Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Elevate your Thanksgiving meal this holiday season by combining Pumpkin Pie and the silky texture of a classic New York Cheesecake to get this creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe! Smooth, tangy, and creamy, it’s one of the best desserts you can make this Fall.

A Crack-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake With No Water Bath!

While I used to have a Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe that called for using a water bath, I have since updated and created a fail-proof method for making and baking perfect cheesecakes without any water bath whatsoever. (I know that is the traditional way to make one, but I abhor water baths.) While my Original Cheesecake Post covers this topic pretty in depth, I’ll just cover the basics:

Use Room Temperature Ingredients For a Lump Free Batter

lumps in your cheesecake batter is one of the main reasons cheesecakes can crack. Using room temperature cream cheese, eggs and pumpkin is key. Also, don’t forget to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.

Add In The Eggs Last

If you are familiar with baking, you’ll know that eggs can hold and trap air bubbles. It’s great for making light and airy cakes but not so much for dense cheesecake. Air bubbles are another big reason cheesecakes can crack. So, to combat any extra air, scramble your eggs, pour them in all at once as the last ingredient and then stop stirring as soon as they are incorporated.

Tap Out Any Air Bubbles

Removing extra air bubbles out of the batter before you pour it into your graham cracker crust is probably my biggest secret to getting that perfectly smooth, crack-free pumpkin cheesecake. Tap the bowl on the counter 45 seconds or so, then pour into the crust and smooth the top.

Bake and Cool Slowly and Gently

The point of a water bath is to hold the cheesecake at a steady and gentle temperature until its completely baked. While they work great, they are unnecessary because you can get the same results by baking low and slow and then cooling it down really gently. See my temperature changes and cooling directions in the recipe card below.

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How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

Any Cheesecake is a labor of love! While the ingredients list is filled with really common things that are readily available, it takes some time to make! But, of course, you make this well in advance of Thanksgiving and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Storage directions are listed below.

1. Make the Graham Cracker Crust

In a medium-sized bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs together with sugar and melted butter until well incorporated and the mixture looks like damp sand. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crust into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 7 minutes at 350 degrees F.

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2. Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix cream cheese for 30 seconds until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add in granulated sugar. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again to ensure the cheesecake batter is getting evenly mixed.

Eggs Go In LAST

Crack eggs into a liquid measuring cup and using a fork, beat until well mixed. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the eggs into the cream cheese mixture and stop stirring once the egg has been incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and scrape the sides and bottom again, ensuring the entire mixture is smooth. If there are a few small lumps, try to fold in using the rubber scraper.

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3. Tap Air Bubbles Out–Don’t Skip This Step!!

Once the batter is completely smooth and ready, tap the bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. You should see them popping on the surface as you tap the bowl. Pour filling into the center of the graham cracker crust and gently smooth the top. Will be very full!

4. Bake, Cool & Chill

Bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and continue cooking for 45 minutes more. Once this time has elapsed, turn the oven off and keep cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes for some carryover cooking without opening the oven door.

Crack oven door to let cheesecake cool slowly for one hour before removing. At this point, cheesecake should be slightly warm.

Bring cheesecake to room temperature on the counter (3-4 hours) before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge.

Refrigerate until chilled completely (6 hours to overnight). 

My Cheesecake Cracked! What Do I Do?

Even if you did follow the directions super closely, there’s still a chance that your cheesecake can crack. It really is a science sometimes. You can read my newer cheesecake post here where I talk all about the reasons why cheesecakes can crack, but the main thing to remember is DON’T STRESS about the crack. Your cheesecake will taste just the same!

The solution to this cosmetic problem is either to not let it bother you or covering the crack! Whipped cream will cover a multitude of sins as will chocolate ganache. 

My favorite thing to do is cutting up individual slices (cutting around or avoiding the crack) and garnishing each separate piece. Add some whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce, some chopped nuts, etc. Pretty those pieces up and no one will know. 

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How to Decorate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Speaking of cracks, here are some delicious garnish options that are specifically chosen for a pumpkin cheesecake! When I made this recipe I topped it with fresh whipped cream and a good quality caramel sauce plus a sprinkling of cinnamon. I kept it pretty simple. But if you’re wanting to jazz it up for Thanksgiving, here are some other ideas:

• Chopped Pecans or Walnuts – this adds a delicious nutty crunch.
• Graham Cracker – save some crumbs from your crust and sprinkle on top to tie the whole dish together.
• Gingersnaps – crush some of these cookies and sprinkle on top for a different type of flavor combo.
• Rum Whipped Cream – just sub out the vanilla extract for rum extract. The result is rum flavor without the alcohol.
• Cinnamon Whipped Cream – add some cinnamon to your whipped cream! This is also super good on apple pies.
• Chocolate Ganache– melt equal parts of chocolate chips with heavy cream and drizzle over the top. Milk chocolate chips are my favorite, but dark chocolate would also be delicious!

How to Get Perfect Slices

Dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe off any excess water, and slice. I like to dip my knife in water between each slice to get really clean-looking pieces. Also, if there is some cheesecake residue stuck to the knife, scrape off, then dip in water and then wipe.

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Making Pumpkin Cheesecake Ahead for Thanksgiving

The best part of this recipe is being able to make it ahead and have it taste just as good on day three as it did fresh out of the oven. If you are wanting to make this for the Holidays, you can make and bake it up to a week ahead of time. Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake according to the recipe card below, then cover and store in the fridge, keeping it in the springform pan the entire time to keep those edges fresh.

To serve, unlatch and remove the collar, decorate as desired, and serve. For clean slices, dip your knife into hot water, wipe off excess water and then slice. 

Freezing Directions

If you want to make Pumpkin Cheesecake well in advance and freeze, simply make this recipe according to the recipe card below, remove the collar, wrap well in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. 

To freeze slices of cheesecake, once the cheesecake is made, fold long pieces of parchment paper in half. Slide the parchment paper onto a knife and cut, leaving the parchment paper in between each slice of cheesecake. Wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try!

• Halloween Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecakes
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake
• Pumpkin Crepes
• Pumpkin Brownies
• Pumpkin Dip
• No Bake Oreo Pumpkin Tart

Enjoy this delicious addition to your dessert table this holiday season! This recipe is something you’re not going to want to lose, so be sure to pin/bookmark/save/print it. Have a great day, friends!