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September 9, 2015

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Love pumpkin pie? And pumpkin cheesecake? Well then you’re going to go crazy over this Creamy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe!!! Rich, creamy, and and full pumpkin flavor… it’s a dream come true!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!! Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

If you’ve been searching for the BEST pumpkin cheesecake recipe, you’re in luck! Because you’ve found it! This easy pumpkin spice cheesecake is:

  • rich and super creamy
  • loaded with real pumpkin flavor (thanks to an entire 15 oz can of pumpkin puree plus complimentary pumpkin spices!)
  • make-ahead friendly AND freezer friendly (in fact, you can freeze it for up to 2 months!)
  • so delicious with a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top.
  • and the perfect Fall dessert, and always a crowd pleaser for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Fall is just beginning, and for many, that means FALL BAKING! One of my favorite ingredients to incorporate into my Fall baking is PUMPKIN! We usually stock up on it in the Summer, before it’s in demand and hard to find. I’ll grab a can or two every time I’m at the store, and before I know it… my pantry is overrun it! Last week, after discovering we had over 30 cans in our possession, I knew it was time to kick of a mini pumpkin palooza! I invited some friends over and we baked a brown butter pumpkin pie, chewy cinnamon chip pumpkin cookies, and a simple pumpkin pie cheesecake. All of the recipes turned out great! But this cheesecake?! It’s SPECTACULAR!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I have a weakness for taking classic recipes and kind of turning them upside down… but this holiday season I wanted to finally perfect my very own recipe for a classic pumpkin pie cheesecake. I definitely had to practice some self control during the recipe testing process because it was SO tempting to pull an Ashley and add bourbon… or brown butter… or a layer of caramelized pecans (still dreaming about that twist!). But I made it through! And the results were worth every moment of temptation, frustration, and uncertainty.

This classic pumpkin pie cheesecake is silky smooth, richly spiced, and bursting with real pumpkin flavor in every dreamy bite. Hallelujah!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

This gorgeous pumpkin pie cheesecake is made up of 3 parts: the graham cracker crust, the cheesecake filling, and the whipped cream. Since making a cheesecake at home can seem intimidating at first, I’m going to walk you through each step. <—— That’s what friends are for!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

How to make Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

The first step is making the graham cracker crust! And it’s seriously simple. Ingredient wise you’ll need graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt – that’s it! You will need to pulse the graham crackers into crumbs, or – if you want to make things even easier (!!!) – you can buy already crushed graham cracker crumbs at the store. I typically find them in the baking aisle, somewhere near the pie fillings/ ready-to-bake crusts. To assemble the crust you’ll combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt, then fold in the melted butter and stir until it’s well combined. You want all of the crumbs to be moist from the butter. At this point you’re going to dump the crumb mixture into a lightly greased 9″ springform pan and press it down firmly, working from the center and slightly up the edges.

BTW! This recipe calls for a water bath.

So if you’re unfamiliar with the water bath process, read on! A water bath is simply the term bakers use when they place a baking pan (in this case, our cheesecake) into a larger pan that’s been filled with hot water. Taking this extra step helps insulate the pan from direct heat on all sides while it bakes. The water bath method helps your cheesecake bake gently, ensuring the finished product doesn’t burn, curdle, or crack. It also helps the cheesecake maintain its silky smooth texture. When it comes to choosing a pan for your water bath, choose one that is as tall as the cheesecake pan and large enough to leave a few inches between the cheesecake pan and the outer rim – you want enough room for the water to circulate easily. When you’re ready to make your water bath, here’s what you do: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to called for temperature. When the oven is preheated, carefully (using an oven mitt) pull out the middle rack and place your large pan on it, fill the pan halfway with hot water, then place the filled cheesecake pan in the center of the water bath. Slowly slide the rack back to its full inserted position, close the door, and bake the cheesecake according to instructions. If you’re using a springform pan it’s essential to wrap the pan in heavy-duty tin foil to avoid water seeping in. I wrap my pan from every angle pressing the foil in and around to prevent a soggy crust.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

OK! Time to talk about the filling. You’re going to need cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, spices, and a spot of flour. Few things! For the cream cheese it MUST be verrrrry soft. I typically leave my blocks of cream cheese out on the counter for two hours before I plan on baking. As for the pumpkin puree, you can use canned or homemade – but just make sure it’s not pumpkin PIE puree.

The whipped cream is a simple and straightforward method that calls for heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and a dash of vanilla. You’re also going to need either a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a handheld electric mixer. You’ll beat heavy cream and sugar until stiff, then add in the vanilla and beat a few more seconds.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

Rich spices, smooth pumpkin, and decadent cream cheese combined in just the right way. This dessert is bursting with simple, decadent flavor. That, my friends, is what makes this classic pumpkin pie cheesecake the best around.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipes

  • Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars
  • Creamy Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
  • Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

I hope you bake this cheesecake and savor each silky smooth bite. It’s pure perfection on a crisp Fall day.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake - this is what Fall dreams are made of!!!

6 votes

Print

Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Prep 30 mins

Cook 1 hour, 1 min

Inactive 6 hours

Total 7 hours, 31 mins

Author Ashley Manila

Yield 9" Cheesecake

Ultra creamy and richly spiced Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake! This is perfect for the holiday table.

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 2 cups graham crackers, pulsed into crumbs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Filling:

  • (2) 8 oz packages of cream cheese, VERY soft
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • (1) 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Whipped Cream:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Make the crust:

  1. In the body of a blender combine the graham crackers, salt, and sugar; pulse until the crackers have been completely pulsed to crumbs. Stir in the melted butter; stir well to combine. Press down into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing the crust down firmly and slightly up the sides. Wrap the pan VERY well in layers of heavy-duty tin foil; set aside.

Make the filling:

  1. Beat cream cheese and sour cream in a blender until completely smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, sugars, and spices, pulse until well combined. Add flour and vanilla and pulse for another 30 seconds, or until flour has completely disappeared into the batter. Don't over mix! Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly, smoothing the top. Place the springform pan in a large baking pan (with high sides) and fill the pan halfway with hot water; this is your water bath. Place the cheesecake in the oven and cook cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit for 45 minutes inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly. Remove cake from oven, run a knife very gently around the edge of the cake, and let it sit in the pan for 15 more minutes before covering loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerating for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, slice, top with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

Make the Whipped Cream:

  1. Place the heavy cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high until semi-stiff peaks begin to form. Add in the vanilla and beat for another minute or so. Dollop on top of cheesecake slices right before serving, or place in the refrigerator until needed. Keeps for 48 hours.

Courses Dessert

Cuisine American

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Slice of Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

8K Shares

Filed Under: Cakes, cheesecake, Pie, Pumpkin Tagged With: cheesecake, holiday baking, pie, pumpkin

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. iram says

    September 9, 2015 at 10:53 pm

    Your photography skills are amazing. I come to your site all the time. I think you put a lot of attention to detail. Thx

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 10, 2015 at 12:05 am

      Thank you so much, Iram. Your sweet comment just made my night 🙂 xoxo

      Reply
  2. Eileen says

    September 10, 2015 at 5:19 pm

    What a gorgeous cheesecake! I bet this would be perfect with a big mug of hot coffee. It’s the ideal dessert for fall!

    Reply
  3. Jessica says

    November 20, 2016 at 1:53 am

    This looks delicious! I’m going to attempt it for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 20, 2016 at 2:16 am

      Yay! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
  4. Crystal says

    November 23, 2016 at 11:44 pm

    Im attempting to make this for Thanksgiving!!!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 24, 2016 at 10:50 am

      Yay! Good luck! Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sean says

    November 18, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    This cheesecake is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us. Remember to wrap your pan in HEAVY DUTY FOIL. She emphasizes do so. I didn’t listen, used normal foil, didn’t wrap the pan very well, and my crust got water on the edges. Please wrap the pan well. Thanks again. My family is in lobe with this cheesecake.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 19, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Hi Sean! So happy you loved this pumpkin cheesecake as much as we do 🙂 Happy holidays!

      Reply
  6. Kylene Santoro says

    November 20, 2018 at 4:48 am

    Instead of wrapping the pan with the foil, can you put the water bath a rack below the cheesecake?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 20, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      Yes, but it’s not a sure thing it won’t crack a little this way.

      Reply
      • Danielle says

        October 11, 2020 at 1:39 am

        Ive been doing it that way as I had some leakage with the water bath, even though I thought I’d wrapped it well. Putting the water bath on the rack below has worked great for me, twice now. I just made this pumpkin cheesecake and it was fabulous! Baker By Nature is the only place I’m coming for cheesecake recipes! Thank you for sharing your talent with us!

        Reply
  7. Erika says

    December 21, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    Question about the water bath technique: I wrapped my spring form pan with 2 layers of heavy duty foil all the way to the top, no tears or piercings. But when I took off the foil after baking, water stil came out!! I am thinking it got in there from the steam in the oven. Was I suppose to wrap the foil over the top edge of the pan and into the inside a bit to prevent this? But the cake rises to the top, and it might touch the foil if I fold it over like that? I’m making 1 more for the holidays….What to do?

    Reply
  8. Tiffany says

    September 30, 2019 at 1:04 am

    It is in the oven fingers crossed the co workers love it I had a good time making it

    Reply
    • Carma McMichen says

      October 16, 2019 at 7:03 pm

      How did go? Eager to hear.

      Reply
  9. Gwen Smith says

    October 10, 2019 at 12:53 pm

    The whole water bath thing was intimidating until my daughter asked me to make 10 cheesecakes (without cracks) for her wedding. No pressure! I did some research and now use a tall sided cake pan just big enough to hold the springform pan. The springform pan sits in the cake pan and the cake pan sits right in the roasting pan that I use for the water bath. It works perfectly and now I make a lot more cheesecakes because I don’t have to wrap the bottom of the springform pan!

    Reply
  10. Diana says

    October 30, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    yummm! I need to try this recipe,

    What is the temperature for the oven when baking it?

    Greetings from Spain.

    Reply
  11. Vic says

    November 13, 2019 at 3:16 am

    A tip I learned is you wrap the spring form pan in a slow cooker plastic bag!! Then, you wrap in foil. I have made several cheesecakes this way and no leaks. Trying this recipe for Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Janet says

      November 22, 2020 at 9:11 pm

      Great tip!!

      Reply
    • NCA says

      December 7, 2020 at 5:23 am

      That’s a great tip! Thx for posting it.

      Reply
  12. Katie says

    November 24, 2019 at 9:25 pm

    Can I substitute the flour for something else (cornstarch) or omit it? Trying to keep it gluten free.

    Reply
  13. Adriana says

    November 28, 2019 at 2:23 am

    I just finished making this. I cannot wait to enjoy tomorrow for thanksgiving! So creamy and no cracks, yay!

    Reply
  14. Emilie says

    October 6, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    If using pre-made graham cracker crumbs, what is the correct measurement to use?

    Reply
  15. Marla says

    November 22, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    I baked this yesterday and removed the side of the springform pan. I have a round Tupperware container so I put the cheesecake in that to store. I just checked it this morning and I have cracks. Should I have wrapped the whole cheesecake in plastic wrap to avoid this?

    Reply
    • Tommy says

      November 26, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      What temperature did you bake at?

      Reply
  16. Karla says

    November 23, 2020 at 3:44 am

    Hola! I writing from El Salvador and i like everything you bake, but sometimes is a little hard are your side so i have a question, how can i make a punkin pure? This not a regular vegetable on our diet so, i seem it but i don’t how to cook!?!?
    And sorry for my spanglish

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 23, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Hi Karla. I don’t have a recipe for pumpkin puree, so I would suggest doing a google search and choosing one with good reviews!

      Reply
  17. Tommy says

    November 26, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    What temperature?

    Reply

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Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.

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