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Pumpkin Cheesecake


Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 people
A slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a blue rimmed white plate.

Pumpkin Cheesecake is a cozy bite of everything you love about the chilly fall season tucked into a gingersnap crust! Filled with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger!

Ingredients  

Crust

  • 2 cups gingersnaps crumbs about 25 cookies
  • ½ cup salted butter melted

Filling


Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray generously with nonstick spray.
  • Fill a roasting pan (large enough for you to set the springform pan inside) with 1½ inches of water to make the water bath. 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.

Crust

  • Add the gingersnaps and melted butter to a food processor and process until a sandy texture forms. Gently press this mixture into 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.
    2 cups gingersnaps crumbs, ½ cup salted butter

Filling

  • While the crust bakes, beat together the cream cheese and sugars at medium speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
    24 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition, just until incorporated.
    4 large eggs
  • Mix in the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
    1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Remove the crust from the oven and pour the cheesecake filling mixture into the baked crust.

Bake

  • 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 set, bake for 5 to 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 1 hour. Move the cheesecake to the counter. Cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to chill for another 2 hours.
  • Once set, top with fresh whipped cream, chopped pecans, pumpkin pie spice, and caramel sauce if desired.
    Whipped Cream, chopped pecans, pumpkin pie spice, caramel sauce

Notes

  • How Come The Cheesecake Needs To Be Left In The Oven After It’s Finished Baking? Allowing the cheesecake to cool down with the oven prevents exposing the dessert to a sudden temperature change. Which almost always results in cracked cheesecake. The cooling time in the oven allows for a gentle temperature transition.
  • Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead Of Pumpkin Puree? Yes, that would be just fine. If you decide to use the pie filling then you’ll need to leave out the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves from the recipe.
  • Is There A Way To Be Sure That Water Doesn’t Get Into My Pan During The Water Bath? Be sure to TIGHTLY wrap the pumpkin cheesecake in foil, using plenty to seal the pan. For added protection, you could place the springform pan into another pan. Then you could set all of that into the roasting pan that has the water in it.
  • Can I Use Pumpkin Spice In This Recipe? Yes! To do so, replace the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice.
  • Do I Have To Give The Cheesecake A Water Bath? That’s totally up to you! Cheesecake is less likely to crack and rises more evenly when there’s plenty of moisture in the oven. If you’re decorating the top of the cheesecake with whipped cream or toppings, you could skip it! If any cracks occur, they’ll just be covered with yummy toppings!
  • What’s The Best Way To Store This Pumpkin Cheesecake? Place the cheesecake in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy the cheesecake for up to a week. This cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Before eating, just pop the cheesecake into the fridge overnight to allow it to thaw before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 1134IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/pumpkin-cheesecake/