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.
Simone Howey
Can you make this with a keto sugar for a diabetic like a Splenda
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We haven’t tried it, so we can’t say for sure how it would turn out 😞
RuSonja Robinson
this was my second time making rhis cake. The 1st time i didnt leave it in the oven long enough, so this time i adjusted the time…and it is beautiful. i did use whip cream to decorate it but not homemade…i also sprinkled some cinnamon on top as well. THIS SITE IS MY GO TO FOR ALL OF MY DESSERTS…IT HASNT FAILED ME YET 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Susan
I’ve made this several times and it’s absolute amazing ! everyone just loves it ! I’ve tried a few recipes and this one is hands down awesome !!
christine
Mine cracked a but too much. How do you avoid that?
Sam
Hi Christine! I have a whole section in the blog post of detailed tips to prevent cracking, that should help a lot. But even if it does crack, I would just dollop the cinnamon whipped cream right in the center over the cracks — no one needs to know!
Jan
My younger son’s two favourite desserts are pumpkin pie and cheesecake. So, for 20 years I have been on the hunt for a good pumpkin cheesecake recipe. I have tried many and this was far and above the best (as judged by both my son and I – he has declared the recipe search to be over!). I appreciated the detailed tips on avoiding cracks. One variant note, I used buttercup squash from my garden that I had baked and frozen – slightly denser texture than pumpkin. AND, in addition to a fabulous recipe, I LOVE the web page layout. LISTING THE INGREDIENT QUANTITIES WITH THE STEPS!!!!! I’ve never seen this elsewhere and it is SO helpful so I didn’t need to scroll (with sticky fingers) and the “cook mode” button was similarly helpful.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and the ingredients in the instructions were helpful. Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Jolene
do I have to use a springform pan?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jolene! A springform really is the best pan for cheesecake. You could try using a pie plate, but you’d need to cut the recipe in half.
Lori
The ingredients seemed to be way too much for one cake. I had A lot left over
Sam
Hi Lori! Did you put it in a 9 inch springform pan? This will make enough to fill 2 of those store bought pie crusts. 🙂
Tammie
Thank you for this amazing recipe, it was delicious and a big hit at a Christmas dinner I recently hosted. I froze it about a week out, leaving it in my springform pan. I made the cinnamon whipped topping the day I served it and piped it around the edges. Someone thought I bought it, it looked so professional. I used the whipped topping for cinnamon bread, too, so yum!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Tammie! 🙂
Sarah
I’m not a big cheesecake fan but this was delicious. This was my first time making a cheesecake and it turned out great. It was a little cracked but I think I beat the eggs too much. If I wanted to make these in to mini cheesecakes, how long would I bake them for?
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sara! Unfortunately I have not made this as mini cheesecakes so I can’t say for sure how long they would need to bake. I would just be sure to keep an eye on them. 🙂
Bee
can you use lactose free cream cheese?
Sam
Unfortunately I’m not sure how it would turn out. I haven’t really ever used it so I’m not sure how it compares to regular full fat cream cheese. If you do try it, I’d love to know how it goes. 🙂
Bianca
So i had a little mishap with my oven! the springform was leaking so i had to take it out, clean it then put it back in the oven. thank goodness it cooked still with no issues. and the lactose free cream cheese actually tasted so delicious! everyone loved it! so Lactose free is a suitable option!
Sue black
I made this cheesecake today and found my pan was 8 inches and there was way too much filling for this cheesecake. I also found with the pan being smaller the 40 minutes wasn’t long enough.
I had to put it in oven in total 60 mins.
Sabrina
I’ve only made pumpkin cheesecake once and it didn’t turn out well. But this recipe is amazing! My whole family loved it! The only issue I had was when I baked it in the oven the butter from the graham cracker crust melted from the springboard pan and dripped down to the bottom of my oven, causing my oven to smoke. I quickly placed a rimmed cookie sheet lined with foil underneath the pan and baked the cheesecake an extra 10 minutes. Turned out delicious! And the top didn’t crack! Topped it with the cinnamon whipped cream! I will make this again!
Jan
I had the same problem with the butter leaking out. I had used gingersnaps instead of graham crumbs but I didn’t crush them very fine (just used a rolling pin because I was too lazy to get the food processor out and wash it!). My guess is that the coarser crumbs didn’t absorb the butter as well.
DYNO
Hello!
What a tasty treat!
Just need to know how you account for high altitude?
Higher temperatures and longer duration?
Sam
Unfortunately I don’t have much experience with high altitude baking so I can’t say for sure what, if anything, would need to change. 🙁
Luke L
I just made this recipe and I love it. I am just wondering what I could do differently that would cause it to not crack. Please help me!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Luke! We actually discuss how to prevent cracks within the post. Hope that helps! 😊
marie brugere-wilson
That was the best pumpkin cheesecake I ever made. The best textured in the cheesecake. Since I prefer not to have a gram cracker crust I made a pecan/vanilla wafer crust. It worked wonderfully. It was a big hit at the thanksgiving dinner. made sure temperature was 150 in center before I pulled it out the the oven. It did have a crack in center but I made a sour cream topping to cover the crack. I Decorated the top with cute chocolate pumpkins found at the grocery store.
Jules
This is amazing!! The family said I can make it from now on instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing this great ( and easy) recipe.
Ash
My husband and I have been together for 20 years and not once has my mother in law complimented something I have baked or cooked…until I made this recipe. She texted me after Thanksgiving to tell me it was amazing and my husband said it was one of the best desserts he has ever had. I highly recommend making this! Thank you for the recipe!
grace shoop
This pumpkin cheesecake was absolutely amazing. Also super easy to make one of the best pumpkin cheesecakes I’ve ever had..
cheryl cushing
This was such a fantastic spin on ‘regular’ cheesecake I have ever made/had! It was a huge hit with everyone! I love the tips and such you do on your website! Really well done