Why You’ll Love This
Seriously, the cheesecake is so phenomenally delicious that I don’t know that I will ever make our Gingersnap Crust Pumpkin Pie again! My favorite thing about fall is all things pumpkin and apple cider! It just means warm and cozy is here! You will love our Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars too. This pumpkin dessert is full of pumpkin spice flavors wrapped up in a rich and creamy dessert. It’s fancy enough for guests, holiday parties, or gatherings of any kind.
How to Make a Pumpkin Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together evenly. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the cheesecake, cooling until it reaches room temperature. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and add in the pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie filling), sour cream, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice until combined and smooth. Scraping the sides of the bowl and the beaters often to make sure everything is combined. When making cheesecake be sure to always scrape down the bowl plus the BEATER! With the mixer still on low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition just until just combined. Always double-wrap the bottom of the springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, sealing it tightly to prevent water from getting into the pan. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the cooled graham cracker crust. Place the springform pan into a water bath. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the center is almost set. The edges will be set, but the center will still jiggle a bit. Turn the oven off and leave the door shut. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the warm oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool for at least an hour until it reaches room temperature. Cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Preferably overnight. I always plan ahead when making cheesecakes. They need to be good and chilled before slicing. So my suggestion is always to make it a day ahead of serving.
Tips
Be sure the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature. Especially for baking cheesecakes.Part of the problem when making cheesecake is beating the still-cold eggs too much. You want all ingredients to room temperature and only beat the eggs until just incorporated.Beat the cream cheese and sugars until completely smooth.Don’t over-mix, but make sure all the ingredients are mixed in evenly and the mixture is smooth.Bake in a water bath and leave that oven door closed for at least 45-60 minutes. These steps will ensure the top won’t crack.
Variations
Swap out the graham crackers for gingersnaps, biscoff, or even chocolate cookies.Serve topped with whipped cream, toasted pecans, or even caramel sauce.
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