Get ready for a pumpkin cheesecake that will have your guests asking for the recipe! This pumpkin cheesecake is like gettin’ the best of both worlds: it’s got that pumpkin pie vibe and the creamy goodness of cheesecake all rolled into one. The gingersnap crust provides the perfect additional flavors of the fall. And if you have guests that are not pumpkin fans, give one of our other cheesecake recipes a try like our Philadelphia Oreo Cheesecake, or our Carmel Pecan Cheesecake.
During them holiday season, you wanna save yourself some fuss. You you can make this cheesecake a few days ahead of time. We make it a day or 2 ahead of time. Keep it stored in the fridge, and you may want to put a “hands off” sign on it, to avoid a few slices missing! We say this from experience! Trust us!
Tips to the Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake:
Make sure cream cheese is room temperature
This one is really all about making sure that your cheesecake isn’t lumpy and that the ingredients combine smoothly. Cream cheese that is too firm won’t mix well and will leave you with a lumpy mess, so it needs to be room temperature.
Don’t over mix the batter or mix on too high speed
Both over mixing and mixing on a high speed add more air to a batter. Too much air in a cheesecake can cause cracks. If your cream cheese isn’t soft enough, you’ll have to mix things more to get out the lumps. Even when adding your eggs, use a low speed.
Don’t over bake the punpkin cheesecake
You will still have a bit of jiggle in your cheesecake when it is done. So, do not over bake! Over baking a cheesecake can lead to cracks, much like with a custard pie. You will know the cheese cake is finished baking when the outer rim is set and just the center is a bit jiggly.
Do I need a spring-form pan to make a punpkin cheesecake?
You can use almost any baking pan for your cheesecake. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to consider how different sized pans will affect the cooking time. In other words, if the pan is shallower, the cake will cook faster. There’s no need to adjust the baking temperature, simply bake for a shorter amount of time. When the center of the cheesecake sets, you will barely see a wiggle. If you would like to remove the cheesecake from the pan, be sure to line the base and sides with parchment paper first.
How long does pumpkin cheesecake last?
It is important to store cheesecake in the fridge in an airtight container, or covered with plastic wrap. You will want to refrigerate your cheesecake as soon as possible. Once the cake cools, you will refrigerate overnight. Do not let your cheesecake sit out for more than 2 hours. After you top your cheesecake, it can be kept in the fridge for 3-7 days. If you find it difficult to wrap the cake without damaging the surface, simply place back the cake in a sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge.
Can I freeze pumnpkin cheesecake?
If you plan to freeze cheesecake, we suggest you do so 1- 2 days after you bake it. If you are freezing a whole cheesecake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then put it in a bag. Be sure to mark the package with the date you baked it, and how many days old it is so you know how many days total you can have it in fridge before it expires. Example: Baked on November 1, froze on November 2. Will expire 3-5 days after you thaw.
Equipment
- Springform pan
- mixer
Ingredients
- 45 Gingersnap cookies
- 9 tbls butter melted
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Instructions for the crust
- Preheat oven to 350. Cover the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with aluminum foil.
- Pulse the gingersnaps in a food processor until no large pieces remain. Add the cinnamon and ginger and pulse a few more times. Pour in the butter while the processor is running and mix until blended. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Heat a pan of water to boil. Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, making sure no lumps appear. Mix in sugar until well blended. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Mix until well blended. Add in the eggs one at a time until just blended. Mix in vanilla. Stir in flour until just blended. Pour the filling into the springform pan. Place the boiling water into a baking dish.
- Place the pan with the boiling water on the rack under the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Bake until the middle has just a slight wiggle to it. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Leave the cake in the oven for 45 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. When cake is completely cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Nutrition
More cheesecake recipes to try!
- Philadelphia Oreo Cheesecake
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Milk Chocolate Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Amaretto Cheesecake
This is one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had! Thank you for this delicious recipe! Can’t wait to make it again.
Ned,
This is the most requested Thanksgiving dessert at our house!! The boys love it! Glad you enjoyed it!
Dina and Bruce