Pumpkin Cheesecake (Plus VIDEO)

This Pumpkin Cheesecake is the perfect dessert to fill your home with a captivating aroma and gear your family up for the holidays! It is a pure baked deliciousness packed with fall colors, flavors, and textures. It is a super simple recipe where you need a few kitchen tools to get the job done!

Contents… How is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day Celebrated? Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients Ingredient Substitutes Tips and Tricks Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve with Cheesecake More Recipes to Relish How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Watch How To Make It

Cheesecake is a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday feast. The nutty crust and smooth cream cheese filling with sweet pumpkin puree are insanely delicious. Top it with candied pecans and whipped cream, and you have a drool-worthy holiday dessert.

You can’t experience the joys of making a pumpkin cheesecake recipe from purchasing a ready-made one from the bakery. Besides, nothing says “I love you,” like making it from scratch for those you care about most.

Love, affection, a few basic ingredients, and a little time are all it takes. And seeing the delight on your family’s face as they take that first bite makes it all worth it. 

How is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day Celebrated?

What? Do you mean pumpkin cheesecake has its own holiday? While not officially the beginning of fall, it does celebrate the flavors of fall harvests in style.

What better way to honor this beautiful bright orange vegetable than turning it into a cheesecake?

Every year on October 21st, America celebrates National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, and people everywhere bake their favorite pumpkin cheesecake recipe.

Friends, neighbors, relatives, and colleagues get together to enjoy. Cheesecake may not be an American dessert, but ramping it up with fabulous pumpkin puree is. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

The Crust

• Graham Cracker Crust – This is the best way to use crushed graham crackers. Mix them with a bit of butter and sugar, and you have the perfect crust for any cheesecake. 
• Pecans – I prefer this remarkable nut for its sweet nuttiness and crunchy texture, making the pumpkin cheesecake crust super yummy.
• Brown Sugar – Not only does brown sugar give the crust and cheesecake a light caramel flavor, but it also holds it all together, so your pumpkin cheesecake doesn’t fall to pieces.
• Cinnamon – Kick up the flavor of your graham cracker crust with this fabulous spice.
• Unsalted Butter – The creamy, buttery taste helps hold the crust’s shape. I chose the unsalted option, but you can use salted butter if that’s what you have. 
• Vanilla Extract – This exquisite ingredient adds the classic fragrance that we all relate to when baking desserts. And homemade vanilla extract is super easy.

The Filling

• Cream Cheese – One of my favorite dessert ingredients, its subtle sweet taste, pleasing tanginess, and delicate silky texture make the cream cheese filling so satisfying.
• Sour Cream – It gives the pumpkin cheesecake filling delicious moisture and smooth texture. It also adds a pleasant tang that balances the overall sweetness. 
• Brown and Granulated Sugar – This duo is the sweetheart that gives cheesecake the sweetness that delights our mouths.
• Salt – The pantry-staple flavor-enhancer balances the sweet amazingly.
• Cornstarch – Cheesecake batter is better with cornstarch. First, it keeps the cake from cracking, and second, you’ll get cleaner-cut slices. You can leave it out if you prefer. You can hide the cracks with a mouthwatering strawberry sauce.
• Eggs – This ingredient is a binder that sets up and makes the cheesecake firm enough to slice. It also elevates the rich and smooth texture.
• Canned Pumpkin Puree – It’s so convenient. However, feel free to make your own. Just split the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Then bake it until tender, remove the pulp from the peel, and puree it to a silky-smooth consistency.
• Pumpkin Spice Mix – Pumpkin pie spice blend is always in my kitchen cabinet. You’ll love the beautiful aroma and warmth that make the pumpkin cheesecake filling so good. 

Ingredient Substitutes

All set to make the pumpkin cheesecake recipe, and you realize you are short of a few ingredients? Such a mood spoiler, isn’t it? There is no point killing the festive vibe over such a trivial matter; cheer up and swap out some ingredients to make this work! 

• Vanilla Wafers – An excellent replacement for crushed graham crackers is crushed vanilla wafers. Use the same quantity for a similar result.
• Walnuts – You can alternate the pecans with walnuts to get that matching nuttiness in the crust. 
• All-Purpose Flour – Instead of cornstarch, you can add two tablespoons of flour, and it won’t affect the overall taste and texture. Simply delish!

Tips and Tricks

To achieve that absolutely smooth cheesecake texture, use room temperature eggs and softened cream cheese. To soften the cold cream cheese, let it sit on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to an hour.

Always sift it before adding it to the batter to avoid cornstarch or flour lumps in the cream cheese filling.

Try using a water bath for a beautiful even cheesecake. Wrap the springform pan’s bottom and sides with aluminum foil and place it on a tray filled halfway with water before baking.

For a fabulous whipped cream topping, you need a cold mixing bowl. Putting the mixing bowl in the freezer for about 8-10 minutes before using it will do the trick.

Serving and Storage Instructions

The flavor is better, and the cheesecake is firmer if you make it the day before. Then, when ready to serve, I take it out of the fridge and slice it. This exquisite piece of art is great all by itself, but it’s even better with caramel syrup or ice cream. Oh, and don’t forget the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Refrigerate – After the pumpkin cheesecake is completely cool, wrap the pan with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. It should last 2-3 days.

Freeze – You can freeze it for later too. It’s good in the freezer for up to three months. You can freeze it whole, so you have one less thing to worry about before the big day. Or you can freeze individually wrapped slices and keep them in heavy-duty freezer-safe bags. That way, you can sneak a piece any time you need a sweet-tooth fix.

Thaw and Serve – To thaw the frozen cheesecake, you can put it in the fridge or on the kitchen countertop at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

FAQs

What to Serve with Cheesecake

My first reaction is a pot of coffee. ☕️😁 Then, I put homemade whipped cream on the cheesecake and in my coffee. Double win!

You can make it extra tempting by serving it with caramel sauce. 

More Recipes to Relish

• Pumpkin Pie
• New York Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pecan Pie Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Bread

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

Prepare to Bake

• Preheat the Oven – Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
• Grease the Springform Pan – Coat a 10-inch springform pan with butter or baking spray. Set aside.

Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust

• Crush the Graham Crackers – Crumble the graham crackers and put them in the food processor. Add pecans (if using), then grind them into fine crumbs. Then, add brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Continue pulsing until all the ingredients are mixed well. (Photo 1-4)

• Bake Graham Cracker Crust – Transfer the graham cracker mix to the greased springform pan. Spread all over and press down using a flat-bottomed bowl to achieve an even base. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°F/190°C. Remove from the oven and set aside. Also, reduce the oven’s heat to 200°F/93°C. (Photo 5-6) 

Prepare Cheesecake Filling

• Make Cream Cheese Filling – In the large bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the softened cream cheese and sour cream into a smooth consistency on medium speed while scraping the sides at regular intervals. Then, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch and mix for one minute. Slowly add the eggs followed by the yolks and gently combine until creamy. (Photo 7-9)
• Add the first layer – Pour in about 1½-2 cups of the cream cheese filling and spread it evenly into the bottom of the cheesecake crust. Set aside. (Photo 10)

Assemble the Cheesecake

• Prepare Pumpkin Filling– Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix, and vanilla extract to the remaining cream cheese filling. Whisk softy till nicely combined. Carefully spread the pumpkin filling over the plain cheesecake filling using a spatula. (Photo 11-13)
• Pop the Air Bubbles in the Pumpkin Filling – Set the cheesecake aside for 10 minutes until tiny bubbles form on the surface. Run a fork over the top, popping as many bubbles as possible. (Photo 14)

Bake and Cool Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Bake the Cheesecake – Make sure the oven is at 200°F/93°C. Then, transfer the springform pan to the oven and bake for 3-3½ hours. You’ll know the cheesecake is perfectly baked when it jiggles a little when nudged, and the temperature in the center reaches 165°F/74℃.
• Let Cool at Room Temperature – After removing it from the oven, let it cool for 5-10 minutes on the counter. Also, run a paring knife between the cheesecake and the side of the springform pan to make it easier for the cheesecake to come out when ready to serve. Leave it on the counter for about 3 hours to cool completely. 
• Let it Chill in the Fridge – Once the cake has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of six hours or preferably overnight until it’s cold and firmly set.

Remove the Cheesecake, Decorate, and Serve

• Remove Springform Pan and Decorate – Take the cake out of the fridge, remove the plastic, and release the springform pan from the cheesecake. Decorate with whipped cream, candied pecans, and caramel (optional).
• Slice and Serve – To slice the cake into pretty clean pieces, dip your knife in hot water, dry it off, and then slice. The warm knife will cut cleanly for pretty slices. Enjoy!

Watch How To Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”WAmZ8dss” upload-date=”2021-11-12T07:00:00.000Z” name=”Pumpkin Cheesecake” description=”This Pumpkin Cheesecake is the perfect dessert to fill your home with a captivating aroma and gear your family up for the holidays! It is a pure baked deliciousness packed with fall colors, flavors, and textures. It is a super simple recipe where you need a few kitchen tools to get the job done!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]