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.
Lori S.
This recipe was a hit!
RaeC
OMG this is the easiest, best tasting pumpkin cheesecake EV-ER!! I baked mine about 1 minute too long so there were some cracks but, hey, isn’t that what the cinnamon whipped cream is supposed to hide? LOL I would highly recommend to anyone!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Rae! 🙂
Ashley
Will not make again. Both attempts horribly cracked because the cooking time is so far off and we just had to guess. Flavor is fine but don’t follow the baking advice. Find a different recipe that uses the initial hotter period for 15ish minutes and then drops the temp for a longer time. Cooking cheesecake at 350 the whole time for somewhere between 40 minutes and over an hour is almost impossible to get right. You’re much safer cooking in the low to mid 200s for a longer time as that temperature is more forgiving.
Sam
Hi Ashley! Cracking is not due to the bake time, there are tips in the recipe post that could be helpful for preventing this in the future, but regardless I would just dollop the whipped cream on top, it shouldn’t affect the taste (sounds like it didn’t). I would recommend following the notes in the recipe to tell if the cheesecake is done. I would definitely not suggest baking the cheesecake at 200F or starting with a higher temperature or recommend changing the oven temp at all. Again, though, cracking is due to technique in the kitchen/handling of ingredients and not bake time.
Haley
Great cheesecake recipe, made it for thanksgiving for my family!
Emaleigh Ralsten
This cheesecake is delicious! It’s not too pumpkiny but has all the right flavors. No cracks either! The recipe made a little too much batter for my biggest pie pan, so I threw some in a smaller one for a taste test 😉 I used your recipe for Graham cracker crust and it was perfect! I
Ann
Tried this recipe, followed it step by step and my cheesecake didn’t turn out like the one on the photo.
Sam
Hi Ann! I’m sorry to hear this happened? What went wrong? Did you make any substitutions?
Shelley
It looks like your cheesecake is sitting in a tall blue enamel pot. How on earth were you be able to get it out?
Sam
Hi Shelley! I am really not sure what you mean here? The pictures of it are in a springform pan.
Shelley
I made this and baked it for an hour and 10 minutes. The middle was still really jiggly but the outside had set and was cracking. I used a thermometer and it was 170 in the center. What would have caused it to not set? Thanks so much for your help!
Sam
Hi Shelley! It finishes setting in the refrigerator overnight. It shouldn’t take nearly that long to bake though. Did you make any substitutions or alterations? Is your oven temperature accurate?
Lauren
OK, first of all, everyone needs to calm down with the “too much batter comments”, because it does fit in a 9in spring form. I suspect the leaking butter is caused from 1) not pulverizing the Graham crackers, pulverizing allows for a really good compact crust and 2) making the Graham cracker crust too thin. I do think I will make more graham cracker crust next time, because I missed the recommendation to press up the sides, but I don’t want to sacrifice any more thickness on the bottom because I like a think Graham cracker crust. Fridging the crust after mixing in the butter allowed it to set and seal.
Brittany
Can you make this with reduced fat cream cheese?
Sam
I would not recommend it. 🙁
Brandi
I need to bake 2 for a large group. Can I bake them both at once?
If so, any changes?
Or just one at a time?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Brandi! I haven’t tried 2 at a time. I think it could work you may just need a few more minutes in the oven. 🙂
Brandi
Thanks for the reply. I didn’t risk it, I cooked them separately. One was a 9 inch and one was a 9 1/2 – I just didn’t wanna take the chance. I followed all the tips, still have the crack down the middle after it cooled. I’m gonna blame the cheap pans that I bought. 😆
It came out delicious! Definitely my favorite pumpkin cheesecake! It was a huge hit for our group. Also, not a fan of whipped cream, but that cinnamon whipped cream was delicious. I candied pecans as well and I used the candied sugar from those to top the cheesecake and cover the crack. It was beautiful and so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Sam
I’m so glad they turned out and everyone enjoyed them! I love the sound of candied pecans on top! 🙂
Emy
You recommended not to use cream cheese in a tub but in my country you can only buy that version, no brick Philly. Will that work okay?
Sam
Hi Emy! I’m sorry to hear that. Generally speaking, cheesecakes made with a tub style cream cheese do not set up well. That being said if you want to send me a list of the ingredients I can compare it to the one we have here in the states and maybe they just sell it differently in different parts of the world.
Jo
You can make your own cream cheese. Check YouTube for recipes.
Sarah Jasinski
I don’t have a 9 inch spring form pan. Is it okay to use a ten inch graham cracker crust pan they sell at the store?
Sam
Hi Sarah! This will likely make more batter than you need for the store bought crust, but it will work if not overfilled. Make sure to keep an eye on it as your bake time will vary too. 🙂
Brie
This was a bust for me. I love this website, and usually have stellar results with every recipe I make from it. So I am sure im the problem, its me. Not this recipe. However I cooked my cheesecake for well over an hour. the top was doing what it should. The inside was raw as can be. I’m bummed out because Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I dont have time to make anything, and the store is out of Pumpkin pie. Oh well. If thats my biggest problem I have a lot to be grateful for.
Sam
Hi Brie! I’m so sorry to hear this one wasn’t a hit for you. Did it chill for the full 6 hours in the refrigerator before you cut into it? Would love to help you troubleshoot this!
Amy
Hi! Do you have any recommendation on how long to bake it if I were to pour the batter into muffin pan instead to make mini cheesecakes?
Sam
Hi Amy! I haven’t personally tried it, but I think they would do well on 325F for somewhere around 17-20 minutes. I would be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake. 🙂
Colleen
I have made many cheesecakes. To keep from splitting cook low and slow and use a water bath. I do 300 for an hour or more. I usually do a water bath and wrap the springform pan in foil but it’s kind of a pain. This year putting a roaster full of water on the rack below. Will let you know how it works.
Sam
Hi Colleen! While you can go through the trouble of a water bath, it is not absolutely necessary to get a crack free cheesecake here. Follow the tips in the post and you should be good to go. The pictures in the post are of the cheesecake being made as written, no water bath needed. 🙂
Jami Baker
I followed the recipe exactly and it cracked bad by 40 minutes but it’s still not close to done in the center.
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear this happened? Did you follow all of the tips for a crack free cheesecake in the post? It’s important to use room temperature ingredients and not over-mix the cheesecake.
Heather Muth
This was the best cheesecake I have ever made! The texture was absolutely perfect. One small crack but no one even cared!
I left the ingredients out for most of the day to get them all to a consistent room temperature, I really think that helps.
Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Heather! 🙂