Classic Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Classic cheesecake infused with creamy pumpkin, plus a double dose of pumpkin spice – it’s baked both in the cake and the crust!
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Table of Contents
About Classic Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Alright, you guys… you knew this day was coming. I warned you the best I could, and gave you a few other delicious fall food options to tide you over, but I couldn’t wait any longer.
Pumpkin everything has arrived!
Did you notice we’re more than halfway through September?
Or that the first day of fall is only five days away?
(Before you run off to Google, that’s September 23rd.)
So you see, I’m actually a little late on the whole pumpkin craze, especially with all the delicious pumpkin recipes I’ve seen floating around. You guys have even been showing some love to my
You guys have even been showing some love to my Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles and Peanut Butter Pumpkin Fudge, for which I’m extremely grateful.
It’s always fun to see when older posts get a new lease on life.
But 2015 is a new year, and I simply can’t pass up the opportunity to cook more pumpkin treats.
Not only does it make my house smell amazing (no scented candle can ever come close to that true baked pumpkin smell, amirite?) but, well, it’s pumpkin spice cheesecake we’re talking about here.
It is everything that embodies the sweetness and comfort of fall.
And when you add a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkling of more pumpkin pie spice, and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top?
Seriously, who wouldn’t want a slice of this cheesecake?
As for the cheesecake itself:
It’s extremely moist and smooth, even without baking it in a water bath, but that’s probably all thanks to the creamy pumpkin inside.
Pumpkin pie spice is used both within the cheesecake and the graham cracker crust, giving you that extra dose of what everyone is craving around this time of year.
And I highly recommend whipping up the caramel drizzle – the cheesecake still tastes amazing without it, but I think you’d be missing out if you skipped it!
notes & tips for this pumpkin cheesecake recipe
- I wanted to be upfront that this recipe is written to not use a water bath. For those that might not know, cheesecakes are typically baked in a springform pan which is then wrapped in foil and placed within a larger pan filled with water. This method helps prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking. I’ve made this cheesecake a few times and the top comes out “mostly” unblemished (meaning maybe 1-2 small cracks) without a water bath. I’m okay with this because I always tend to spill the water when using a water bath and I’d rather avoid the hassle. However, if you’re more graceful than I am (not hard to do!) and you’d rather not have any cracks along the top of the cheesecake, be sure to use a water bath!
- Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Be sure to check out Peanut Butter Pumpkin Fudge, Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles, Pumpkin Spice Cream Horns, Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip, Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe, and Pumpkin Coffee Ice Cream.
Classic Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Crust
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, (roughly 12 whole graham crackers)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese, (3 packages) room temperature
- 4 large egg
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt, plain or vanilla
Caramel Drizzle (optional)
- 11 oz caramels, (1 bag of wrapped candies)
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Spice Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add melted butter to bowl and stir until all ingredients are damp and lightly clumping.
- Pour pumpkin spice crust mix in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Use your hands to firmly press mixture to the bottom of the pan and about 1/2 inch up the sides. If needed, use the back of a spoon to smooth everything out.
- Place plan in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove pan and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Let crust cool completely before adding filling, about 30 minutes.
For the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat oven to 350 F again (if needed).
- Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl, add cream cheese and light brown sugar. Beat on low speed until fluffy and there are no more clumps, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together (do not use mixer) pumpkin puree, eggs, greek yogurt, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla. Mix until just combined; mixing the eggs too much can result in air bubbles in the cheesecake, which can cause the surface to crack while baking.
- Slowly add the pumpkin mixture in the bowl with the cream cheese, then set mixer speed to low. As before, mix only until just combined. Run a spatula along the edges of the bowl to ensure everything gets incorporated.
- Pour cheesecake mix in the prepared 9-inch springform pan. Mixture should almost completely fill the pan, leaving about a 1/2 inch rim around the top.
- Place the springform pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour. When done, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow cheesecake to sit in the oven for another 45 minutes.
- When finished, remove cake from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack (still in the springform pan). Wrap the top of the cake with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
For the Caramel Drizzle
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add caramels and evaporated milk. Cook until caramels have melted and sauce is smooth, whisking frequently. Allow sauce to cook for 1 additional minute, then remove from heat.
- Allow sauce to cool for at least 10 minutes before using.
Putting It All Together
- When ready to serve, remove cheesecake from springform pan (tip: run a butter knife around the edge of the pan to help loosen the cheesecake) then transfer to a serving plate of your choice.
- As cheesecake is cut and served, drizzle caramel sauce on slices of cheesecake. If desired, sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice and add a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I'm not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
