This is the BEST pumpkin cheesecake recipe! No water bath required and topped with a homemade cinnamon whipped cream. Recipe includes a video just below the instructions showing you how I make this pumpkin cheesecake at home!
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 cream cheese, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup sugar
Add sour cream and stir well, pausing once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
⅓ cup sour cream
Add vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice and stir until well-combined.
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup 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 heavy cream, ¼ cup 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!
Video
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.