Pumpkin Cheesecake
Our Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is creamy and delicious and bursting with fall flavor. This is a great option for a holiday dessert for people who don’t love Pumpkin Pie.
We read somewhere that Pumpkin Cheesecake is the second most popular cheesecake flavor (after classic New York style) and that does not surprise us. It is so yummy, and a great option for a holiday dessert for people who don’t love Pumpkin Pie. Our recipe is creamy and delicious and bursting with fall flavor, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
How to Make the Graham Cracker Crust
Step 1: Pour the Graham Cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter into a large plastic baggie. Close the baggie and massage the graham cracker crumbs until they are completely covered in the melted butter.
Step 2: Pour the crumbs into the bottom of an 8-9 inch springform pan.
Step 3: Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pat down the crust and build up a lip around the edge of the pan.
Step 4: Bake the Graham Cracker Crust for eight minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside.
How to Make the Pumpkin Filling
Step 5: Put cream cheese in a bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer. Mix until smooth.
Step 6: Add the granulated and brown sugar and mix until combined.
Step 7: Add the sour cream, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice mix and salt and continue to mix.
Step 8: Stop and scrape down the sides a few times with your rubber spatula so all the ingredients get fully incorporated. (Don’t forget the bottom of the bowl too. This step is very important if you are using a stand mixer.)
Step 9: Break one egg into a cup and use a fork to lightly beat it.
Step 10: Add to cream cheese mixture and mix till just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining three eggs, adding them to the cream cheese mixture one at a time.
Baking Instructions
Step 11: Pour mixture into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust. Wrap the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the cheesecake. Put the springform pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan up with approximately one inch of hot water. (Tip: put the cheesecake in the roasting pan in the oven and then fill the pan with hot water.) Bake the cheesecake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. The edges should puff up and there should be a slight wobble in the middle of the cheesecake when it is done.
Step 12: Once done, turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the cooling oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath. Set the cheesecake on the counter and continue to let it cool till it is room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature put it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or better yet overnight. To remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, take a knife and carefully run it around the edge of the cheesecake then unlock the springform pan.
Step 13: Cheesecake must be stored in the refrigerator but we think it tastes best at room temperature so we usually take it out of the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before we intend to serve it.
Expert Tips and FAQ’s
You really do. A traditional cake pan will not be tall enough on the sides and it would be very hard to get the baked cheesecake out of a regular cake pan without ruining the graham cracker crust.
You really need the water bath when baking a cheesecake. The water puts a little bit of steam in the oven which will help make sure your cheesecake doesn’t dry out, doesn’t crack on the top, and in general, doesn’t over-bake.
You need a regular block of cream cheese. The whipped cream cheese that they sell now has too much air in it and would change the consistency of this cheesecake recipe.
Other Pumpkin Recipes You Will Love
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
Our Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is creamy and delicious and bursting with fall flavor. This is a great option for a holiday dessert for people who don’t love Pumpkin Pie.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter (Sweet Cream, Salted)
Filling
- 32 oz Cream Cheese (Block, not whipped)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 can Pure Pumpkin Puree (15 oz.0 (not Pumpkin Pie Filing)
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 4 large Eggs (Room temperature and lightly beaten)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Pour the Graham Cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter into a large plastic baggie. Close the baggie and massage the graham cracker crumbs until they are completely covered in the melted butter.
- Pour the crumbs into the bottom of an 8-9 inch springform pan.
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pat down the crust and build up a lip around the edge of the pan.
- Bake the Graham Cracker Crust for eight minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.
- Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside.
Cheesecake
- Put cream cheese in a bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer. Mix until smooth.
- Add the granulated and brown sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the sour cream, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice mix and salt and continue to mix.
- Stop and scrape down the sides a few times with your rubber spatula so all the ingredients get fully incorporated. (Don’t forget the bottom of the bowl too. This step is very important if you are using a stand mixer.)
- Break one egg into a cup and use a fork to lightly beat it.
- Add to cream cheese mixture and mix till just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining three eggs, adding them to the cream cheese mixture one at a time.
- Pour mixture into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust. Wrap the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the cheesecake. Put the springform pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan up with approximately one inch of hot water. (Tip: put the cheesecake in the roasting pan in the oven and then fill the pan with hot water.) Bake the cheesecake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. The edges should puff up and there should be a slight wobble in the middle of the cheesecake when it is done.
- Once done, turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the cooling oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath. Set the cheesecake on the counter and continue to let it cool till it is room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature put it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or better yet overnight. To remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, take a knife and carefully run it around the edge of the cheesecake then unlock the springform pan.
Notes
Storing: Cheesecake must be stored in the refrigerator but we think it tastes best at room temperature so we usually take it out of the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before we intend to serve it.
Cream Cheese: You need a regular block of cream cheese. The whipped cream cheese that they sell now has too much air in it and would change the consistency of this cheesecake recipe.
Springform Pans: You really need a springform pan for this recipe. A traditional cake pan will not be tall enough on the sides and it would be very hard to get the baked cheesecake out of a regular cake pan without ruining the graham cracker crust.
Water Bath: The water bath is essential when baking a cheesecake. The water puts a little bit of steam in the oven which will help make sure your cheesecake doesn't dry out, doesn't crack on the top, and in general, doesn't over-bake.
Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!
