Pumpkin Cheesecake

My pumpkin cheesecake recipe gets rave reviews ever since I posted it years ago. It's failproof (no cracking!), as easy as mixing ingredients together, and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. This pumpkin cheesecake is delicious by itself, but is over-the-top impressive when you add some of my easy butterscotch sauce or caramel and rum-infused whipped cream. This is the perfect holiday dessert.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 13 whole graham crackers)

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake:

• 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

• 15 oz pumpkin puree (Libby's brand, or well-drained homemade puree)*

• 4 large eggs

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

• 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, plus more to dust

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

Optional Toppings:

• Butterscotch sauce or caramel

• Whipped cream
  

  Instructions

  Make the Crust

  1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.

  2. Mix and bake. In a medium bowl, stir together the crust ingredients — graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3" tall walls and use a large spoon to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan, going about 1/2" up the sides. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any drippings and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

  Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake

  3. Beat the cream cheese. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (about 5 minutes), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don't have chunks of cream cheese.

  4. Mix the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together the pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cream cheese filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

  5. Bake. Transfer the filling into the pre-baked and cooled crust, then tap the pan on the counter 15 times to release air bubbles. Place a loaf pan half-filled with hot water (the steam helps prevent cracks) and your cheesecake on the center rack, and bake at 325°F for 50–60 minutes,* or until the edges are set and there is a slight wobble in the center 3" of the cheesecake when you jolt the pan. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes to cool slowly. Note: If you have a gas oven, turn the oven off and leave the door closed, since gas ovens cool much faster.

  6. Chill and serve. Once the cheesecake is out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan (this helps release tension), then cool on a rack until room temperature, about 2 hours. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove the chilled cheesecake from the springform pan, cut into slices, and add your desired toppings.

  Notes

  • Pumpkin puree note: I have tested this recipe using the same amount of canned pumpkin pie mix, and it still worked great. If that's what you have on hand, you can use it.

  • Bake times: Not all ovens are created equal, so check your cheesecake for doneness before pulling it out of the oven. If your oven doesn't preheat fully, it may take 60–70 minutes.

  Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

  • Make ahead: Bake and cool the cheesecake. Cover tightly and chill for up to 5 days in the fridge. Add toppings when ready to serve.

  • Freeze: Wrap the chilled cheesecake (I keep it in the mold), or individual slices, in plastic wrap and foil, or place in a freezer-safe ziptop bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add toppings just before serving.
    

    Nutrition (Per Serving)

    • Calories: 450 kcal

    • Carbs: 44 g

    • Protein: 7 g

    • Fat: 28 g