Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 150 g graham cracker crumbs
- 75 g unsalted butter, melted
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 2 g ground cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 900 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 425 g pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 60 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 10 g pumpkin pie spice
- 3 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 34 g
- Sodium
- 442 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 157 mg
- Potassium
- 242 mg
- Calcium
- 164 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 152 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 597 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.31 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 30 mcg
- Water
- 90 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 175 C / 350 F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 23cm springform pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon. Mix until the texture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared springform pan. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides to form a compact crust.
Bake the crust at 175 C / 350 F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly while preparing the filling. Lower the oven temperature to 160 C / 325 F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar to the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Blend on low speed until evenly incorporated into the batter.
With the mixer on the lowest possible speed, add the eggs one at a time. Wait until each egg is just barely incorporated before adding the next.
Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the room temperature heavy cream into the batter until entirely uniform. Tap the bowl firmly on the counter a few times to release trapped air bubbles.
Wrap the outside of the springform pan securely with multiple layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil to waterproof it. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan.
Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about 2.5 cm up the side of the springform pan. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake at 160 C / 325 F for 60 to 70 minutes.
Once baked, turn the oven off completely. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door fully closed for 30 minutes. Then, crack the oven door open slightly and leave it for another 30 minutes to cool gradually.
Remove the pan from the water bath, carefully peel off the foil, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once at room temperature, chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before releasing from the pan and slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Always use block-style cream cheese rather than cream cheese spread in a tub, as the higher moisture content in tub varieties will prevent the cake from setting correctly.
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. Cold ingredients will seize upon contact with warmer ones, yielding an unpleasantly lumpy batter that no amount of mixing will cure.
- When slicing the finished cheesecake, run a sharp chef's knife under hot tap water and wipe it completely dry between every single cut. This guarantees clean, bakery-style slices without dragging crumbs across the velvety pumpkin surface.
- If you prefer avoiding a water bath, you can bake the cheesecake at 150 C / 300 F for 75-85 minutes with a pan of boiling water placed on the rack directly below it, though a direct water bath offers the gentlest heat transfer.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Keep tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container to prevent absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze whole or in slices, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Troubleshooting
Cheesecake developed a large crack on top
Cause: The batter was overmixed, aerating the eggs, or the cheesecake cooled too rapidly.
Fix: Cosmetic only. Cover the top with whipped cream, caramel sauce, or toasted pecans to hide the crack.
Prevention: Mix eggs gently on the lowest speed until just combined. Ensure the slow, oven-off cooling process is followed.
Lumps in the cheesecake batter
Cause: The cream cheese was too cold when beaten.
Fix: Pass the batter through a fine mesh sieve before pouring it over the crust.
Prevention: Allow cream cheese to come fully to room temperature before mixing. Beat thoroughly before adding sugar.
Soggy crust after baking
Cause: Water from the water bath leaked through the foil into the springform pan.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked.
Prevention: Use 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap the pan, avoiding seams at the water line, or place the springform inside a slightly larger silicone pan protector.
Cultural Context
The specific combination of spices used in pumpkin pie, heavily featuring cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, has deep roots in early American colonial cooking where preserving squash and pumpkins was a necessity for winter survival. By melding this historic flavor profile with the dense, tangy richness of a classic New York-style cream cheese base, this dessert represents an evolution of holiday traditions, offering a modern Thanksgiving and Christmas staple that provides the best qualities of both iconic American pies.
