Pumpkin Cheesecake
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This pumpkin cheesecake is the ultimate sweet ending to your Thanksgiving feast—and no one will miss the pumpkin pie!
Pumpkin pie is a classic Thanksgiving dessert, but pumpkin cheesecake is just as festive and, honestly, even more delicious. This recipe combines the rich creaminess of classic cheesecake with the warm spices of pumpkin pie. Instead of the traditional graham cracker crust, I use a gingersnap crust to complement the spiced filling and bring out the pumpkin flavor. The homemade caramel sauce is optional, but absolutely worth making. Plus, it takes less than 10 minutes in the microwave!
While cheesecake might seem intimidating, it’s actually quite simple with only a few ingredients. The key is baking it in a water bath to ensure even cooking and prevent cracks. It might sound fussy, but it’s really not—just place the cake pan in a larger pan and fill the larger one with water. I’ll guide you through the whole process below. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
“I love pumpkin, but not pumpkin pie. This cheesecake was the perfect answer! It was delicious and everyone enjoyed it.”
What You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Gingersnaps – Ground to create a spicy, flavorful base that perfectly complements the pumpkin filling.
- Melted butter – Binds the crust together and adds a rich, buttery flavor.
- Pumpkin purée – The key to the filling, providing rich pumpkin flavor and moisture.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens both the filling and crust, balancing the spices and enhancing the overall flavor.
- Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves – Classic pumpkin pie spices that add depth and complement the pumpkin flavor.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the filling.
- Heavy cream – Adds richness and a creamy texture to the cheesecake filling.
- Cream cheese – The smooth, creamy base of the cheesecake that gives it its signature texture.
- Large eggs – Bind the filling, helping it set while adding richness to the cheesecake.
- Caramel sauce – Drizzled on top for a sweet, indulgent finish that pairs beautifully with the warm spices and pumpkin flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by wrapping a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan with a double layer of aluminum foil. It’s important to use heavy-duty foil because it comes in wider sheets and does a better job of preventing water from seeping into the pan. (If you’d like to try another technique that doesn’t require wrapping the pan in foil, get more guidance here.) Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Next, make the crust: combine the gingersnap cookies, sugar, and melted butter in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse until the crumbs are fine.
Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan. Press the crumbs into an even layer, then bake for 15 minutes.
Set the crust aside to cool, and move on to the filling. Combine the pumpkin, sugar and spices in a medium saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until shiny, bronze, and thickened. This step, borrowed from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s recipe, both intensifies the pumpkin flavor and dries the pumpkin out.
Next, transfer the pumpkin mixture to a food processor and run for one minute to smooth and cool the mixture.
With the motor running, add the cold heavy cream. The mixture will look like this.
Add the cream cheese in large chunks.
Process until the batter is smooth.
Finally, add the eggs.
Pulse until just combined. It’s important not to over-mix — if you incorporate too much air into the filling, it will rise and crack or fall when it bakes.
Set the cake pan in a large roasting pan, then pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into the cooled crust.
Next, pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake in a 325°F-oven until just set, about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours. A properly cooked cheesecake will jiggle a bit when you nudge the pan, but if the center still seems liquidy, it’s not done.
Let the cheesecake cool in the water bath, then leave it out on a rack to cool to room temperature. Finally, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight. On that note, it’s a good idea to bake this pumpkin cheesecake recipe a day ahead of time or early in the morning on the day you plan to serve it.
For the homemade caramel sauce—which is optional yet oh so good—I recommend a very simple recipe from Cooks Illustrated, which takes less than 10 minutes to make in the microwave and requires no fancy equipment or candy thermometers. You can see the step-by-step instructions here.
When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake, warm up the caramel sauce, drizzle it over each piece of cheesecake, and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon, if desired.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
This pumpkin cheesecake is the ultimate sweet ending to your Thanksgiving feast—and no one will miss the pumpkin pie!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 7½ ounces gingersnaps (or 1½ cups finely ground gingersnap crumbs)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin (such as Libby's)
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1½ pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- Caramel sauce, for serving
- Special equipment: 9- or 10-inch springform pan; 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F degrees and set a rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse the gingersnaps, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until finely ground. Transfer the moistened crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake until fragrant and set, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
For the Filling
- Set a kettle of water to boil (this will be used for the water bath). In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputter, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until thick, bronzed and shiny. Scrape the mixture into a large food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 1 minute with the feed tube open.
- With the motor running, add the cold cream. Add the cream cheese (cut into chunks) and process for about 30 seconds, scraping the sides if necessary, or until smoothly incorporated. Add the eggs and process for about 5 seconds or just until incorporated (do not overmix!).
- Set the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter into the cooled crust, and then pour enough boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about halfway up side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, 1½ to 1¾ hours. A properly cooked cheesecake will jiggle a bit when you nudge the pan, but if the center seems at all liquidy, it's not done. CAREFULLY remove the roasting pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Run a sharp paring knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Cool until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil and set on a wire rack. Continue to cool at room temperature until barely warm, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
For Serving
- Remove the outer ring from the springform pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide the cheesecake onto a serving platter. (Alternatively, you can keep it on the pan bottom.) If there is condensation on the top of the cheesecake, blot it gently with a flat paper towel. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cut it into wedges. Warm up the caramel sauce in the microwave (it stiffens in the fridge). If it's too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out. Drizzle the caramel sauce over each piece of cheesecake and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream if desired.
- Note: You'll need a large food processor -- preferably with a 14-cup capacity -- to make the filling (you can also use an 11-cup, but you may have a bit of leakage). If you don't have one, it's fine to use a Kitchenaid Mixer or electric beaters for the filling and a small food processor for the crust.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze: place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 643
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated fat: 23g
- Carbohydrates: 66g
- Sugar: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Sodium: 397mg
- Cholesterol: 196mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hey, I made this and it was incredible! Do you think this would work as cheesecake bars like your lemon cheesecake bars? If so, how long to bake? Any other adjustments to the recipe? Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I think it would work in bar form. I’d follow the baking instructions for the cheesecake bars, using foil and pressing the crust up the sides. The cook time/temp should be the same as the cheesecake bars. Please LMK how they come out if you try it!
Hey Jenn! If I don’t have a food processor can I use my kitchenaid stand mixer?
Yep 🙂
Absolutely delicious. I cut the recipe in half and made 4 mini cheesecakes with 4 inch pans. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as written. Wow! This was my very first cheesecake and it was perfect. Smooth and consistent from center to edge. Thank you sooooo much. My confidence is at a 100! I’m going to try your New York cheesecake next.
I’m excited to try this Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving but would prefer not to use the water bath. I don’t have access to the Cooks Illustrated article you mentioned.. Is it possible to just put a pan of hot water on the lowest shelf of the oven? P.S. I made your Brussels sprouts with Balsamic and Honey and they were delicious! Thank you, Barbara
Hi Barbara, Unfortunately, that won’t quite do the trick. You can bake without a water bath but the cheesecake will likely crack — you can always cover with whipped cream and no one will be the wiser!
Hi Jenn
Is the timing and temperature in this recipe for conventional or convection oven?
I normally bake in convection but have often wondered for many of your recipes if you do as well.
Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Hi Jan, I always develop and publish my recipes using the regular setting on my oven (because many people don’t have convection settings on their ovens). Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jen! We’ve made this every year and I love it as our family Thanksgiving dessert. This year I want to try individual cheesecakes because we won’t have many of us in the house. Any ideas for doing smaller ones or individual ones? Thanks so much!
Glad you like it! I think these would work as minis if you make them in a muffin tin. Just keep in mind that they will be more challenging to remove from the tin.
I have never baked a cheesecake so I have been reading recipes. Thank you for stating how much water to put in the water bath pan, yours is the only one that has given that information.
I really like the idea of the Ginger Snap crust.
I have made this delicious recipe before, thanks to your inspiring website & wonderful instructions. This year we have to travel for Thanksgiving & when we arrive at our destination it will be 3 days before the holiday. I am cooking many items ahead of time to bring to the feast so that I can enjoy free time with family. I want to make as many recipes as possible beforehand.
I plan to make & bake the Pumpkin Cheesecake crust ahead of time, & also prepare the caramel sauce ahead. I’m hoping to blend & refrigerate all the cheesecake ingredients (minus the eggs), bringing them in a refrigerated container to keep until Thanksgiving morning when I will add the eggs, mix it all together & pour the mixture into the spring-form pan to bake. Is this a workable plan? I truly appreciate your advice. Thank you very much!
So glad you like the recipes! ❣️ I think what you’re planning for the cheesecake will work. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jenn. I’m planning to make this for Thanksgiving dinner this year but wanted to get your input on the sauce. If I were to add salt to the caramel, how much would you suggest (if at all)? I thought it would be a nice complement, as we love salted caramel but didn’t want to overwhelm it. Thanks in advance and happy holidays to you and yours!
I think it will work and I’d add just a pinch. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
I don’t know when this recipe was published, but it feels like it’s been on my list to make for at least two fall seasons. I finally made it yesterday. It is excellent. I am disappointed I waited so long to make it. Don’t make my mistake. Make the cake.