 9 inch pan is the same! Please make sure your pan can hold 12 cups! If it cannot, please use a 10 inch pan.
- 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 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 sides from the pan. As cheesecakes cool, they shrink. If it is still attached to the pan, it will pull and cause cracks in the center.
- Make this 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 1-2 days earlier than when you need it.
💭 Recipe FAQ's
The center of the cheesecake should jiggle (like Jello) 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.
Yes you can. Freeze individual slices, then wrap each one in foil or plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. You can also freeze a whole pumpkin cheesecake wrapped this way and it will keep for 4-6 weeks.
📋 Other Pumpkin Desserts
- Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
- Pecan Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Fluff
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
- Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
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Please leave a 5 star ⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section further below.
Best Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice is combined into the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake. The smooth, rich, and creamy filling loaded onto a gingersnap crust will have you coming back for more. This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe will be a hit every time.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 - 12 ounce box gingersnap cookies
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 4 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack in the oven and fill at least halfway full with hot water.
- Line the bottom of a 12 cup 9-inch springform pan (with 3 inch sides) with parchment paper.
- Crush 35-40 cookies to make 2 cups of crumbs. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together. Press the mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugars until creamy. Add the whipping cream, pumpkin, vanilla, flour, and spices and mix again.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Add them to the batter until just combined. (Do NOT over beat the batter. If you do, the cheesecake will puff up as it bakes, then crack as it deflates and cools.)
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. The pan will be very full. Place the pan on the oven rack directly OVER the pan of water. Bake for 90 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen the edges from the pan. Do NOT remove the sides of the pan.
- Let the cheesecake cool for an hour, then place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or until chilled through.
- Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, pull off the parchment paper, and place it on a plate or cake stand.
- Use a piping bag and icing tip 1M to decorate the top edge of the cheesecake with Cool Whip. Add extra gingersnap cookies between the swirls. Dust with pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
- Make sure you use a 12 cup 9-inch springform pan with 3 inch sides. Anything smaller will be overfilled and cause a mess.
- Not every 9 inch pan is the same! Please make sure your pan can hold 12 cups. If it cannot, please use a 10 inch springform pan.
- 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 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 sides from the pan. As cheesecakes cool, they shrink. If it is still attached to the pan, it will pull and cause cracks in the center.
- Make this 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 1-2 days earlier than when you need it.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 4g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Donna Easter
I made this pumpkin cheesecake and brought it to my granddaughters today
For Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit . It is now my go to recipe!
Des
Definitely wrap cheesecake in foil even with steam bath excess oil from crust is dripping and making my house smokey.
Elizabeth
I’ve made this as a whole cheesecake and it is absolutely yummy. Do you think I can make it into minis?
Jocelyn
I am so glad you are enjoying this cheesecake recipe. Here are links to two other pumpkin cheesecakes that I have done in 2 different smaller sizes.https://insidebrucrewlife.com/pumpkin-oreo-cheesecake/ and https://insidebrucrewlife.com/pumpkin-spice-latte-cheesecake-bites/ I hope those help!
Morgan
Hi! I'm looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving, but going through all of the reviews, seems like a lot of people had issues with the pan. Could you share the exact pan you use? Alls I'm finding is 9-inch, 10 cup pans :/
Jocelyn
The pan that I use for my 9 inch cheesecakes is the Cake Boss springform pan. I can't find that one for sale anymore, so I found another one that is the same size and height and added a link to it in the recipe card. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake.
Mary Stacey
I should of listened to the reviews. I used a 9 inch pan and I did not use all the batter as it was way too much. I covered the batter to the top and it still overflowed . It rose way over the pan. It is still in the oven and have no idea how it is going to turn out. I have made many cheesecakes and this has never happened. The good thing about putting the pan of water is that it caugh all the excess batter. This is my Thanksgiving dessert , let's see what happens when it cools down. I think you definitely need a 10 inch pan.
Jocelyn
I am so sorry to hear that. What was the depth and cup capacity of your 9 inch springform pan? Not all pans are the same. I have done some research and have found multiple 9 inch springform pans can hold different amounts of batter. The one I use all the time is 3 inches deep and holds 12 cups. If your pan is smaller than this, you would need to use the 10 inch pan. I added additional notes in the recipe regarding the pan size.
Kim
I made this before and it was a hit. So delicious 😋
Can I make with light cream cheese instead? Will this make it taste very different? Our local store is often sold out of regular cream cheese 😔
Jocelyn
I'm glad you love this recipe. I have actually never tried this recipe with the light cream cheese. I think it would work fine, and maybe just taste a little less rich. If you try it, please keep me posted on how it turns out.
Sherri
So my daughter loves loves cheesecake and and I made this one for her birthday and she said it is the best cake period that I have ever made!!! Yay me!! Yay you for sharing!!! I roasted pecans and made a ring on top soo good
Jocelyn
Yay you!!!! That is awesome, and I am so happy that your daughter loved it! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing that with me! Would you mind leaving a 5 star rating in the recipe card, so others know it is a great recipe to make?
Tatiana
I was so concerned that bringing this to a family dinner was going to be a mistake, here’s why: I had enough filling and crust leftover to make a thin 8inch pie and when the cheesecake baked it raised 1.5 inches above the rim of my 9 inch springform. I have NEVER seen a cheesecake puff up as much as this one did. To my surprise, after the cheesecake fell it looked somewhat normal with many large cracks. The next day at my family’s Christmas dinner it was SO delicious. The flavors were perfect and the texture was creamy and firm but not overly much.
Despite my concerns, I will make this again but will plan to make mini cheesecakes in a muffin tin with the leftovers and trust that the extreme rising will settle into something delicious.
Thank you for sharing!
Lexie Roper
Do you bake the pie crust before you put the filling in?
Jocelyn
This one has a cookie crust, not a pie crust. And no, it does not need to be baked first. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Kirsten
Yep. 9 inch springform. Had the pan of water underneath-- it caught most of the butter. About set my oven ablaze with the bits it didn't catch when I heated my oven higher after taking out the cheesecake to make dinner. Yikes.
Sherry
So so so good! I’m not even a fan of cheesecake but this one is so easy and SO GOOD. I used BISCOFF instead of gingersnap cookies because I didn’t have those but I imagine they would have made it even better. Definitely will make again.
Breanna
Can I substitute the heavy cream for sour cream?
Jocelyn
Yes that would be fine to do since it is a small amount. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Samantha Jo
Can you use the nuefchatel cheese instead of actual cream cheese? It says that the neufchatel is softer than regular cream cheese will that mess with the consistency?
Jocelyn
I have actually never made a cheesecake with neufchatel cheese, but I did some google searching to see what I could find out. Everything I read says that you can use neufchatel cheese in a cheesecake with no problems. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake.
Samantha
It worked perfectly, thank you!
Shannon
Do you bake the crust first prior to adding cheesecake filling?
Jocelyn
No, I just press the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of the springform pan and set it aside while making the batter.
Shannon
Thank you! I appreciate your quick response!!
Linda
What a disaster. I baked my cheesecake 15 minutes longer than called for. When I cut into it, was not baked all the way through. I had to throw out the whole thing. No dessert for LThanksgiving!
Probably should be baked at 350 not 325
Jocelyn
I'm so sorry to hear that your cheesecake did not turn out. The baking temperature of 325 is correct though. I have made this particular recipe many times for that temp and time and it always turns out. Did you use a 12 cup 9 inch pan? And what do you call not baked all the way through? It should be creamy not hard.
Kirsten
Darn. Next time I'll follow my gut. Looked too full going in- and I was right. Puffed out over the top of my springform and cracked all around the edges. It's settling now that it's out of the oven, but pretty cracked all over. Also leaked a LOT of butter from the crust. Hoping it's ok once I take it out of the pan on Saturday morning. (Fingers crossed!)
Jocelyn
It will be full, but as long as you are using a 12 cup 9 inch springform pan, it should have baked fine. Did you have a pan of water under it for the steam bath? If so, that will have at least caught the excess butter from your pan.
Kaylee
Are you supposed to cover the cheese cake after you let it cool for an hour, before you put it in the fridge?? Or just put it directly in the fridge without covering??
Jocelyn
You can do either. I usually put the warm cheesecake in the fridge without covering it to keep moisture from forming on the top of the cheesecake.
Melissa
Hi was wondering if this recipe minus the pumpkin and spices would make a good regular cheesecake! Only asking bc I have to make plain and pumpkin so if I could use 1 batter and go from there that would be great! Happy Thanksgiving
Jocelyn
It's not as simple as just leaving out the pumpkin. I would suggest baking this vanilla bean cheesecake for the plain one. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/vanilla-bean-cheesecake/
Sophie
Thanks for responding so fast!! So I was thinking maybe instead of cool whip, I could do gingerbread buttercream icing. Would that be too much do you think? I did the gingerbread cookie crust
Jocelyn
I think it sounds awesome and delicious. It all depends on what you are wanting for it.
Sophie
Hi! How did you make your cool whip look so pretty?
Jocelyn
I used a piping bag and icing tip 1M to create the swirls on top of the cheesecake.