Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Look no further for a simple, creamy, smooth classic Pumpkin cheesecake recipe! It is rich and served over a buttery graham cracker crust. This perfect cheesecake is lighter than other cheesecake recipes that require cream, sour cream, half and half, and maybe more eggs.

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• ❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
• 📝 INGREDIENTS
• 🔪 HOW TO MAKE
• 👩🏽‍🍳 PRO TIPS
• 🍽️ HOW TO SERVE IT
• 📋 VARIATIONS
• 🌡️ STORING
• 📣 MORE DESSERT RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

This pumpkin cheesecake melts in your mouth, and the flavor of the spice mix is balanced; you can taste the cheesecake and the crust and enjoy a hint of delicious spices mixed with pumpkin in every bite. If you like cheesecake, you should try my Vanilla Cheesecake with butterscotch sauce. 

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• The ingredients are simple and budget-friendly.
• An easy recipe that comes together in a very short time.
• Creamy and light texture.
• The balanced flavor of the pumpkin spice mix.
• Delicious graham cracker crust.

📝 INGREDIENTS

Graham crackers - I prefer using graham crackers for the crust, but you can go with digestive biscuits or gingersnap cookies for a gingersnap crust.

Melted butter - It is best to use unsalted butter that is high in quality.

Sugar - Adds sweetness to the crust and the filling.

Cream cheese - There are many types of cream cheese in the store, but do not go for the one with more sodium and make sure it's not low fat to hold better and give a nice texture. Always use full-fat cream cheese.

Vanilla extract - Although we use pumpkin spice mix, vanilla also gives the cheesecake a great flavor and goes well with the mix of spices.

All-purpose flour - We will add it to the filling to help firm up the cheesecake a little.

Large eggs - Make sure they are large and at room temperature.

Pumpkin puree - Do not go for the pie filling or pumpkin cheesecake filling. The pumpkin puree shouldn't have any added sugar or spices.

Pumpkin pie spice - I have made one, and you can find that recipe on my blog, but you can use your own or store-bought.

🔪 HOW TO MAKE

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil.

Step 1

To make the crust, add all the crust ingredients and blend well in a blender or a food processor. Press the crumb evenly into the bottom of the baking pan and to the sides.

Step 2

Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then keep aside to cool.

Step 3 

For the filling, In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat until fluffy; add the sugar, vanilla, flour, and spices, and beat until the sugar dissolves.

Step 4

In a different bowl, lightly beat the eggs to the cream cheese mixture, and mix until combined.

Step 5

Keep aside ⅓ of a cup from the batter; we will use it to make the marble effect.

Step 6

To the remaining batter, add the pumpkin puree and fold gently until combined.

Step 7

Pour the batter into the baking pan. Add 6 dollops from the ⅓ cup cheesecake batter reserved earlier on the pumpkin cheesecake batter. Swirl the plain batter into the pumpkin batter with a skewer or a butter knife.

Step 8

Place the baking pan in a larger pan. Place them in the oven and pour boiling water into the large pan. Let the water reach ½ of the baking pan.

Step 9

Bake for 1 hour and ten minutes. Turn off the oven. Open the oven door ajar for five seconds, then shut it and let the cheesecake continue cooking through the remaining heat in the oven for 50 minutes.

Step 10

Remove the aluminum foil and place the cheesecake on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

👩🏽‍🍳 PRO TIPS

1. The ingredients should be at room temperature for the cheesecake to bake evenly in the oven.
2. Do not beat the eggs long before adding them to the cheesecake mix. It will crack the cheesecake because of the amount of air incorporated in it.
3. It is better not to go for low-fat cream cheese for this recipe, I have tried it before, and the cheesecake had a grainy texture.
4. Do not open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking; opening the door will decrease the temperature, increase the baking time, and make the cheesecake sink or have cracks.
5. Graham crackers and digestive biscuits' crust mostly come out clean when you open the springform pan; however, when using gingersnap cookies, they tend to stick. To prevent that, you can line the pan with parchment paper.
6. Do not attempt to open the springform pan or release the cheesecake from the pan, even if it comes to room temperature. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight and then release it from the pan.
7. Do not overmix the batter.
8. If you want to use a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.

🍽️ HOW TO SERVE IT

You can serve the cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or lemon curd.

📋 VARIATIONS

You can add more nutmeg, cinnamon, or cloves to the batter if you wish to strengthen the flavor.

You can add half a teaspoon of ginger powder when using graham crackers for the crust.

Add toasted pecans or walnuts to the cheesecake batter for a more festive flavor.

🌡️ STORING

This cheesecake freezes well and maintains its flavor while frozen. You can freeze the whole cheesecake by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then with foil. Freeze the cheesecake for a month.

To freeze individual slices, wrap each slice with plastic wrap and then with foil and freeze. You can add the wrapped slices in a freezer-friendly bag before freezing. 

Place the frozen cheesecake in the fridge overnight or for a few hours to thaw the frozen cheesecake.

You can also cover the cheesecake properly and place it in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

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📖 Recipe