Go Back

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Creamy baked pumpkin pie cheesecake on a buttery graham crust — silky cream cheese swirled with spiced pumpkin puree, baked low and slow until just set, then chilled overnight for clean slices and a showstopper Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices
Calories 420 kcal

Ingredients
  

Graham cracker crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 10 full sheets
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin cheesecake filling:

  • 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese 3 blocks, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounces (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping (optional):

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Ground cinnamon for dusting

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly in two layers of heavy-duty foil. Lightly grease the inside.
  • Make the crust: stir the graham crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool while you make the filling.
  • Beat the cream cheese: in a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the bowl twice. No lumps should remain.
  • Add the sugars: beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  • Add the pumpkin and flavorings: beat in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, flour, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt on low speed just until combined.
  • Add the eggs: add the eggs one at a time, beating on low after each addition just until the yolk disappears. Do not overbeat — excess air causes cracks and sinking.
  • Bake: pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Set the foil-wrapped pan in a large roasting pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the springform pan. Bake at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly like set gelatin.
  • Cool slowly: turn the oven off, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. This slow cool is the best crack prevention there is.
  • Chill overnight: remove from the water bath, run a thin knife around the edge, and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before releasing the springform ring and slicing.
  • Serve: whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.

Notes

Use full-fat block cream cheese, never whipped or low-fat, and pure pumpkin puree, never pumpkin pie filling (which is already sweetened and spiced). Room-temperature cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are essential for a lump-free, crack-free cheesecake.
Room-temperature ingredients are non-negotiable: cold cream cheese makes lumps that no amount of beating will fix.
Do not overbeat after the eggs go in. Air bubbles rise, crack, and sink — mix on low and stop as soon as each egg disappears.
The water bath plus the slow oven cool is the crack-free combination. If a small crack appears anyway, the whipped cream topping covers it beautifully.
The cheesecake must chill at least 6 hours, overnight is better — warm cheesecake will not slice cleanly. Use a hot, dry knife, wiping between slices.
Make ahead: bake up to 2 days ahead and keep refrigerated, uncut, covered. Freeze whole (without topping) up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.