Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin cheesecake is rich and creamy, and full of autumn flavors. Move aside, pumpkin pie, there’s a more decadent dessert in town! 

I’m a big fan of pumpkin desserts, and this pumpkin cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes. It has everything I’m looking for in a cheesecake. It’s rich and decadent, but it’s also fluffy and full of bright flavors. The pumpkin really stands out, thanks to a lot of spices and flavors that highlight the pumpkin flavor. 

This is one of my go-to recipes for fall and winter parties. Whether it’s a Thanksgiving or Christmas party, or just you hosting some friends for dinner, a pumpkin cheesecake is the perfect thing to serve during the colder months. Nothing says “autumn” quite like a pumpkin dessert. 

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake

There are a lot of reasons that this pumpkin cheesecake is one of my favorite dessert recipes. Here are a few things that you’ll love about this dish. 

• It tastes like fall. This cheesecake has all the seasonings that make you love pumpkin pie, just in cheesecake form. There’s the spices, like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, and the rich, caramel sweetness of brown sugar and vanilla. 
• There’s some brightness. In addition to the traditional pumpkin flavors, this cheesecake has lemon juice in it. The acidity and freshness from the lemon juice adds a brightness to the recipe that really makes it stand out next to other rich cheesecakes. 
• It’s straightforward. This recipe takes a while to make, just because of how long the cheesecake needs to bake and cool. But the actual process of making the cheesecake is quite straightforward and easy. 

Recipe Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients for pumpkin cheesecake. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact amounts.

• Gingersnap cookies
• Butter – You want to use salted butter that is melted.
• Cream cheese – Make sure you use full fat cream cheese.
• Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe, though I prefer light.
• White sugar
• Eggs
• Pumpkin puree
• Sour cream – I recommend using full fat sour cream.
• Vanilla – Be sure to purchase pure vanilla extract.
• Lemon juice – It’s best to use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg 
• Cloves

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here’s how to make this moist and creamy dessert.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F and line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper, before spraying the pan with baking spray. 
• Prepare a water bath. Fill a roasting pan with about 1 ½ inches of water. Add the roasting pan to the oven while you prepare the cheesecake. 
• Make the crust. Add gingersnaps and melted butter to a food processor, and pulse until it’s the texture of wet sand. Press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom of the pan, and slightly up the sides. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

• Beat the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese, brown sugar, and white sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. This should take about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs. While beating the cream cheese mixture, add the eggs one by one, until they’re combined. 

• Add the rest of the ingredients. Put the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in the mixing bowl, and beat until combined. 

• Pour the mixture into the pan. Pour all of the pumpkin cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.
• Foil the pan. Place two large pieces of aluminum foil under the springform pan, and bring the edges up to make the pan waterproof.

• Bake. Place the pan in the water bath in the oven and bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the edges should be set, and the center should still be a little bit jiggly. If the edges are not yet set, bake for another 5-10 minutes and then check again. 
• Chill. Turn off the oven and open the oven door, but don’t remove the cheesecake. Let it sit in the oven for 1 hour, then remove it. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours, then serve. 

Tips for Success

Here are a few tricks and tips to make sure that your pumpkin cheesecake is perfect every time.

• Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs. Make sure to take the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge a few hours before making this dessert, so that they’re at room temperature when you use them. This will allow them to better mix with the rest of the ingredients, which will help you make a light and fluffy cheesecake, rather than a dense one. 
• Use fresh nutmeg. For best results, skip the ground nutmeg. Instead, buy whole nutmegs and grate them yourself for the freshest flavor. 
• Have fun with the toppings. This is a great cheesecake to cover in toppings. Have fun with it, and add whatever your favorite cheesecake toppings are. I’m a fan of covering this pumpkin cheesecake with whipped cream, chopped pecans, and caramel sauce. 

Common Questions

Here are a few commonly asked questions about this pumpkin cheesecake recipe.

Can other cookies be used?
Yes, if you don’t like gingersnaps, you can use graham crackers for the cheesecake crust instead. 

Can I use pumpkin pie spice? 
Absolutely! I like to use individual spices so that I can adjust the seasoning, but you can replace the ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice. 

Why does the cheesecake stay in the oven after baking? 
Cheesecakes often crack when they experience a dramatic change in temperature. Leaving the cheesecake in the turned off oven, with the door open, allows it to slowly cool down, which will help the cake retain its texture.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling? 
If you want, you can use pumpkin pie filling in place of pumpkin puree. If you do use pumpkin pie filling, just remove the spices from the recipe. 

What does the water bath do?
The water bath keeps the oven moist, which helps the cheesecake stay moist. This prevents the cheesecake from drying out and cracking too much. 

How to Store Leftovers

You can store this pumpkin cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the cheesecake in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the cheesecake in the fridge overnight before eating. 

More Pumpkin Desserts to Make 

Like I said, I love pumpkin desserts in the fall and winter. Here are a few more of my favorites. 

• Pumpkin cream cheese muffins
• Pumpkin roll
• Pumpkin delight
• Air fryer pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin chocolate marbled zebra cake