This always surprises people, but I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. And like a lot of people who share that opinion, it’s not so much a taste issue for me as it is a texture one. While I don’t care for pumpkin pie, I adore just about anything else pumpkin flavored including pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin bread, pumpkin tarts, pumpkin sauce , ooh, pumpkin pie Blizzards, pumpkin candles (not to eat, to smell) you name it. So pumpkin cheesecake is my dessert of choice on Thanksgiving. It’s a good alternative to pie, and it’s great because it needs to be made ahead of time – forcing you to plan ahead! This Pumpkin cheesecake has all the right spices, a pecan-gingersnap crust, and a caramel topping.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a quick overview. See full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Crust
- Gingersnap crumbs – Look for crunchy gingersnap cookies.
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Ground pecans
- Filling
- Cream cheese – Full fat or low fat. Avoid fat-free.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- White chocolate
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Topping
- Sweetened Whipping cream
- Pecans
- Caramel sauce
Equipment Needed
- Roasting Pan – You will need a roasting pan to create a successful a water bath.
- Springform Cheesecake Pan – I love my springform cheesecake pan, so grab one of those as well if you don’t have one already. This recipe is designed for a 9″ pan.
- Heavy Duty Foil – Nobody wants a soggy cheesecake! Heavy duty foil wrapped around the bottom of your springform pan will prevent the water bath from working it’s way in.
- Heat Proof Pitcher or Glass Measuring Cup – You’ll need some hot water for the water bath. Before you get started, make sure you have a good way to transfer the hot water to the roasting pan- a large glass measuring cup, electric kettle, or even a ladle, if necessary.
Instructions
- Start some water boiling for your water bath. You’ll need enough to fill your roasting pan 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
- The crust is one of my favorite parts: a mix of gingersnap cookies and pecans. First, crush the gingersnaps and then pecans in a food processor. We’ll mix those with some butter and brown sugar and press evenly into a 9″ springform pan, extending up the sides about 1 inch.
- Next, melt some white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until smooth. While that’s cooling, we’ll mix up some softened cream cheese, sugar and eggs. Then add pumpkin puree, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Lastly, mix in that white chocolate and pour the filling mixture onto the prepared crust.
- Next comes the water bath. Wrap the bottom of your springform pan in several layers of heavy duty foil to keep water out of your springform pan. Place your cheesecake in a roasting pan and place in preheated oven. Carefully fill the roasting pan with hot water, about half way up the sides of your cheesecake pan.
- Close the oven door and bake. Start with 60 minutes and take a peek. Continue baking, if needed, up to about 75 minutes. The center should be just a tad bit jiggly still. It will finish cooking while cooling. When it’s done, remove from oven and water bath and place on a rack until completely cool. Place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This is a very soft cheesecake so sufficient chilling is a must!
- When ready to serve spread sweetened whipped cream on top, drizzle caramel sauce over it, and sprinkle with pecans, if desired.
The Importance of Room Temperature Ingredients
- You want your ingredients at room temperature to ensure everything is fully incorporated easily.
- If you need to bring your eggs up to temp, set them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.
- If your cream cheese is still cold, remove the wrapper and pop it in the microwave. Heat on 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between until it’s soft and stirs easily.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover cheesecake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Although it will keep that long, it’s best eaten within 3-4 days.
- Cheesecake is best when given the opportunity to chill, in this case for at least 12 hours. Feel free to make this a day or two ahead of time. Don’t add your toppings until shortly before serving.
- A note about water baths: While cheesecake enthusiasts will tell you it’s essential to always use one, from my experience, some cheesecakes do okay without them (like this Creamy Cheesecake) and others really need them to turn out well. I think it depends on the recipe. This one needs a water bath.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without the nuts?
I have not tried this cheesecake without the nuts in the crust. You could certainly replace the crust with the spiced crust from this Orange-Cranberry Cheesecake to avoid the pecans if needed!
Can I freeze this cheesecake?
In general, cheesecake freezes very well. Wrap your well-chilled cheesecake (no toppings) tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to one month and thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours prior to decorating and serving.
I see this cheesecake needs a long time in the fridge. How far ahead of time can I make it?
Make the cheesecake up to 48 hours in advance. Leave it in the springform pan after cooling. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and add the toppings right before serving.
What happens if I don’t use a water bath?
The purpose of a water bath is to ensure the entire cheesecake comes to temperature and cooks evenly. Without it, the outside of the cheesecake will likely be overdone while you are waiting for the middle to set up. It is also more likely to crack without a water bath.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan-Gingersnap Crust
A long-time reader favorite! This creamy pumpkin cheesecake, topped with whipped cream, caramel, and pecans (optional) is a great alternative to pumpkin pie.
Servings slices
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¾ cups gingersnap crumbs about 30 small cookies, crumbed
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¾ cup pecans ground
Filling
- 3 8-ounce blocks cream cheese room temperature, see notes
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree canned
- 6 ounces white chocolate, melted 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature, see notes
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Topping
- 1 cup whipping cream beat with ½ teaspoon vanilla and 4 tablespoons powdered sugar until medium peaks form
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped roughly either toasted or caramelized
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce jarred
Instructions
- Prepare: Place eggs on counter and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350℉. Start water boiling, enough to fill your roasting pan 1 ½ to 2 inches.
- Crust: For the crust, use a food processor to crush gingersnaps first, then pecans. Combine gingersnaps, pecans, brown sugar, and butter and stir well to combine. Press into a 9" spring form pan. Evenly spread across the bottom of pan and up the sides about 1 inch.
- Mixture: To melt chocolate, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- (If your eggs aren't at room temperature already, simply place in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes right now.) Add eggs, one at a time. Add pumpkin, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. With the mixer running, slowly add in white chocolate in a steady stream (or steady blobs). Pour mixture on top of the crust.
- Wrap in foil: Place the springform pan on top of 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Wrap the foil up the sides of the pan to prevent water from leaking into the pan. Place the foil-wrapped pan into a larger shallow pan, such as a large roasting pan, and place in the pre-heated oven. The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth.
- Water bath: With a kettle or pitcher filled with hot water, pour water into the larger pan about halfway up the side of the springform pan, or approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches.
- Bake: Bake for 60-75 minutes or until set. The center should be just a tad bit jiggly still. It will finish cooking while cooling.
- Cool: When it's done, remove from oven and place on a rack until completely cool. Place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This is a very soft cheesecake so sufficient chilling is a must!
- Serve: When ready to serve spread sweetened whipped cream on top, drizzle caramel sauce over it, and sprinkle with pecans.
Notes
A note about room temperature ingredients
- You want your ingredients at room temperature to ensure everything is fully incorporated easily.
- If you need to bring your eggs up to temp, set them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.
- If your cream cheese is still cold, remove the wrapper and pop it in the microwave. Heat on 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between until it’s soft and stirs easily.
Other notes
- Store leftover cheesecake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Although it will keep that long, it’s best eaten within 3-4 days.
- Cheesecake is best when given the opportunity to chill, in this case for at least 12 hours. Feel free to make this a day or two ahead of time. Don’t add your toppings until shortly before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 184mg, Potassium: 211mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 2926IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg
Calories: 432kcal
Cost: $12
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Questions & Reviews
I’ve had this recipe saved for 3 years….and I’m finally doing it the right way 🙂 (I commented in 2010…weird seeing my old comment).
Anyway, I just put it in the oven so *fingers crossed* because this is my 2nd attempt at making a cheesecake.
….btw, I totally didnt realize it had to chill for 12 hrs until a few minutes ago. Dang it! Won’t be able to taste it until tomorrow afternoon.
I’m so excited to try this recipe for thanksgiving, but the link about the carmelized pecans doesn’t work. Are they made the same way as the walnuts in the candied walnut salad? My dad loves pecans and so I want to make sure to get them right. Thanks!
Here ya go!
https://fit-over50.news/2008/08/how-to-caramelize-nuts/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I don’t like pumpkin pie, either. Ick. Nasty texture. But I’ve made pumpkin cheesecake many times! This year, I decided to deviate from the norm a bit and make a cranberry white chocolate cheesecake using this crust (minus the pecans due to kids with allergies). I posted all about it on my blog: http://kaelirasdigiscraps.blogspot.com/2012/11/cranberry-white-chocolate-cheesecake.html 🙂 I can’t wait to try it!
Do you need to grease the spring form pan before you put the crust in?
I don’t, but if it makes you feel better, go for it 🙂
Hi- I am also interested in knowing the answer to Trish’s question- I hope to make them for a work potluck on Tues and that type of pan would be easier. Thanks!
Have you ever tried making these in a 9×13 pan? Just wondering if you happen to know how cooking time would vary…
Nope, never tried it, sorry!
Just saw this on FB today. I have to bring a pie for Thanksgiving soooo after seeing this, it’s the one I’ve chosen to make. It’s all I have to bring so an ordinary pumpkin pie just wouldn’t do. I wanted the wow factor and this looks like it will fit the bill. Thanks!
Can you use pumpkin puree instead of canned? I hear it has more water than canned so I’m worried it won’t turn out. I have made this many times and it is the only dessert my family wants for Thanksgiving. A neighbor gave us a pumpkin that I’m roasting right now. I would appreciate any advice you can give. Love your website, recipes and cookbooks.
Mary,
You can put your cooked pumpkin in a stainer. Let it sit for a while and the juice will drain out. I’ve also heard of people using cheesecloth and you can squeeze the water out.
Made this last night and served it this evening for my son-in-law’s birthday. It was a huge hit! I even made it with Neufchatel cream cheese and it was delicious and smooth. The gingersnap crust was incredible! Thanks for sharing your talents!
I made this twice this year and it was a hit both times — once for our Thanksgiving dinner at a gathering of expatriate Americans in Lagos, Nigeria, where we are living. I still had 3 remaining boxes of cream cheese in my fridge (brought in my luggage from the US), so I made it for my African book group Christmas luncheon. Just looking at it on the buffet table, women were drooling with excitement, and after tasting it, I was the most popular person there. Several women said it was the best cheesecake they had ever eaten. A bookshop/cafe owner was begging me to make it for her cafe, and everyone was clamoring for the recipe. Canned pumpkin is not available in Nigeria, so I will have to put some extra in my luggage for Nigerian friends who don’t come back to shop in the States. Cream cheese is available there, but so expensive that I bring it there in a cooler. Also, back in the States for the holidays, I brought your Creamy Chicken Taquitos this week to a luncheon with my former tennis team and they also were clamoring for the recipe. It’s so nice to just send fans to your blog and tell them that everything I’ve made from here or your cookbook is a success. I’ve got your Pepperoncini Beef in the crockpot now. Thanks for good eating on two continents!