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pumpkin spice cheesecake topped with whipped cream
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4.94 from 45 votes

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is an elegant and indulgent dessert perfect for serving as a holiday dessert at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This recipe creates a creamy pumpkin center with a nutmeg and clove spiced graham cracker crust on the bottom. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath to prevent cracking.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas recipe, holiday dessert, pumpkin spice, thanksgiving recipe
Servings: 12
Calories: 541kcal
Author: Kristina Tipps

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 ¾ cup graham crackers crushed
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoon white sugar
  • 8 tablespoon melted butter

Filling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a springform pan evenly and generously with butter. Wrap the outside of the pan in foil to prevent leaking.
  • In a large bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, white sugar, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the melted butter and mix well. Pour into springform pan and press down so the crumbs hold together. Bake for 10 minutes.
  • While crust is baking, beat the brown sugar and cream cheese in an electric mixer on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, spices, and salt. Mix on medium until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the beaten eggs and mix on low until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Fold any remaining egg into the batter with a spatula.
  • Pour batter into the prepared crust. Fill a cake pan with water and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the cheesecake pan on the middle rack above water and bake for 60 minutes or until center no longer wiggles.
  • Turn off the oven and crack the door. Let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes inside the oven. Then remove the sides of the pan and let set in the fridge for at least 5 hours before serving, or overnight.
  • Serve topped with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and crushed pecans or walnuts, if desired

Notes

The water-filled pan keeps the oven humid and helps prevent cracking. Alternatively, you can put water in a rimmed-baking sheet and add the cheesecake directly to this. 
Blend the eggs in as little as needed. Eggs hold air inside batter and could cause rising and cracking. Blending as little as possible will help prevent this. 
You can also line the sides of the pan with graham crackers. 
To prevent the cream cheese from becoming clumpy, warm in the microwave for a few seconds. Make sure the pumpkin and eggs are also slightly warm. If cold, they can cause the soft cream cheese to harden and become clumpy a little while mixing. 
If serving with whipped cream, wait until slices are cut to top, otherwise the cream will melt. 

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 12450IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 2mg