Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice is combined into this Pumpkin Cheesecake. A smooth and creamy spice filling baked onto a gingersnap crust will have you coming back for more. This 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 used to make pumpkin pie because that's the tradition dessert you are supposed to have in the fall.
A few years ago my husband and I started making more cheesecake, and we decided that a pumpkin cheesecake recipe needed to be on our fall holiday dessert list.
I realize that most people think that cheesecake recipes are difficult to make, but I'm here to convince you that they are actually easier to make than you probably think.
Why Make This Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
If you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving day dessert, this pumpkin cheesecake is what you are looking for.
A creamy pumpkin spice filling is baked on a thick gingersnap cookie crust which gives the cheesecake a delicious texture and flavor. Feel free to use any type of crust you like though.
This dessert literally tastes like pumpkin pie and cheesecake all in one glorious bite. Don't forget to add the swirl of Cool Whip for the best look.
When your friends and family taste how creamy and delicious this pumpkin cheesecake is, they will think you bought it from a bakery.
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 cheesecake crust a great spicy flavor. You can also use graham cracker crumbs, if you prefer that instead.
- Sugar - Sweetens the crust and also helps to hold it together.
- Butter - Unsalted, melted, and mixed with the sugar and cookie crumbs.
For the Creamy Filling
- Cream Cheese - Use 4 blocks of full fat cream cheese that has been 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 - Binds the ingredients together and gives it 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.
How to Make A Pumpkin Cheesecake
Follow these steps to make this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe. The hardest part is waiting for the cheesecake to cool before you can dive in.
Make a Cookie Crust
- Crush the gingersnap cookies in a food processor. Mix the crumbs and sugar with melted butter.
- Press the cookie crust evenly into the bottom of a parchment lined springform pan.
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!
- Bake the cheesecake in preheated oven. Once it is done baking, open the oven door slightly and turn the oven off.
- After 5 minutes, remove the cheesecake and place it on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges, and continue cooling for an hour at room temperature before refrigerating overnight.
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.
Chill and Decorate
- Refrigerate the pumpkin cheesecake for at least 6-8 hours or until chilled all the way through.
- Decorate the top of the cheesecake with Cool Whip swirls, gingersnap cookies, and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice right before serving. Or use this homemade whipped cream, if you prefer.
Steam Bath vs Water Bath Baking
One of the biggest controversies when baking cheesecake is whether you should 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 texture.
Tips and Tricks
- 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 in the oven for 5-10 minutes with the door cracked slightly.
- 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.
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.
Yes, cheesecake is an excellent dessert to make a few days ahead of time because it needs time to chill completely.
Other Pumpkin Desserts
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Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice is combined into this 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
- 1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip
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 onto 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. (80 minutes if making it in the 10 inch pan)
- Turn the oven off and open the door slightly to bring the temperature down slowly. After 5-7 minutes remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Run a knife around the outside 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 on the counter, then place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or until chilled through.
- Remove the springform pan from the cheesecake, pull off the parchment paper on the bottom, 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 and bake it for 80 minutes.
- 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 in the oven with the door cracked for 5 minutes. Remove and 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 plenty of 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.
*The post for the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake was first published November 2019. It was updated and republished November 2022.
Deanna
Is there any substitute for the pumpkin? I am making this for my sons birthday. I have made it twice with pumpkin but would like to make plain or ?
Jocelyn
I'm glad you like the pumpkin cheesecake. This particular recipe was written just for pumpkin, but here is a link to a vanilla cheesecake that you can top with whatever pie filling you like. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/vanilla-bean-cheesecake/ Or here is a link to a banana cheesecake that we love. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/banana-pudding-cheesecake/
Tracy
I'm making this this coming week for Christmas. I have never done a steam bath or water bath before. So u put a pan of water on the lower shelf of oven? Then the cheese cake would be above that not directly on that pan of water ?
Jocelyn
Yes, you place the pan of water on the very bottom oven rack and preheat your oven. Then place the pan of cheesecake on the oven rack directly over the steaming water, not in the water.
Mel
Works every time!
Alexandra
Wow - this looks delicious!
Cayla
Have you ever made this without flour?
Jocelyn
I have not tried this one without flour, but we have made other cheesecakes without flour and they have all baked fine. The main reason I like to add a little bit of flour in my recipes is to thicken the batter and prevent major cracks.
Cynthia Broyles
Unfortunately, I waited until today to buy the ingredients, and the store only had reduced fat cream cheese. Are any adjustments needed when using lite cream cheese?
Jocelyn
Was it the Neufchatel cream cheese? The only adjustment that you may need to do is to bake it a few minutes longer. A cheesecake made with reduced fat cream cheese will end up with a slightly softer texture and may not be quite as rich. Other than that it still should taste amazing. Keep me posted on how it turns out for you!
Kevin
Joselyn
My 9” pan is only 2 7/8 high so will be going to the 10” pan do I need to change the cooking time or temp ? I did put 12 cups of flour in the 9” but it was to the very top and didn’t know if liquid is less or more than unsifted flour.
Jocelyn
The cooking temperature will be same for the 10 inch pan. It will probably be done closer to 80 minutes, but keep an eye on it. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Sail J
Absolutely wonderful. It's rich but not too sweet, and my husbands side of the family (self proclaimed cheesecake eating experts) had nothing bad to say! I loved it, and am very happy to say there are no leftovers! I did have to bake it an extra 6 minutes because it was very jiggly in the middle, but my oven is weird.