Preheat the oven to 325°F. Move the rack to the lower middle position.Spray a 9" springform pan with nonstick cooking spray (my pan has a see-thru glass bottom).
Make The Crust:
In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients. You can use the gluten-free crust or graham cracker crust recipe here.
Whisk three eggs in a separate bowl.
Add the eggs to the flour mixture, along with milk. Mix together until it's nice and crumbly.
Pour the crust into the bottom of the springform pan.
Press it down with a spatula and your fingers until it's packed tightly. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and let sit.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
Using a hand mixer, cream the room temperature cream cheese until there are no more big lumps.
Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix again.
Add in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon and spices. Mix again.
Now add one egg at a time and mix it thoroughly. Repeat with the other two eggs.
Tip: add the pan to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Pour the filling into the pan, on top of the crust. Give it a wiggle to smooth it out. Bake for 60 minutes. The center will be jiggly and top will be golden brown. Let cool completely for at least 1 hour, then place in the fridge to chill overnight.
Remove the springform edge from the pan.
Slice the cheesecake with a sharp knife to break through the crust. Use a pie server to scoop onto plates and top with whipping cream. Chill in fridge until you're ready to serve.
Recipe Notes:
Storage: This pumpkin cheesecake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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.