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Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake That Everyone Will Love

Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake That Everyone Will Love

A creamy, warmly spiced pumpkin cheesecake with a buttery graham-cracker crust. This classic 9-inch dessert makes 10–12 servings and is best chilled overnight for clean slices.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 3/4 cups Graham-cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt, optional
Filling
  • 24 ounces Full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Canned pumpkin purée, not pie filling
  • 3 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Optional Topping
  • As needed Whipped cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream plus 2 tablespoons sugar Sour cream mixed with sugar
  • As needed Toasted pecans
  • As needed Ground cinnamon or nutmeg

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan, and wrap the outside bottom with heavy-duty foil if using a water bath.
  2. Combine graham-cracker crumbs, sugar, optional salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture firmly over the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.
  3. Bake the crust for 8–10 minutes, then cool it briefly. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
  4. Beat softened cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, taking care not to whip in excess air. Add pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, mixing just until combined.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each egg disappears into the batter. Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
  6. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for approximately 55–70 minutes. The edges should look set while the center still has a slight wobble.
  7. Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let the cheesecake rest inside for about 30 minutes. Remove it and cool completely at room temperature, which takes about 1 hour.
  8. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Remove the springform ring, add toppings if desired, and slice with a warm, wiped-dry knife.

Notes

Room-temperature dairy and eggs produce a smoother batter. Avoid overbeating after adding eggs, and use a water bath or a pan of hot water on the lower oven rack for a moist baking environment. Store the covered cheesecake in the refrigerator.