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This pumpkin cheesecake is the one I make every single fall. It’s creamy and rich, with warm spices, a buttery graham cracker crust, and my secret sour cream topping. Pumpkin pie and classic cheesecake, together at last.
If you love cheesecake, try my strawberry cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake truffles, ricotta cheesecake, and no-bake cheesecake next!
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Table of Contents
- What Makes This Pumpkin Cheesecake So Creamy
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
- How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake
- How to Keep Pumpkin Cheesecake from Cracking
- The Sour Cream Topping (My Secret Weapon)
- What to Serve with Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Make It Ahead for Thanksgiving
- How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Eden’s Tips
- Pumpkin Cheesecake FAQs
- Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
What Makes This Pumpkin Cheesecake So Creamy
I took my all-time favorite cheesecake recipe and gave it a pumpkin spice makeover, and it’s SO good! Here’s what makes it work:
- Real pumpkin, not pie filling. Warm spices and a full can of pumpkin puree, so it actually tastes like fall and not like a vanilla cheesecake wearing a costume.
- The sour cream topping. This is my thing! I do this with my goat cheese cheesecake, and it adds a tangy-sweet layer over the top that makes the whole dessert taste as if it came from a very fancy bakery.
- It’s a make-ahead dream. It genuinely tastes better the next day, which means it’s off your list before the holiday even starts.
- No cracks. The water bath and a slow cool do all the work. I’ll walk you through both. But also, the sour cream topping will cover cracks!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
- Graham cracker crumbs. The classic buttery base. My graham cracker crust post has all the details if you want them.
- Light brown sugar. For a little caramelized sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon. Just enough to wake the crust up.
- Salted butter. Holds everything together. Unsalted works too; just add a pinch of salt.
For the pumpkin cheesecake filling
- Cream cheese. Full-fat and SUPER soft. Not the tub kind. This is the whole game for a smooth filling.
- Pumpkin puree. Pure pumpkin only. Not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. I use Libby’s Canned Pumpkin.
- Eggs. Room temperature. They give the cheesecake its structure.
- Sour cream. A little tang to balance all that richness. You’ll use it again in the topping.
- Granulated sugar. Sweet enough to let the pumpkin shine without burying it. I use C&H Granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. My warm little trio. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of my homemade pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Salt. Half a teaspoon. It makes everything else taste more like itself.
- All-purpose flour. Thickens and sets the filling. I use King Arthur All-Purpose flour.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract. Paste if you have it, for those pretty specks.
For the sour cream topping
- Sour cream and powdered sugar. That’s it. Two ingredients and it changes everything.
A note on pumpkin puree
Not all canned pumpkin is created equal. Some brands run watery and pale, and a watery puree means a looser filling. Libby’s is what I use for all my pumpkin recipes, from pumpkin bread to pumpkin pie.
If you’re using homemade puree, drain it well first. Let it sit in a fine-mesh strainer or press it between paper towels. Extra water is the enemy here.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand, then press it into a 9-inch springform pan.
- Wrap the outside of the pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil, all the way up the sides. This keeps water out during the water bath.
- Beat the very soft cream cheese until it’s completely smooth. No lumps. Take your time here.
- Add the pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, sugar, spices, salt, flour, and vanilla. Mix on low until silky, scraping the bowl as you go.
- Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top.
- Set the pan in a roasting pan, slide it into the oven, then carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about an inch up the sides.
- Bake for 1 hour, until the edges are set and the center few inches still have a gentle wobble.
- Turn the oven off, prop the door open, and let it sit right there for another hour.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Whisk the sour cream and powdered sugar together and spread it over the cooled cheesecake just before serving.
How to Keep Pumpkin Cheesecake from Cracking
Cracks happen for three reasons: too much air beaten into the batter, too much heat too fast, and tension as the cheesecake shrinks against the sides of the pan. Everything below is aimed at one of those three.
- Start with room temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese and cold eggs don’t blend smoothly, and the extra mixing it takes to force them together beats in air. Set everything out an hour ahead.
- Mix on low. Once the eggs go in, keep the speed down and stop as soon as things come together. Air bubbles rise and split the surface.
- Tap the pan on the counter before it goes in the oven. A few good taps release trapped bubbles.
- Use the water bath. Steam keeps the oven humid and the temperature steady, which is exactly what a custard wants.
- Don’t overbake. This is the big one. Pull it when the outer edges are set and the middle three inches still jiggle like Jell-O. It’ll finish setting as it cools. An instant-read thermometer in the center should hit about 150°F.
- Cool slowly. Turn the oven off and prop the door open. A sudden temperature drop is a guaranteed cause of cracking.
And if it cracks anyway? Spread the sour cream topping over it, and nobody will ever know!
The Sour Cream Topping (My Secret Weapon)
This is technically optional and I would never skip it.
One cup of sour cream whisked with a quarter cup of powdered sugar. That’s the whole thing. I use an electric whisk to thicken it up a little, then spread it over the cooled cheesecake right before serving.
It adds a cool, tangy sweetness that cuts straight through the richness, and it gives you that smooth bakery-window finish on top. It also very conveniently covers any imperfections.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Cheesecake
It’s wonderful plain, but a few extras never hurt anyone.
A drizzle of my easy caramel sauce over each slice is my favorite move, especially with a little flaky salt. Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon is the classic. Candied or toasted pecans add crunch. And if you want to lean all the way in, a mug of pumpkin hot chocolate alongside it is very cozy.
For a Thanksgiving dessert spread, I’ll set this out next to pumpkin snickerdoodles and a few other bites. Here’s how I put together an easy Thanksgiving dessert platter if you want the full setup.
Make It Ahead for Thanksgiving
Two days before. Bake the cheesecake. Let it cool completely, wrap it well, and refrigerate. Leave the topping off for now.
One day before. Do nothing. Truly. It’s sitting in the fridge getting better while you handle everything else. This is my favorite step.
The day of. Whisk together the sour cream topping and spread it over the top an hour or two before you serve. Slice it cold, straight from the fridge.
You can also bake it up to five days ahead, or freeze it for up to three months. Details in the storage section below.
Pro tip for clean slices: run a long, thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. Repeat between every single slice. It takes an extra minute and the difference is dramatic.
How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake
In the fridge. Once it’s completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or move it to an airtight container. It keeps for up to 5 days. It stores best without the topping, so add that just before serving if you’re making it well ahead.
In the freezer. Cheesecake freezes beautifully. Wrap the whole cheesecake or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil, and slide them into a freezer bag. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add the topping the day you serve it.
Eden’s Tips
Microwave the cream cheese. Fifteen seconds. I know it feels wrong. It’s the fastest route to a truly lump-free filling and I do it every time.
Use two layers of foil. Heavy-duty, wrapped high up the sides. One layer will let water in and a soggy crust is a sad thing.
Trust the wobble, not the clock. Ovens vary more than anyone admits. Bake times are a starting point. The jiggle in the center is the real signal.
Make it the day before, always. The texture sets properly and the spices settle in. It’s noticeably better on day two, which I love for entertaining.
Pumpkin Cheesecake FAQs
Yes, and you should. It tastes better on day two. Bake it up to 5 days ahead, keep it wrapped in the fridge, and add the sour cream topping the day you serve it.
I use one because it’s the most reliable way to get that dense, silky texture without cracks. If you’d rather skip the foil-wrapping step, set a loaf pan filled with hot water on the oven rack beside the cheesecake instead. You’ll still get steam in the oven, just without the cheesecake sitting in water. Keep an eye on it since it may bake slightly faster that way.
Almost always overbaking, cooling too fast, or too much air beaten into the batter. Pull it while the center still wobbles, cool it slowly in the turned-off oven, and mix on low once the eggs go in. And if it still cracks, the sour cream topping covers everything.
The outer edges should look set and slightly puffed, and the center 3 inches should jiggle when you nudge the pan. It will not look fully baked and that’s correct. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read around 150°F.
No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so it throws off both the sugar and the texture. Look for a can where pumpkin is the only ingredient listed.
Absolutely. Wrap it whole or in slices with plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and top it before serving.
Gingersnap crumbs are gorgeous here and add a little spicy bite. Biscoff cookies or Nilla wafers also work. Swap them one-for-one with the graham cracker crumbs.
Swap in gluten-free graham crackers for the crumbs. That’s the only change you need and the flavor won’t shift at all.
Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Thanksgiving
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Thanksgiving
Pumpkin Cheesecake
If you make this pumpkin cheesecake, I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. It helps other readers find the recipe and it genuinely makes my day.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 3 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter, 1 Stick
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz Cream Cheese , Three 8-Ounce Packages. SUPER soft
- 15 oz Pureed Pumpkin
- 4 large Eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
- 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste , Or Extract
Sour Cream Topping (optional)
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Wrap the outside of the pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil, coming all the way up the sides. This keeps water out during the water bath. Set aside.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Make sure the cream cheese is very soft. The fastest way is to microwave it for about 15 seconds.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth with no lumps. Don't rush this step.
- Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, flour, and vanilla. Mix on low until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles.
- Set the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a large roasting pan and slide it into the oven.
- Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. This water bath helps the cheesecake bake evenly and prevents cracks.
- Bake for 1 hour, until the edges are set and the center 3 inches still have a gentle wobble when you nudge the pan.
- Turn the oven off, prop the door open slightly, and let the cheesecake rest inside for another hour.
- Remove from the oven, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to release any tension, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Sour Cream Topping
- Whisk the sour cream and powdered sugar together. I like to use an electric whisk to thicken it slightly.
- Spread over the cooled cheesecake just before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Give me allll the pumpkin! Cheesecake always sounded intimidating to me but this recipe is perfect!! thank you!
This is the best pumpkin cheesecake, I promise you!! It’s so creamy and GOOD!