This recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake is a delicious autumnal version of my classic Greek Yogurt Cheesecake. With some pumpkin puree and lots of Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice inside the filling, this cheesecake is perfect for entertaining during the fall and winter holiday seasons.
Cheesecakes are by far one of my favorite desserts. I love the creamy texture, the crisp crust, the richness and tang. But despite my love for cheesecake, I am always a bit suspicious of flavored ones. I don’t mind a swirl of fruit inside, but flavored cheesecakes sometimes taste odd. This particular flavor is a seasonal take on cheesecake that I think everyone will love. The filling is still rich and creamy and the aromatic spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are welcome flavors. The best part is that this pumpkin cheesecake is much easier to make than you think. In fact, the filling can be made in a food processor or blender!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CHEESECAKE
- 1. Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper. Before any component of the cheesecake is made, begin by removing the ring around the base of the springform pan you plan to use for your cheesecake. Line a piece of parchment paper over the base. No need to trim it into a circle. Then place the ring back around the base and clamp it tight. This move will make it incredible easy to remove the cheesecake from the base of the pan after it bakes and sets!
- 2. Bake the crust first. After the graham cracker crumbs and sugar are mixed with melted butter, the mixture is pressed into a freshly lined springform pan. Baking the crust for about 10-15 minutes ensures that it will stay crisp, even once the cheesecake filling is added.
- 3. Use room temperature ingredients. As with many projects in baking, room temperature ingredients make a difference. In the case of pumpkin cheesecake, room temperature cream cheese, eggs, sour cream or yogurt and pumpkin puree will bake more evenly. The cheesecake will be less likely to crack as it cools.
- 4. Use a blender or food processor to make the filling. This step is not required, however it is so easy and ensures that the filling doesn’t get over beaten in a mixer! Simply add all of the filling ingredients to a blender or bowl of a food processor, blend until smooth and then pour the filling directly onto the cooled crust.
- 5. Use a water bath. You can certainly bake a cheesecake without a water bath, but I recommend the technique. Scroll down for more information!
- 6. Let the cheesecake cool gradually. My last tip is once the cheesecake comes out of the oven, let it sit in the water bath or sit inside the oven with the door ajar for another hour or so. This very gradual cooling process will help set the cheesecake perfectly without overbaking it.
ALL ABOUT WATER BATHS
- What is a water bath? Many cheesecake recipes will call for baking in a water bath. This simply means baking the cheesecake in or near a “bath” of boiling hot water.
- Do I really need a water bath? I recommend using a water bath when making cheesecake because it will yield the best texture possible. The steam from the hot water helps insulate the filling of the cheesecake as it bakes so that the outside edges and the center texture are the same.
- There are two ways to make a water bath:
- Water Bath Option 1: The traditional method for creating a water bath first requires you to wrap the entire bottom and sides of the springform pan in foil or in a special silicone sleeve. This prevents the hot water from seeping into the pan and making the crust soggy. Once the pan is secured, it is then placed inside of a larger pan, usually a roasting pan like this one. Finally, water is brought to a boil and poured into the large roasting pan around the cheesecake pan. The water needs to be about 1 inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Water Bath Option 2: Boil hot water and pour it into a separate 9 x 13 pan or large skillet. You can use any large pan that isn’t glass. Place the pan of hot water into the preheated oven just below the rack where the cheesecake will bake. Once the pan of the hot water and cheesecake are in the oven, shut the door and bake. The steam from the hot water bath below the cheesecake will rise up and insulate the cake while it bakes.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- – For the crust: I call for cinnamon graham crackers in this crust, but feel free to use plain or even chocolate graham crackers. Biscoff or ginngersnap cookies ground up would be delicious as well. You can increase the sugar in the crust by another 2 tbsp (25 grams) if needed.
- – Greek yogurt: My recipe calls for a little bit of plain, whole milk Greek yogurt. Feel free to substitute the yogurt for sour cream.
- – Cream cheese: I have not tested this recipe using a lower fat cream cheese, but I know other people who have and claim it is still delicious and not very noticeable. If you do choose a lower fat cream cheese, I highly recommend using Philadelphia Original 1/3 Less Fat block cream cheese.
- -Pumpkin Pie Spice: Storebought pumpkin pie spice is perfectly fine. If you would like to make your own, be sure to try my recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. All you need is ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground allspice.
- – For more pumpkin recipes, be sure to try my Pumpkin Spice Bread with Crumb Topping, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
An autumnal recipe for pumpkin cheesecake made with cream cheese, pumpkin puree and a little Greek yogurt!
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 food processor optional
- 1 hand or stand mixer or blender
- 1 9 or 10" round springform pan
- 1 spatula
- 1 roasting pan or large shallow pan for the water bath
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the crust
- 4 tbsp (57 grams) salted butter
- 1 1/3 cups (135 grams) cinnamon graham crackers 1 sleeve (9 full sheets)
- 2 tbsp (25 grams) granulated sugar
For the filling
- 32 ounces (900 grams) block cream cheese room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 grams) plain, whole milk Greek yogurt or full fat sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp (5 grams) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice homemade or store bought
Instructions
Prepare for baking
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350° F. Prepare a kettle or pot of water to make the water bath for the cheesecake. Line a springform pan with parchment paper by removing the outer ring from the base. Place the parchment paper over the base of the pan, then place the ring back onto the base and lock it. Lightly grease the insides of the lined pan.
Make the crust
- To make the crust in a food processor, place the graham crackers and sugar in the bowl fitted with a blade. Lock the lid and process to very fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove and pour over the crumbs. Toss well with a spatula until the crumbs are moistened.
- To make the crust without a machine, place all the graham crackers in a large sealable plastic bag. Press the air out, seal the bag and gently beat the crackers until pulverized. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl along with the sugar. Melt the butter in a microwave or on the stove and pour over the crumbs. Toss well with a spatula until the crumbs are moistened.
- Transfer the buttery crumbs to the lined and greased springform pan. Press the crust into the base of the pan evenly.
- Bake the crust in the pan for 10-15 minutes in a preheated 350° F oven until lightly golden on the edges. Remove and let the crust cool while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- To make the filling in a blender or food processor, add the more liquid ingredients to the bowl first.80 grams yogurt or sour cream, 227 grams pumpkin puree, 3 whole eggs, 5 grams vanillaThen add the remaining ingredients on top.8 grams EACH of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, 300 grams sugar, 900 grams cream cheese
- Process the filling until completely smooth. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary. Pour the filling onto the cooled crust.
- To make the filling with a hand or stand mixer, add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl. Cream them on medium high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. Add the yogurt or sour cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla and spices. Cream them for another minute until well blended. Finally add the eggs one at at time, beating each in completely before adding the next. Once all the eggs are incorporated, do not beat the mixture further.
- Pour the filling onto the cooled crust.
Make the water bath
- Boil enough water in a kettle or stockpot to have about 1 inch depth of water in the pan you've chosen for the water bath. There are two ways to make a water bath.
- Water bath option 1: The first option is to wrap the sides of the cheesecake pan completely with foil or set the pan in a silicone sleeve so the hot water surrounds the cheesecake as it bakes. This requires having another pan large enough to house the cheesecake pan in. I like using a roasting pan like this one. For this option, place the wrapped cheesecake pan inside of the roasting pan and then pour the hot water into the bottom of the larger roasting pan until the water reaches no more than half way up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Water bath option 2: The second option does not require you to wrap the cheesecake in foil or a silicone sleeve. A large 9 x 13 pan or very large cast iron skillet will house the hot water bath and be placed on a rack below the cheesecake, creating a "steam bath" as the cheesecake bakes. For this option, boil enough water so that it will be about 1 inch deep in the pan. Do not use a glass dish! Pour the hot water into the pan and carefully place it directly below the cheesecake on a rack in the oven. Close the oven door to quickly to trap the steam.
Bake the cheesecake
- Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cheesecake will still wobble a bit in the center, but it will be a firm wobble as opposed to a liquid wobble. If baking in a traditional water bath, remove the entire roasting pan from the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the water bath for an additional hour as it cools. Then remove the cheesecake from the bath and from its sleeve.
- If baking by steam bath, turn off the oven and leave the door partially open for an hour as the cheesecake cools inside the oven. This will prevent the cheesecake from cracking. After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it continue to cool at room temperature.
- When the cheesecake is at room temperature, chill it overnight in the refrigerator. Run a knife around the inside edge of the cheesecake before removing the outer ring. Cheesecakes are easiest to slice when partially frozen. Cover and store the cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
