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 or a Biscoff 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.
- Spices - Adds flavor and compliments the pumpkin. You can also use this homemade pumpkin pie spice instead.
- 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.
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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 light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping 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°F. Place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack in the oven and fill at least halfway with hot water.
- Line 12 cupLine 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 heavy 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 overbeat 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 slow the temperature down. After 5-7 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it 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 on the counter for an hour, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or until chilled through.
- Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, 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.
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Sophie
I just put this in the fridge for the night! I have never baked a cheesecake before so I’m hoping it turns out.
I did put a cookie sheet under my pan because the springform pan I have leaks very easily. When I took it out of the oven, it looked good besides one little bubble which later cracked after about an hour. So there’s a slight crack on the top, but oh well.
Hopefully it looks just as good tomorrow.
Jocelyn
It sounds like you did an amazing job for your first cheesecake! Unfortunately cracks do happen in cheesecake. Nothing a little Cool Whip can't fix, right? I hope you enjoy it!
Alkesh
What a bummer! Batter was too much for the 9 inch pan. Either recipe should be revised or edit to suggest ramekins for extra better. It is baking right now, but doesn’t look good
Jocelyn
The recipe is written for a 12 cup 9 inch springform pan. Is that what you used? It will be full, but it bakes just fine. I have made this multiple times in my 9 inch pan and it turns out every time.
Debby Pitchford
I found out that my springform pan leak water thru the bottom, is this still going to be a problem with the crust at the bottom? If so what else can I use,I do have a a Square Pyrex baking dish
Jocelyn
As long as it isn't a large hole, you should still be able to use the springform pan. I would put a sheet of parchment over the bottom of the pan and lock the sides on it. The excess parchment will be hanging on the outside of the pan. Press the crust in firmly and it shouldn't leak.
Sue
I always use a crock pot liner instead of foil. It works great and no leaking and best of all NO mess. I also read that to prevent cracking on the top it's the eggs that are the problem. I beat the eggs really well and then add them to the cheesecake last and stir by hand until they're all mixed in. No cracking
DHolmes
Recipe was a disaster! I say stick to the water bath!!!
Jocelyn
Oh no. What happened? I have made this quite a few times with just a steam bath, so I know the recipe works.
Kelly
Hi! I was wondering if this recipe would work with a 10 inch springform pan?
Jocelyn
Yes, you could make it in the larger pan as well. The baking time will be just a little bit shorter though. I would probably take a look at it around 1 hour 20 minutes.
Kathy
I’m going to make this tomorrow. It calls for pumpkin purée but I cannot find any. Is it ok to use pure pumpkin?
Jocelyn
As long as you are not using pumpkin pie mix, it is fine. I believe pure pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing.
Kathy
Thank you just one more question I just took this out of the oven letting it cool and it’s in the fridge. How does the parchment paper come off?
Jocelyn
Once it chills completely (at least 4 hours or more) unlatch the sides of the pan and remove them. You will be able to lift the cheesecake off the bottom of the pan and gently pull the parchment off.
Kathy
It turned out perfect and my husband sampled a little and it is amazing.
Ashley Veristain
Do you think it would still work ok to use salted butter in the crust with the gingersnaps?
Jocelyn
Yes, it works just fine. I have done that before when it was all I had on hand. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Jennifer
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
Jocelyn
I used light brown for this recipe, but either will work fine. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Gillian
Do you think this cheesecake would be good with a sour cream layer on top?
Jocelyn
Actually it's amazing with a sour cream layer on it. The original one we did for our cookbook has this type of layer on it. I would mix 2 cups of sour cream and 1/4 granulated sugar. Take the cheesecake out of the oven at 85 minutes, spread the sour cream mixture on top, and then bake the cheesecake for 5 more minutes. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Elizabeth Ruiz
Hi. I can’t wait to try this. I just have a few questions...
1. Can I bake more than 1 at a time?
2. Do I put the parchment paper only on the bottom?
3. Should I put it inside a pan incase it leaks in the oven?
Thank you so much!
Jocelyn
I hope I can help. 1. As long as your oven is large enough to accommodate two springform pans on the same shelf with enough room around each one for air flow to get around, you should be able to bake 2 - 9 inch cheesecakes at a time. It may or may not need a few extra minutes, so just keep an eye on them at the end of the time. 2. Yes, I just put a layer of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and then snap the sides of the springform pan on it. I also like to trim the excess paper off after attaching the sides. 3. I would not put the pan inside another one. I always add a large sheet pan of water on the very bottom rack and let it heat up with the oven. It creates a nice steamy oven for the cheesecake to bake in. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake. Feel free to message me with any other questions.
Tiffany
Instead of using all the spices separately (ie clove, ginger, cinnamon) could you substitute w pumpkin pie spice? Thank you! Looks delicious and I can’t wait to make this! ?
Jocelyn
You sure can. I would say 2-3 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice would work in place of the separate spices. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Susanna
Thanks for the tips about a steam bath (I think water baths are such a mess too) and the small addition of flour to keep it smooth. I’m planning on making this for the micro-version of Thanksgiving this year. Yum.
Maggie Reiff
So sad, this cheesecake blew up and cracked all around the edges. I didn't make any substitutions. I used the steam bath instead of a water bath (i normally do water baths). Super disappointed but any ideas what went wrong?
Jocelyn
Oh, no! I am so sorry to hear this. When you say it blew up...do you mean it puffed up really high? Did it ever sink back in after it cooled? It kind of sounds like it may have been over baked, but I can't say for sure without seeing it. I never use a water bath, and I have made this particular recipe quite a few times. I know every oven it different, so yours may run a little hotter than mine which is why it would be over baked.
Laurie
I had way too much filling so I sprayed and filled a ramikin to bake along side of the cheesecake. Hope it bakes up ok. Well see.
Jocelyn
What size pan are you baking it in? If you used a 12 cup 9 inch springform from the recipe directions, it's ok if it is full.
Anna
I wish you had stated 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Because a noob like me just baked my cheesecake at the highest Celsius temperature which was 240 degrees Celsius instead. There goes my dessert for Halloween. ?
Jocelyn
I'm so sorry about the cheesecake not turning out. I appreciate the feedback & will make sure to add that to my recipes going forward. Where are you from?
Joyce
Can you freeze this cheesecake
Jocelyn
Yes, you can freeze the cheesecake. Wrap the cooled cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and then again in foil. It should keep for 1-2 months if tightly sealed. Place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight before serving. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Louise Pilkerton
Can I use evaporated milk in place of cream in this recipe?
Jocelyn
I have not tried it with anything other than the cream, but I think the evap milk would work just fine too. Keep me posted if you try it this way.
Denise
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
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
Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!
Denise
Can't wait to try this! It looks so good! The flour is throwing me off in a cheesecake.
Jocelyn
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
Thanks!
Alexandra
I only have a glass pie dish. It is possible to make this in that?
Jocelyn
No, this would be way too much filling for a pie dish. This particular recipe makes enough to fill a 12 cup 9 inch springform pan very 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
Thank you for the quick response!
Scarlet
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
Creamy goodness is always a good idea!