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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake is a cozy bite of everything you love about the chilly fall season tucked into a gingersnap crust! Filled with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger!

  • Prep30 min
  • Cook1 hr
  • Total4 hr 30 min
  • Yield12 people
  • Calories448

Ingredients Steps Notes

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Take your Pumpkin Cheesecake a step further by trying out my Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie complete with a creamy cheesecake AND a pumpkin pie filling! Or my luscious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars – no springform pan required!

A slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a blue rimmed white plate.

Snag yourself a slice of this Pumpkin Cheesecake and enjoy all the creamy, seasonal flavor it has to offer! This chilled dessert is perfect for easing into Fall when it’s still warm out or even enjoying throughout the summer!

Yes, I tend to enjoy pumpkin-flavored anything year-round! You just can’t put a season on the cozy, comforting spices and flavor pumpkin has to offer!

Since this easy-to-make cheesecake has a lot of hands-off time between baking and cooling it’s not as daunting as it may seem! Which – let’s be real, we ALL have 30 minutes to spare for prep time when it comes to pumpkin anything!

Pumpkin cheesecake on a white cake stand on a wooden table.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredient Notes

Like every good pumpkin-flavored dessert, this Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe is filled with the classic spices of fall! Pumpkin puree combines with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, bringing that seasonal flavor to life!

Rounding off the cheesecake filling are ingredients such as cream cheese, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Once the filling is complete it’s added to the crust!

To make the gingersnap crust you’ll need just gingersnaps and salted butter. If you’d prefer you could even enjoy this cheesecake filling in a classic graham cracker crust!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Substitutions & Variations

  • You can replace the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with 2 teaspoons of Pumpkin Spice.
  • Pumpkin pie filling can be used in place of pumpkin puree. If you decide to use the pie filling, then you’ll need to leave out the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves from the recipe.
Ingredients used to make pumpkin cheesecake.

How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

  1. Fill a large roasting pan with water and then place it into the oven while it preheats.
  2. Combine the gingersnaps and melted butter in the food processor until it becomes a sandy texture. Then gently press this crust mixture into the bottom of your springform pan (affiliate link).
  3. Bake the crust in the oven. In the meantime, beat the cream cheese with both sugars until it becomes light and creamy.
  4. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Afterward, mix in the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  5. Pour this cheesecake filling into the baked crust. Next, tightly wrap the springform pan in tin foil to ensure it’s waterproof.
  6. Place the wrapped pan into the water bath and bake until the edges are set and the center slightly jiggly.
  7. Cool the cheesecake in the oven by turning the heat off and propping the oven door open. Then transfer it to the counter before chilling it in the fridge.
  8. Serve chilled with Homemade Whipped Cream. Add pecans or caramel sauce too if you want!

What a great recipe, you make the BEST desserts!

– Patty K-P

Step by step photo collage showing how to make pumpkin cheesecake from scratch.

Water Bath Tips For Cheesecake

  • To prevent water leaks, be sure to TIGHTLY wrap the pumpkin cheesecake in foil, using plenty to seal the pan. For added protection, you could place the springform pan into another pan. Then you could set all of that into the roasting pan that has the water in it.
  • Allowing the cheesecake to cool down with the oven prevents exposing the dessert to a sudden temperature change. Which almost always results in cracked cheesecake. The cooling time in the oven allows for a gentle temperature transition.
  • Giving the cheese a water bath is totally up to you! Cheesecake is less likely to crack and rises more evenly when there’s plenty of moisture in the oven. Here’s a full guide for using a water bath for cheesecakes! If you’re decorating the top of the cheesecake with whipped cream or toppings, you could skip it! If any cracks occur, they’ll just be covered with yummy toppings!
Pumpkin cheesecake on a white cake stand on a wooden table.

Storage Instructions For Pumpkin Cheesecake

Place the cheesecake in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy the cheesecake for up to a week.

This cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Before eating, just pop the cheesecake into the fridge overnight to allow it to thaw before serving.

A slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a white plate with a bite taken out if it.

Treat Your Taste Buds To More Pumpkin-Flavored Goodness:

This recipe was originally published in October 2017 and was updated in September 2022 with a newly tested recipe, photos, and baking tips.

Steps

Prep

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray generously with nonstick spray.

  2. Fill a roasting pan (large enough for you to set the springform pan inside) with 1½ inches of water to make the water bath. Place the roasting pan into the oven while it is preheating and you are preparing the cheesecake. This way it will be hot when you add the cheesecake to it.

Crust

  1. Add the gingersnaps and melted butter to a food processor and process until a sandy texture forms. Gently press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan, and slightly up the sides. Place this into the oven (not in the water bath) to bake for 10 minutes.

Filling

  1. While the crust bakes, beat together the cream cheese and sugars at medium speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.

  2. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition, just until incorporated.

  3. Mix in the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

  4. Remove the crust from the oven and pour the cheesecake filling mixture into the baked crust.

Bake

  1. Place two large pieces of tin foil in an X shape under the springform pan (The pieces must be large enough that there will not be any spaces uncovered when you bring them up around the edges of the springform pan). Bring the edges up so that the springform pan is going to be waterproof.

  2. Place the springform pan into the water bath and bake. Do not open the oven while the cheesecake is baking. Check the cake (while still in the oven) after 1 hour. The edges should be set and the center just slightly jiggly. If not set, bake for 5 to 10 more minutes but do not overbake.

  3. Do not remove the cheesecake from the oven. Turn off the oven and prop the door open. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the open oven for 1 hour. Move the cheesecake to the counter. Cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to chill for another 2 hours.

  4. Once set, top with fresh whipped cream, chopped pecans, pumpkin pie spice, and caramel sauce if desired.

Notes

  • How Come The Cheesecake Needs To Be Left In The Oven After It’s Finished Baking? Allowing the cheesecake to cool down with the oven prevents exposing the dessert to a sudden temperature change. Which almost always results in cracked cheesecake. The cooling time in the oven allows for a gentle temperature transition.
  • Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead Of Pumpkin Puree? Yes, that would be just fine. If you decide to use the pie filling then you’ll need to leave out the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves from the recipe.
  • Is There A Way To Be Sure That Water Doesn’t Get Into My Pan During The Water Bath? Be sure to TIGHTLY wrap the pumpkin cheesecake in foil, using plenty to seal the pan. For added protection, you could place the springform pan into another pan. Then you could set all of that into the roasting pan that has the water in it.
  • Can I Use Pumpkin Spice In This Recipe? Yes! To do so, replace the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice.
  • Do I Have To Give The Cheesecake A Water Bath? That’s totally up to you! Cheesecake is less likely to crack and rises more evenly when there’s plenty of moisture in the oven. If you’re decorating the top of the cheesecake with whipped cream or toppings, you could skip it! If any cracks occur, they’ll just be covered with yummy toppings!
  • What’s The Best Way To Store This Pumpkin Cheesecake? Place the cheesecake in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy the cheesecake for up to a week. This cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Before eating, just pop the cheesecake into the fridge overnight to allow it to thaw before serving.

Nutrition

  • Calories448
  • Carbs37g
  • Protein6g
  • Fat31g
  • Saturated fat18g
  • Fiber1g
  • Sugar27g
  • Sodium348mg

Estimates per serving, when a serving size is listed.

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