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–+ servings
Individual slice of pumpkin cheesecake with whipped topping in shape of a rosette

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Tracy @ Next Level Baker
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake combines the flavor of pumpkin and warm spice with the creaminess of cheesecake and a graham cracker crust for the perfect dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Cooling Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 38 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14

Equipment

  • 1 Stand up mixer or hand held mixer
  • 1 8 or 9 inch springform pan

Ingredients
  

Graham Cracker Crust

  • 2 cups graham crackers crumbs approx. 14 full crackers
  • 2 tablespoon white sugar
  • 8 tablespoon salted butter (one stick) melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 32 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Whipped Cream Topping (optional)

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

Make the Crust

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Spray 8 or 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Use a food processor to grind the graham crackers into mostly fine crumbs. (It doesn't have to be all super fine though.)
  • Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 2 tablespoons of white sugar together until well combined.
  • Add the graham cracker mixture to the springform pan. Pat down flat with hands or a flat bottom glass or measuring cup with medium pressure. It should be packed firmly but not too hard.
  • Bake for 8 minutes and set aside to cool.

Make the Filling

  • Place the room temperature cream cheese into the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until creamy and all lumps are gone. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • Add the white sugar to the cream cheese in the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • Next, add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • Add the eggs to the mixing bowl one at a time. Mix on low speed until each egg is combined before adding the next egg. Between eggs, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.

Bake and Cool the Cheesecake

  • Add the filling to the springform pan. Place the springform pan in a larger cake pan (or cover sides of springform pan with aluminum foil). Fill roasting pan with one inch of water. Carefully add the cake pan with springform pan into roasting pan. Or, alternatively, add the springform pan wrapped in aluminum foil into roasting pan. [See FAQ or post description on why the moat method is preferred.]
  • Bake at 325° for about 60 minutes until center is mostly set. Then, turn off the oven and open the oven door to start cooling. Leave alone for two hours. After two hours, remove the cake pan (or wrapped springform pan) from the oven and the water bath and let cool on cooling rack until room temperature.
  • Before placing in the refrigerator, run a knife around the edges to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 6 hours but preferably overnight or longer.
  • After 6 hours, or preferably the next day, remove the rim. Also, remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan (see FAQ if needed) if so desired and top with favorite topping like whipped cream topping.

Whipped Cream Topping (optional)

  • Put the metal mixing bowl in the refrigerator or freezer until cold.
  • Add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to the mixing bowl and mix on medium-high to high speeds until stiff peaks form. The time this takes depends on how cold the bowl and cream are as well as the speed of the mixing. Plan on 5-8 minutes but watch it carefully once it starts to fluff. You can stop the mixer at any time and check for stiff peaks. If the consistency is not at stiff peaks then continue mixing and checking.
  • Spoon or pipe on the whipped cream topping to entire cheesecake or individual pieces as desired.

Notes

*If you don't have homemade or store-bought pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute the following amounts for one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice:
  • 1 and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
 

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Keyword Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
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