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This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is an easy fall dessert! Made from a rich and creamy cheesecake filling packed with real pumpkin, swirled with warm autumn spices, and baked in a crunchy gingersnap cookie crust.

A pumpkin cheesecake on a cake stand, topped with pecans and whipped cream, surrounded by mini pumpkins
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I’m a big fan of pumpkin desserts, and this pumpkin cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes. It’s everything you look for in a cheesecake. The filling is rich and decadent, but it’s also fluffy and full of bright flavors thanks to a swirl of spices that make the pumpkin shine. Nothing says “festive season” quite like a bite of the creamiest pumpkin cheesecake! This easy cheesecake recipe is about to become a go-to dessert for parties and holidays, from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

  • Tastes like fall. This cheesecake has all the seasonings that make you love pumpkin pie, in cheesecake form. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, mingle with the rich, caramel sweetness of brown sugar and vanilla. 
  • Rich, creamy filling. The cheesecake filling is moist and creamy, flavored with real pumpkin puree. A splash of acidity and freshness from lemon juice brightens things up. It’s seriously irresistible.
  • Straightforward. The step-by-step to make this pumpkin cheesecake is super easy! If you’re new to making cheesecakes, you’ll love how simple it is to make from scratch.
Overhead view of the ingredients for pumpkin cheesecake: a bowl of brown sugar, a bowl of white sugar, a bowl of pumpkin puree, a bowl of melted butter, a bowl of eggs, four bowls of spices, a bowl of sour cream, a package of cream cheese, two sticks of butter, a jar of vanilla extract, and some gingersnap cookies

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 – You can also use graham crackers for the cheesecake crust instead. 
  • 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 – Make sure that you’re using real pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
  • 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.
  • Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You can also replace the individual spices with 2 teaspoons of homemade pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

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

  • Prepare a water bath. While the oven preheats to 350ºF, fill a roasting pan with about 1 ½ inches of water, and place it into the oven. This will be the water bath you’ll bake your cheesecake in.
  • Make the crust. Next, pulse gingersnaps with melted butter in a food processor, and then press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased and lined springform pan. Par-bake the crust at 350ºF for 10 minutes.
  • Beat the cream cheese. Now, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs one by one, until they’re combined. 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and beat until combined. 
  • Pour the mixture into the pan. Pour all of the pumpkin cream cheese mixture into the springform pan. Next, wrap the outside of the pan in a double-layer of aluminum foil, to keep the water bath from seeping in.
  • Bake. Place the pan in the water bath in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 1 hour, until the edges are set and the center is still a little bit jiggly. If the edges are not yet set, bake for another 5-10 minutes and then check again. 
  • Cool. Switch off the oven and crack 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. 
Partial view of a pumpkin cheesecake, topped with dollops of whipped cream and pecans

Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here are a few tips to make sure that your pumpkin cheesecake turns out perfect every time.

  • Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure to take the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge ahead of 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 for 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. 
  • To make this dessert even more crowd-friendly, try my pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Common Questions

Why should I leave my cheesecake in 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.

What does a water bath do for a cheesecake?

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

Close up of a slice of pumpkin cheesecake with a bite taken out of it, with a fork next to the cake

Pumpkin Cheesecake Topping Ideas

This cheesecake is a decadent dessert served as is, or you can add a simple whipped topping. I like to decorate this pumpkin cheesecake with piped swirls of the homemade whipped cream from my pumpkin cheesecake bites recipe. Sprinkle on some pecans or walnuts to give your slices extra crunch. Or, drizzle over some homemade caramel sauce.

A slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a plate, topped with whipped cream, a pecan, and caramel sauce, with two forks next to it

How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake

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

More Pumpkin Desserts

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5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe is rich and creamy, packed with real pumpkin and swirled with warm fall spices. Perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cooling time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients 

  • 25 gingersnaps , (about 2 cups of crumbs)
  • ½ cup (114 g) salted butter, melted
  • 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) white sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 15 ounce (425 g) can pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup (58 g) sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper. Then spray generously with non-stick spray.
  • Prepare the pan for a water bath by filling a roasting pan (large enough for you to set the springform pan inside) with 1 ½ inches of water. Place the roasting pan into the oven while it is preheating and you are preparing the cheesecake. This way it will be hot when you add the cheesecake to it.
  • Prepare the crust by placing gingersnaps and melted butter into the food processor. Combine until a sandy texture. Gently press this mixture to cover the bottom of the springform pan, and slightly up the sides. Place this into the oven (not in the water bath) to bake for 10 minutes (while you are preparing the filling).
  • Beat cream cheese and both sugars together on medium speed for about 5 minutes until light and creamy.
  • Add the eggs in one at a time while mixing, only as much as needed to incorporate well. Add the eggs in one at a time while mixing, only as much as needed to incorporate well.
  • Mix in the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
  • Remove the crust from the oven after it is baked. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the baked crust.
  • Place two large pieces of tin foil in an X shape under the springform pan (The pieces must be large enough that there will not be any spaces uncovered when you bring them up around the edges of the springform pan). Bring the edges up so that the springform pan is going to be waterproof.
  • Place the springform pan into the water bath and bake. Do not open the oven while the cheesecake is baking. Check the cake (while still in the oven) after 1 hour. The edges should be set and the center just slightly jiggly. If not, give it 5 -10 more minutes but do not overbake.
  • Do not remove the cheesecake from the oven. Turn off the oven and prop the door open. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the open oven for another hour. Move the cheesecake to the counter. If it is cool enough, you may remove it from the pan before placing it into the fridge to chill for another 2 hours.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 458kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 135mg, Sodium: 349mg, Potassium: 255mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 28g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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