Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
This creamy pumpkin cheesecake is full of real pumpkin and warm spices, with a buttery graham cracker crust and my secret tangy sour cream topping. It's the perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.
Servings: 12 slices
Cost: $15
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
Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby's is my go-to. If you're using homemade puree, drain it well first so the filling doesn't turn out loose.
Cream cheese: Full-fat brick-style only. The kind in a tub won't set properly.
No water bath: If you'd rather skip the foil wrapping, set a loaf pan of hot water on the rack beside the cheesecake instead. Watch it closely, as it may bake a little faster.
Doneness: The center should still wobble when you pull it out. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 150°F.
Make ahead: Bake up to 5 days ahead and keep wrapped in the fridge. Add the sour cream topping the day you serve it.
Freezing: Wrap whole or in slices with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Clean slices: Run a long, thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. Repeat between every slice.
Crust swaps: Gingersnaps, Biscoff, or Nilla wafers all work in place of graham crackers, one-for-one. For gluten-free, use gluten-free graham crackers.
Serve it with a drizzle of my easy caramel sauce
Nutrition
Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 4178IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg
