Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The pumpkin cheesecake filling is ultra creamy and rich, slightly tangy, and loaded with warm fall spices. Balances out perfectly with the spiced, buttery Biscoff cookie crust and homemade whipped cream topping.
Texture: The crunchy Biscoff cookie crust paired with the smooth, creamy filling and fluffy whipped topping is absolute texture heaven.
Ease: Don’t be intimidated – this recipe is easier than you might think. No water bath required.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’s a family-favorite! We make it every Thanksgiving.
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Warning: you will never go back to pumpkin pie after making this recipe. It’s THAT good.
It’s actually one of my sister-in-law’s favorite recipes, her family makes it every Thanksgiving!
The best part about this recipe? You don’t even need a water bath, and you can make it in advance! It also serves a generous crowd because a little goes a long way.
It’s so rich, creamy, and luscious. Plus, no dealing with the challenges of making pie dough.
My Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe would not be complete without an ultra-flavorful and perfectly buttery yet crispy Biscoff cookie crust that’s out of this world. It really makes the whole thing seem so gourmet and impressive.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake
What Type of Cream Cheese is Best for Cheesecake?
- Use full-fat bricks of cream cheese.
- Do not use the spreadable type of cream cheese in tubs meant for spreading on bagels.
- Be sure to buy a high-quality brand. Some generic grocery store brands are watery and rubbery. I like Philadelphia cream cheese.
- The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to ensure your cream cheese is completely and totally softened to room temperature.
- If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with a lumpy cheesecake batter.
What Type of Pumpkin Should I Use?
I used store-bought canned pumpkin puree for this Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe. I don’t recommend using homemade pumpkin puree because it can add excess liquid. Check out my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin article for more on baking with pumpkin.
Note: Be sure NOT to use canned pumpkin pie filling for this recipe – it is not the same thing as pumpkin puree.
Alternatives to Biscoff Cookie for the Cheesecake Crust
Although the Biscoff (also called Speculoos) cookie crust is out-of-this-world delicious, if you can’t find or don’t prefer Biscoff cookies, no worries.
I have included both the volume measurement and the weight measurement for the cookies, so you can swap at a 1:1 ratio for any other crushed crisp cookie or biscuit. A few suggestions:
- Digestive biscuits (if you’re in the U.K.)
- Graham crackers
- Amaretti cookies
- Gingersnaps (my favorite backup option!)
What’s the Best Pan for Cheesecake?
- This recipe requires a 10-cup, 9-inch diameter springform pan like this one.
- Not all springform pans are made equally. You want one that’s both heavy-duty and sturdy.
- Just because your pan is 9 inches in diameter doesn’t necessarily mean it has a 10-cup batter volume capacity.
- Every brand may vary slightly, so be careful not to overfill your pan if yours has a smaller capacity!
How to Get SMOOTH Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Filling
- Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature.
- Beat with an electric mixer to your heart’s content before adding the eggs. If you beat too much after adding the eggs, the cheesecake will be more likely to crack.
- Be sure to scrape down all the nooks and crannies of your mixer bowl and paddle attachment when mixing the filling at each step.
Do I Have to Use a Water Bath?
No! While I usually recommend a water bath for baking cheesecake, I use the Low & Slow method for this recipe.
However, you might still end up with a crack, depending on your oven. Luckily, since this cheesecake is topped with a generous cloud of whipped cream, it won’t be a big deal.
The cheesecake on the left is my Ultimate Classic Cheesecake, baked with a water bath, and the one on the right is this Pumpkin Cheesecake made without it, using the Low & Slow method. This involves baking at 275°F for nearly two hours and then cooling it in the oven with the heat off and the door cracked.
Whenever I share my Cheesecake Water Bath vs. No Water Bath photo on Instagram, it goes viral! And I always get comments from people praising the benefits of the Low & Slow method.
I’ve noticed older ovens tend to struggle with maintaining lower temperatures consistently, so you might get a small crack:
For this recipe, I chose the Low & Slow method to make things easier during the busy Thanksgiving season.
How to Tell When Cheesecake is Done Baking
- Do not overbake your cheesecake!
- The residual heat of the oven will continue to cook the cheesecake even after the heat has been turned off.
- That means you want your cheesecake to look dry at the edges but slightly wobbly or jiggly like Jello in the center when the baking time has ended.
- The internal temperature should be 140°F-150°F. Use a digital instant-read thermometer if you’re uncertain.
FAQs
How to Serve Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cheesecake will ONLY finish setting up after it has cooled completely, then been chilled in the fridge for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. Only then should you remove the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake from the springform pan, add the whipped cream, and slice it.
How to Store Cheesecake
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Avoid adding the whipped cream topping until ready to serve. After 3 days, the crust will become mushy, so if you need to store longer, see just below for freezing instructions.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Cheesecake
Place the whole Pumpkin Cheesecake or individual slices on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost a whole cheesecake in the fridge overnight. You can also defrost individual slices in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
More Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas:
- Easy Peanut Butter Pie
- French Silk Pie
- Browned Butter Maple Pecan Pie
- No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 (8.8 ounce or 250 gram) package Biscoff / Speculoos cookies
- 7 tablespoons (99 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 24 ounces (680 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar
- 15 ounces (425 grams) pureed pumpkin
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 1 cup (237 grams) heavy cream, chilled
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the crust:
- Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened.
- Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Use a shot glass or tamper to assist with this. Place pan on a rimmed baking tray to catch any butter. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 275°F.
Make the cheesecake filling:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth and free of clumps, scraping down the bowl and attachment as needed. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until well combined. Scrape down the bowl, then add in the pumpkin puree and sour cream and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, then the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and vanilla, and beat until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour over baked crust and spread evenly. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any bubbles. Tap a spatula against the top of the batter to pop those bubbles. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake at 275°F for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until set and dry at the edges but slightly jiggly and wobbly like Jello in the center with an internal temperature of 140°F-150°F. Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door, and allow to cool inside the oven for 30 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Refrigerate in springform pan for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight but up to 3 days, to allow the texture to firm and the pumpkin spice flavor to develop. Store the cheesecake uncovered to avoid creating condensation, which will create a mushy texture.
Make the topping:
- Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer for a few minutes until medium peaks form.
- Release the cheesecake from the pan onto a cake stand or serving plate and top with whipped cream. Slice using a big sharp knife, running it under running hot water and wiping it off carefully in between cuts. Serve.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love:
- Ultimate Classic Cheesecake
- Ultimate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Bars
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Nutella Cheesecake Bars
This post was originally published in 2009 and has been updated with recipe improvements, additional baking tips, and new photos. Photos by Joanie Simon | The Bite Shot
Made this for one of our Thanksgiving after dinner desserts and it was a smash hit. No leftovers! However, I did have one issue. After it cooled in the oven, there was melted butter all over. I’m glad I put a sheet of foil under the pan in the oven or there would have been melted butter all over the place. After the cheesecake was completely cooled and out of the fridge, I was disappointed in the crust. It was very greasy and stuck to the bottom of the pan and for the most part the slices didn’t come out of the pan looking very good. What crust did come out attached to the filling, was over buttery and tasted bad. The cheesecake filling however was great. What did I do wrong or could have to prevent such “crummy” crust?
We absolutely love this cheesecake and it’s always the first request for family gatherings and always a big hit.
I want to try a water bath with it and wonder what you would recommend if anything over your normal water bath instructions
So happy to hear you love this recipe, George! We love this recipe because it uses the low-and-slow method of baking, but if you prefer to use a water bath, feel free to follow the instructions as written in our How to Make a Water Bath article. There shouldn’t be any other changes required. Let us know how it goes!
I was worried while I was making it that I wasn’t doing it correctly but it is so crazy delicious! My grown daughter, who doesn’t like anything pumpkin, took some home with her after Thanksgiving dinner.
This recipe got the ultimate designation at our house called “OMG Excellent!” There are only a few recipes that have received that designation.
Thank you for sharing it!
So happy to hear this was such a hit, Dee! 🙂
This cheesecake is so delicious! It was enjoyed by everyone. I did change a few things to make it gluten free. For the crust I used the same amount (by weight) of gf graham crackers (about 14 full sheets) and added 3 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. ground ginger. I also used 1Tbsp gf cornstarch in place of the flour.
I want to make this and was wondering if a chocolate cookie crust would taste good with this recipe. otherwise I’ll stick with your crust!
Hi Sue! Tessa’s Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars use a chocolate cookie base, so I don’t see why that wouldn’t be delicious here! Let us know how it goes 🙂