My easy, creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is made completely from scratch WITHOUT a water bath! I’m including lots of tips and tricks to prevent cracks so yours can turn out just like the pictures. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Perfect Cheesecake For Fall
You’re not getting tired of cheesecake yet, right? I know I’m not. I’ve received quite a few requests for how to turn my classic cheesecake into a pumpkin cheesecake, so I figured it was about time I re-shared this recipe. This one is just as easy as my classic recipe, and of course, it’s made WITHOUT a water bath…yay!
We’ll be serving our pumpkin cheesecake on my homemade graham cracker crust and topping it off with a cinnamon version of my homemade whipped cream. It’s a perfectly spiced fall cheesecake that would make a great Thanksgiving dessert (and, in my opinion, it’s WAY better than pumpkin pie!).
Why you should try my recipe:
- No water bath needed. Let me repeat that: No water bath!
- Classic cheesecake flavor infused with just the right amount of pumpkin.
- 100% from-scratch!
- Includes tips on how to prevent cracks.
What You Need
Take note of these ingredients before starting the recipe–they’re important!
- Cream cheese. As with all of my cheesecake recipes, you want to make sure you use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese and not the kind the comes in a tub, which can cause the cheesecake to not bake properly.
- Pumpkin puree. Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling, which has additives and flavoring that we do not want in our cheesecake! We’re looking for the plain, 100% pumpkin that’s often (confusingly) sold right beside the pie filling.
- Sour cream. I’m a staunch believer that cheesecake without sour cream simply isn’t worth wasting your time on. Sour cream gives you rich depth of flavor that is critical for that classic cheesecake flavor. And critical for guaranteeing that your guests ask for the recipe after they’ve tried a bite.
- Eggs. It’s best if they are are room temperature and give them a light mix with a fork so they incorporate easily.
- Pumpkin pie spice. This gives our pumpkin cheesecake a beautiful spiced flavor that complements the pumpkin SO well. If you don’t have your own, now is the time to whip up a batch of my homemade pumpkin spice.
SAM’S TIP: I like to remove my eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream from the fridge at least an hour before I begin making my cheesecake. They will combine more evenly this way, which makes for a uniform batter and reduces the risk of cracks.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Prepare your graham cracker crust and set it in the fridge to chill.
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugars until well-combined.
- Stir in the sour cream, then add the vanilla, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice.
- Add the eggs on at a time and mix until just combined after each.
- Spread the batter into your crust and bake for 40 minutes.
- Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 6 hours.
- Top with cinnamon whipped cream and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: It’s important that the eggs are fully incorporated into the batter, but don’t overdo it. Stir the batter on low-speed just until each egg has been incorporated.
Tips for a Crack-Free Cheesecake
Like my other cheesecake recipes, this cheesecake is made WITHOUT a water bath. If you’ve made any of my other recipes, like my chocolate cheesecake, you’ve already seen these, but they’re worth repeating. To avoid cracks, make sure you follow these tips:
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set your cold ingredients out beforehand and don’t try to soften/warm them up quickly in the microwave (you can end up melting your ingredients this way!).
- Don’t over-beat your eggs! Not only can this make your cheesecake crack, but it can also ruin the texture and make it mealy and dry.
- Don’t open the oven! Opening the oven door drastically reduces the temperature, which can slow the baking process and can cause your cheesecake to crack and sink.
- Cool slowly! Rapid cooling is a surefire way to end up with a big crack in the center of your pumpkin cheesecake (even if it was smooth when it first came out of the oven!). Let your cheesecake cool slowly! I let mine cool on top of the oven where it’s still warm, but you can also leave it in your (turned off) oven with the door open to let it come to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Mind the crust! When you’re pressing your crust into the pan, press it up the sides, too, as high as you can! Cracks are most often caused by tension that happens as the cheesecake tries to contract in the pan. The edges are usually stuck to the side, and the tension of trying to shrink but not being able to can cause cracks. I actually can’t believe it took me so many years to learn this tip, it’s an absolute game changer and I didn’t realize how obvious it was until I developed my lemon cheesecake. If you only try one of these tips to avoid cracks, make it this one. Oh, and if you didn’t get your pumpkin cheesecake crust up quite as high as you needed to, just immediately after baking run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan.
SAM’S TIP: If you follow all my tips and your cheesecake still cracks, don’t panic–it will still taste amazing! You can simply cover it with your cinnamon whipped cream or top it with chocolate ganache, and no one will even know!
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend it, as most store-bought crusts come in small pie tins that aren’t large enough to hold the amount of batter that this recipe makes. You would need at least two store-bought crusts, and the baking time would be reduced quite a bit.
I suggest you use my homemade crust instead; it takes just a few ingredients and a few minutes of your time to make and will fit the pan perfectly!
You can store your cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure you cover your cheesecake with plastic (or store it in an airtight container) to keep it from absorbing other odors in the fridge. You can also freeze your pumpkin cheesecake (after it’s cooled as indicated in the recipe) for several months. I like to cut mine into slices and wrap and freeze them individually.
I leave mine in the springform pan until I’m ready to serve, then I remove the ring and serve. When I need to store it again, I’ll put the ring back on.
If you’d like to remove your pumpkin cheesecake onto a pretty platter, use a spatula to gently pry the bottom up from the bottom of the pan and very gently slide it onto a serving platter.
I hope you love this fall twist on my classic cheesecake 🍂
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 graham cracker crust (prepared according to recipe in 9" or 10" springform pan, not pre-baked). Click the link for recipe.
- 24 oz (680 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature, be sure to use brick-style and not spreadable cream cheese
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar packed
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (244 g) pumpkin puree¹
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- ¾ cup (175 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C)² (see note).
- Prepare graham cracker crust in a 9″ springform but do not bake. Place in refrigerator to chill while you prepare your cheesecake filling.1 graham cracker crust
- In a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand-mixer), beat together softened cream cheese and sugars, scraping down the sides with a spatula occasionally to ensure ingredients are mixed well and lump-free.24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- Add sour cream and stir well, pausing once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream
- Add vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice and stir until well-combined.1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (244 g) pumpkin puree¹, 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just mixed after each addition (and scraping down the sides after each addition).3 large eggs
- Spread cheesecake batter evenly over prepared crust.
- Transfer pan to a foil lined baking sheet and place in center rack of 350F (175C) oven. Bake for 40 minutes or longer (see note!), until center of cheesecake is almost set (center may jiggle very slightly, edges should be set and may be slightly puffed or very slightly cracked).
- Allow pumpkin cheesecake to cool to room temperature and then transfer to refrigerator and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, prepare your cinnamon whipped cream.
Cinnamon Whipped Cream³
- For the cinnamon whipped cream topping, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a clean medium-sized bowl.¾ cup (175 ml) heavy cream, ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Use an electric mixer to stir on low-speed. Gradually increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe or dollop whipped cream over chilled cheesecake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
¹Pumpkin note
Be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree (the only ingredient on the can should be “pumpkin”) and not “pumpkin pie filling”, which contains other ingredients and is usually sold right beside the pumpkin puree.²Video note
Whoops! The video says to preheat the oven to 375F but this cheesecake should actually be baked on 350F (as the written recipe indicates) instead.Baking time
Exact bake time can vary depending on your oven, whether you bake your cheesecake on a baking pan or not, the color of your springform pan (light or dark), and even the precise temperature of your ingredients. Because of this I recommend checking your cheesecake at 40 minutes (the amount of time it takes me) and adding time as needed. Some readers have reported needing to bake their cheesecake upwards of an hour! Follow the cues indicated in the recipe to tell that it’s done, you can use an instant read thermometer to check that it’s done if you aren’t sure, the temperature should exceed 160F (70C).³Whipped cream
I used a Wilton 2D tip to pipe the whipped cream onto my cheesecake.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Pumpkin cheesecake may also be frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe originally published 10/13/2017, while the recipe remains the same, the post has been updated and improved and a video has been added!
Related Recipes
My pumpkin cheesecake recipe was originally published in 2017. The recipe remains unchanged, but I’ve updated the photos, added a video, and updated the blog post to make it more helpful.
Ash
I’ve made this for thanksgiving the past 2 years and it’s been a huge hit! Thank you!!
Sami
Followed the recipe to a T as it was my first cheesecake ever attempting. I allowed all of the ingredients to thaw and used natural non refrigerated eggs before beginning. Followed all the extra tips and tricks and it turned out AMAZING and with no cracks! Compliments from everyone in the family…even the unofficial food critics. Thank you for this amazing recipe and my newly found baking confidence 🥰
Zoe
Hello, looks like a great recipe and hope it taste good too! Made it for Thanksgiving. I found that 40 minutes is not enough baking time no matter if you have the oven temperature set at 350° or 375° and needs at least 50 minutes. At 40 minutes, I found it extremely runny.
Bon Silver
Hi, I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m wondering if I can prep the batter ahead of time, stick it in the fridge for a few hours while I run errands, and then bake it? Thanks so much!
Sam
I have never personally tried it, but I think that should work. 🙂
Jackie
I made this a few hours ago, it’s currently still cooling on topof my oven. I’m a but disheartened because it doesn’t appear to have cooked right, the edges are brown, but the middle cracked open and I can see it is a bit runny looking on the inside. I’m hoping that being in the fridge over night will help the inside set. Just wondering what I could have done wrong, I followed the recipe to the T. But I will say that it smells amazing, hopefully tomorrow it will look better and I can hide the crack with a bit of creative whip cream work.
Sam
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Jackie! It will definitely set a little bit in the refrigerator, but it shouldn’t still be runny. 🙁 Is your oven temperature accurate? Sounds like it may have baked too long or at too high of a temperature. 🙁
Jackie
Thank you for the quick reply! I’m not certain if my oven temp is accurate, we are renting and moved in a few months ago, but so far, everything I’ve baked in there seems to cook well. My cheesecake will still be enjoyed tomorrow regardless. Thanks for the recipe!
Arriana
I made this recipe and it was PERFECT! I didn’t have a single crack and it cooked nice and evenly. I am curious if the recipe would still work the same without the pumpkin added…?? Thanks for the recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Arriana! I wouldn’t recommend simply omitting the pumpkin here, but I do have a cheesecake recipe that doesn’t use pumpkin. 🙂
Nicole
Same exact thing for me too! I just took it out of the oven and it seems very giggly in the middle, a couple of big cracks and the sides look almost too done. I notice the batter was really runny to begin with and I also followed the directions perfectly. Hoping it firms up over night.
Sam
Hi Nicole! Hmm the batter should not be very runny (you can see in 3:28 of the video exactly how it should look before going into the oven, if that is helpful!). By chance was homemade pumpkin puree used or was any kind of cream cheese used other than the brick-style sort? Low fat cream cheese, neufchatel cheese, or the sort of cream cheese that is sold in a tub will result in a runny batter and a cheesecake that doesn’t turn out properly. I’ve also had some people accidentally use a whole can of pumpkin instead of the amount called for in the recipe, which will ruin the texture as well. Low fat sour cream could also be a contributing factor but is less likely to be. I am wondering if either of these issues could be behind the runny texture and the issues described. Let me know as I want to make sure no one else runs into this!
Ishi
Can I ask an amateur baking question? I’ve made your traditional cheesecake which is an 11/10! Curious why your pumpkin cheesecake requires significantly less baking time in comparison? I just baked the pumpkin and I’m always terrified of undercooking!
Sam
Hi Ishi! The pumpkin cheesecake bakes on a higher temperature (25 degrees F hotter) so it needs less time in the oven. I hope that helps, and that you love the pumpkin cheesecake! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Pat
Help, I accidentally used 32 ounces of cream cheese instead of 24. Followed recipe for all the other ingredients. It took more than an hour to bake. Will the cheesecake still taste okay? Or should I scrape and start over. Planning to have for Thanksgiving.
Sam
Hi Pat! Unfortunately I can’t say how it is going to taste. 🙁 It could be ok, but the safest thing to do is make a new one. 🙁
Gina
I did the same thing but haven’t tried it yet. How did it taste??
Pat
The pumpkin flavor is a little bit subtle but actually tastes very good. My daughter liked it. i did however make another one to be on the safe side since I am serving this for Thanksgiving company. It will be interesting to see if there is a big difference between the two.
Colette Renee
This is so delicious! My new favorite dessert! Just curious on the nutritional information. How many servings are there to the cheesecake?
Sam
Hi Colette! It will make about 12 servings. 🙂
Joseph
I had similar experience as comments above, even with correct amount of cream cheese 😉 Took wayyyyy more time to cook in the middle, and barley made it to 150*
But hopefully will taste ok tomorrow! 🤞
Kristi
This is and was amazing. The biggest hit was actually the cinnamon went strain on top.. They said it just made the entire dessert perfect
Heather Earickson
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. This was my very first time making a cheesecake and it turned out amazing! The recipe was very easy to follow and I really liked that 🥰
Joe
Made this last year and it was a hit! I want to use this same recipe in mini foil graham cracker crust tins but removing the store bought crust and replacing with home made. . How would I adjust the baking time using these mini foil tins?
Sam
Hi Joe! I’m not sure how long they would need to bake in those particular crusts. I would be sure to keep an eye on them.
Paul
I think this is the first time I’ve commented on a recipe anywhere but this recipe is so insanely good that I had to get my selfish non-commenting butt in gear and type more than a few words.
I made the recipe exactly as written, almost. My oven is awaiting repair so I baked the cheesecake (9” springform pan) in a toaster oven at 325°F for 50 minutes, rotating it 180° halfway through the baking time. The baking temperature and time was a lucky guess because the temperature in the center of the cake was almost exactly at the temperature recommended by Cooks Illustrated: 150°F
Stabbing the cake with an instant read thermometer may have contributed to the mad cracking that occurred while the cheesecake cooled but I didn’t care how it looked. I wasn’t entering the country fair; I was making dessert to serve to my son.
My son and I both loved the cheesecake (obviously). The taste was just right: not too pumpkin-y so the cheesecake flavor still came through and enough spice to be noticeable without overpowering. I can’t stand milquetoast pumpkin pies with an anemic amount of spice; you nailed the amount, Sam! The texture was perfect too: light but still dense enough for a cheesecake.
I almost didn’t make the cinnamon whipped cream but am so glad I did because it was the perfect accompaniment.
Sorry for the long comment but one last thing. Measuring by weight is the best way to bake. I always convert baked goods recipes to weights when I save them to my recipe app so thank you for including weights in the ingredients list and saving me a little time!
Sam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment, Paul! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Angie
definitely a 10 out of 10! Everything was spot on down to the perfectly made gram crust! I will never use store bought crust again! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Lisa
I’m going to make this recipe for sure, but honestly just still impressed a Dad is making pumpkin cheesecake for his son!! 🤩🥰💁🏼♀️
Paul
Aww thanks Lisa! ☺️ My son and I get together weekly for dinner, alternating hosting duties each week. We’ve done this since he bought a house and moved out, for almost 2 years now. I’m very fortunate. 😊
Trudy
same! 🙂 If only we all had such awesome dads!
Nicole
Delicious!! I don’t like pumpkin pie but wanted pumpkin for our Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend; what a huge success!
Christine Jang
I made the pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it! It turned out perfect, only had one tiny crack in the middle.
I added a few ingredients to the recipe:
– a couple pinches of salt and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the crust.
– One tablespoon of cornstarch to the cheesecake batter. This gives it a slightly denser texture and helps to reduce cracks.
– Topped with homemade caramel sauce and whipping cream.
* **Another thing I did to help reduce cracking, was after cooking time was done, I turned off the oven and left cheesecake inside for another hour with door slightly open with a wooden spoon. Then I left it another hour on top of stove to cool then put in fridge overnight. It could have cooled another hour though, as it was still slightly warm when i put in fridge and that’s what could have caused the small crack.
Overall great success and flavourful. I will make again!
Stacey L Welsh
i made this with my homemade roasted pumpkin puree. oh goodness this is amazing!!
i definitely worked the homemade gram cracker crust up the sides of the springfoarm pan. I also made sure that I didn’t over beat the addition of each eggs. no cracks and i also ledt in the over with the door open for a couple hours.. then topped with your homemade whipped cream Wow perfect!!
Thank you soooo much for this recipe! I’ll be making it again. yummmmm
Joey
Holy cow! What a beautiful dessert! I make a mean cheesecake but it’s always a crap shoot with cracking. I followed all of your tips-but the new one was the difference-pulling the crust up the pan. You have changed my game!!!! Thank you! I’ll be perusing all of your recipes. I’m officially a fan.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Joey! 🙂