Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin cheesecake is rich and creamy with hints of warm Fall spices. There are two options for the crust, a graham cracker crust or a gluten-free crust. Either one tastes great! Canned whipped cream is added to the top of the cheesecake for an effortless presentation.

This cheesecake is the perfect dessert for any of your Thanksgiving, Christmas or Fall celebrations.

Why We Love This Cheesecake

• This takes traditional cheesecake recipes to the next level – with Fall flavors from pumpkin puree and spices.
• It’s the perfect dessert to serve to guests for any Fall celebration, including Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Homemade cheesecake is surprisingly easy. The key secret is to mix ingredients really well with a hand mixer.
• The best cheesecake is chilled overnight in the fridge before serving. I like to prep the cheesecake the night before serving it for the best results.
• If you love cheesecake then you might want to also try my dad's famous cheesecake (it's a tradition in our house) or the double chocolate cheesecake which is truly decadent.

Recipe Ingredients

CRUST: I made a gluten-free crust from coconut flour, arrowroot powder, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and milk. If you don't want to make this crust you can make the graham cracker crust in our dad's famous cheesecake recipe instead. It will also work great.

FILLING: Cream cheese is mixed with sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, spices and eggs for the perfect treat.

How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake

This cheesecake is made in two steps. Here's a quick overview with the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. MAKE THE CRUST: Mix the dry ingredients. Beat eggs and add to the bowl with milk. Mix everything together. Pour into a greased springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. FILLING: Beat the cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla, beat again. Add the pumpkin puree and spices, mix again. Add one egg and a time and mix thoroughly before the next.
3. ASSEMBLE: Pour the cheesecake filling over top of the crust. Bake for about 1 hour, until set but still a little jiggly in the center. Let cool 2 hours at room temp, then chill in the fridge overnight.

Leftover cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

The cheesecake tastes delicious on its own but you can also serve with whipped cream, whipped coconut cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Tips

• You can make a graham cracker crust, a gluten-free crust (used in the recipe) or a cookie crust for this recipe! It’s up to you. I made a gluten-free crust with coconut flour.
• Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Puree is pure pumpkin while filling has extra ingredients added and will change the consistency of the cheesecake.
• Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for a few hours before making this recipe. It should be nice and soft. Cold cream cheese will create little lumps.
• Spray the springform pan with nonstick cooking spray before adding the crust. This will ensure that it’s easier to cut and serve.
• After baking, the cheesecake needs to cool then chill completely overnight in the fridge for the best results. Plan to make this dessert in advance so that you don’t skip this step.
• I recommend using extra whipped cream for the recipe because it's fun to add a big dollop to the side of your dessert, isn't it!? You can make it or buy a can from the grocery store.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin puree is such a wonderful ingredient! It adds moisture and a lovely orange hue to a variety of recipes. Here are some more favorites to try:

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars are similar but lighter in texture like a cake.
• Pumpkin French Toast is one of our favorites for the Fall season!
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing are so yummy!
• No Bake Pumpkin Oat Energy Balls are the perfect quick energy boost mid-afternoon.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are extra chocolatey.
• Baked Pumpkin Spiced Oats are delicious! A lovely way to serve brunch or breakfast for the week.