Pumpkin Cheesecake

A slice of cheesecake with two later and whipped cream on top, on a white plate. There is a bite taken out of the front to show the layers inside.

This Pumpkin Cheesecake is a must-make Fall and Thanksgiving dessert! With a brown sugar graham cracker crust, filled with two layers of cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake, all you need is a dollop of whipped cream for the best pumpkin dessert recipe. It's like a cheesecake + pumpkin pie. Two desserts in one!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pumpkin cheesecake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 40

Cooling/Fridge Time 5 30

Total Time 7 30

Servings

Calories 384kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

9 whole graham cracker sheets
1 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter melted

Cheesecake Filling

3 bars (8 oz each) full-fat cream cheese softened
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

1/2 cup pure pumpkin
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Preparation

*Make sure to place the eggs out at room temperature 30 minute prior to starting the recipe. It's best to have the eggs at room temperature. If you forget, place the eggs in a cup of hot water (from the sink tap) for about 5 minutes.
*To soften the cream cheese, you can leave it out at room temperature for up to 2 hours before beginning. You can also microwave it for about 20-30 seconds just until softened but not warmed at all.
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with softened butter or shortening. Wrap the springform pan in a large piece of heavy-duty foil, making sure the base and sides are completely covered. Set aside.

Graham Cracker Crust

Crush the graham crackers with a food chopper, food processor, or place them in a Ziploc bag and use a meat mallet or something else heavy to make fine crumbs.
Add the crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter into a small mixing bowl. Stir together until it resembles moistened crumbs like sand.
Pour the graham cracker crust into the prepared springform pan, and press them into the base and slightly up the sides.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Cheesecake + Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat just until combined. Try not to over-mix the eggs or else the cheesecake may crack while baking.
Add the vanilla extract in with the last egg. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the pure pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Add half of the cheesecake batter (in the other bowl that you set aside) into the pumpkin mixture and stir to mix together until smooth and combined.
Pour the plain cheesecake batter over the baked graham cracker crust and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the cheesecake batter in the springform pan. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
* It's important to not mix the cheesecake layers together. Carefully spread out the pumpkin cheesecake to avoid mixing into the other cheesecake layer.

Baking the Cheesecake

Place the springform pan into the center of a large roasting pan (or other large pan). The pan I use is 17"x13". Fill the pan with boiling water until it's about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Loosely lay a piece of tin foil over the springform pan.
* This takes about 6 cups of boiling water or more depending on the size of pan you use.
Bake for 1 hour, remove the foil, and the bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the cheesecake is slightly jiggly in the middle but the sides of the cheesecake look baked and slightly puffy.
Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and put it onto a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Run a thin knife (like a table knife) between the edges of the pan and the cheesecake to help release it.
Leave the cheesecake on the bottom part of the springform pan and cover it with plastic wrap or tin foil. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
* Once you're at this step, you can leave the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving. Make it the day before and let it refrigerate overnight.
Top each slice with whipped cream and serve the pumpkin cheesecake chilled.

Notes

Cream Cheese : For best results, taste, and texture use full-fat cream cheese (not reduced-fat) and use Philadelphia brand cream cheese. It tastes much better than the store brands.

Butter : I use salted butter but unsalted butter can be used as well if that's what you prefer, or if it's what is in your fridge.

Make It Ahead of Time : This pumpkin cheesecake needs to be served chilled from the fridge, which makes it the best dessert to make the day before. There is lots of fridge time involved, baking time, and cooling time in the oven after it's baked. I always recommend making this cheesecake the day before you plan on serving it.

Don't Over Mix The Eggs : It's important to over mix the eggs once you add it into the batter. Just mix until they're combined into the cheesecake batter. Over mixing the eggs can cause the cheesecake to crack while baking.

Graham Cracker Crust : If using already crushed graham crackers from a box you will need 1.5 cups of them. You can also use crushed ginger snap cookies, honey or cinnamon teddy grahams. I use honey graham crackers when I make it.

The products linked above are affiliate meaning that if you decide to purchase I receive a very small amount. As always, these are products that I have in my own kitchen and use all the time. I find that using a roasting pan is easiest when making cheesecake but you can use any larger pan that will hold the boiling water + springform pan without overflowing. I love the roasting pan I linked because it's also perfect for making turkey, ham, and other meats.

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