I’m pretty sure this Pumpkin Cheesecake is the best cheesecake I have ever made.
And now I am addicted to making full blown, BAKED cheesecakes.
The possibilities of flavor combinations are running through my mind, and I can’t wait to make more.
But first – Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Last Friday I shared a No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe on the blog. It’s quite delicious in it’s own right, but there is a drastic difference between the no bake version and the baked version.
The baked version is thick and creamy in texture, with an unexplainable lightness to it. It’s like eating a pumpkin pie in cheesecake form.
Basically, I’m hooked.
Last week I experimented with a gingersnap crust and it was the perfect addition to my no bake cheesecake. This time I added some pecans and graham cracker crumbs to the mixture. It added so much more dimension to the cheesecake.
I don’t know what I love more… the cheesecake or the crust!
I drizzled the cheesecake with some salted caramel sauce that I had in my fridge.
It’s necessary.
(Necessary to keep salted caramel in your fridge, and also to drizzle it on this cheesecake)
I’m going to take this moment to inform you that making a legit baked cheesecake is not that hard. I was a little nervous at first to make a real cheesecake, but it was actually really easy. Don’t be scared.
Put this dessert on your Fall baking list. Do it!
Pumpkin Cheesecake and Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 15 small gingersnap cookies
- ½ cup pecans
- 4 sheets graham crackers
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
Optional Toppings:
- Whipped Cream
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- In your oven arrange a rack on the lowest shelf and the other in the middle.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For the Crust:
- Combine the gingersnaps, pecans and graham crackers in a food processor and chop until the mixture becomes a fine crumb. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan, and slightly up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven and set aside. (Leave oven on)
- Place a 9x13 inch pan on the lowest shelf in your oven and fill half way with hot water.
For the Filling:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin, eggs and yolk, sour cream, sugar, and spices. Beat until combined and smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
- Add the flour and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour mixture into the prepared crust.
- Bake for 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 2 more hours, then remove from oven and let come to room temperature completely before placing in fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight for best results).
- Once chilled properly, serve with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, whip cream and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Enjoy!
For the Salted Caramel:
- {Gather all of your ingredients and have them nearby ready to add to the mixture as needed}
- In a heavy-bottomed 3 quart saucepan, heat sugar and water over high heat whisking constantly to dissolve sugar.
- Once mixture reaches a boil, stop whisking and allow mixture to boil until it reaches a dark amber color, carefully swirling pan occasionally.
- Once mixture reaches that dark amber color, immediately add butter and whisk until butter has melted then immediately remove from heat. Wait 3 seconds then carefully pour in cream and immediately whisk to combine (it will bubble vigorously).
- Whisk until mixture is smooth.
- Allow caramel to cool several minutes then pour into a glass jar to cool completely.
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Michele
What font did you use for the word Pumpkin?
Shari @ Shari Blogs
I do believe that this will be taking over our pumpkin dessert spot at Thanksgiving this year. I LOVE cheesecake and this looks and sounds amazing! I shared it in my Pumpkin Round Up on my blog today! 🙂 http://shariblogs.com/35-pumpkin-dessert-recipes/
Katherine
Thanks for this great receipe! The salted caramel sauce is divine. My only issue was that the cheesecake cracked a bit a the top, no worries though it will still taste amazing and I can hide the crack with some whipping cream!
Shawn
Hi Katherine, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake! It’s fairly common for a cheesecake to crack on top. Next time, try leaving it in the oven after it’s baked, crack open the oven door, and turn off the oven. The slower it cools the better the chances are that the top will not crack. I’m glad you loved the caramel sauce- it’s my fave!! 🙂
Angela Worthington
I ended Up Lightly greasing the pan and cutting a parchment circle to fit and put it in bake the cheese cake Was able to Get it lifted off And on to a decorative plate . my on sad part is I it crack in the middle this only my second Cheesecake. So I hope I get better with them
Shawn
Hi Angela! I usually just leave the cheesecake on the springform, but I’m glad you figured out a way to get it out. It’s not uncommon for the top of a cheesecake to crack. Try letting it cool slower by turning off the oven after it’s done baking, crack open the door to the oven, and let it sit in there till it’s cooled. Hope that gives you better results! 🙂
Angela Worthington
Question do ever put parchment paper on the of the pan or Grease? I wonder how you get it off the Bottom of the Pan with out damaging it?
Naomi
I would like to make a gluten free version of this pumpkin cheesecake and was wondering if you think it would work to substitute 2 T. Cornstarch in place of the 2 T. of flour. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!
Shawn
Hi Naomi, that’s a great question. I’m not an expert on gluten free conversions, but you might try 1 tbsp of coconut flour or 1 tbsp of corn starch. Doing 2 tbsp would probably be just a bit too much as the coconut flour and corn starch make for much thicker consistencies. Hope that helps. 🙂
Naomi
I made this cheesecake on Friday with 1 Tbsp cornstarch, in place of the 2 Tbsp flour, and it turned out wonderfully! I did the rest of the filling as written and baked for the same amount of time. Just wanted to share in case anyone else is needing to make it gluten free!
Shawn
Awesome! Thank you for the update Naomi! 🙂
Maggie
Thanks for sharing! I just pulled this baby out of the oven. How do you prevent a cheesecakes from cracking on top? Yours looks so perfect! This is my second baked cheesecakes and the first one cracked on top too.
Shawn
To be honest- mine cracked too! BUT, I found this super simple tutorial on how to easily repair a cracked cheesecake! (http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/2012/11/how-to-fix-cracked-cheesecake.html#.UkcCNxbvy0c)
I had to pull mine out of the oven to make make room for something else that was going in, but to prevent it from cracking, you can leave the cheesecake in the oven, but turn the oven off, and crack the door open to let it slowly cool down. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Martha
I have never made a cheesecake. I want this to be my first. One question: When do you take it out of the spring form pan? Before or after you refrigerate it?
Shawn
Hi Martha, wait until after it’s been refrigerated to take off the spring form. I actually would slip the spring form back on and cover the cheesecake with foil and pop it back in the fridge when we had leftovers. It’s nice because it helps protect the cheesecake from other things in your fridge. Enjoy this cheesecake, it’s divine! 🙂
robin
Be sure to run a knife around the outside of the cheesecake between the cake and the pan, BEFORE you release the spring. Otherwise the pan will expand and pull the cheesecake a part, probably causing a split or teak in the cheesecake.
Peter @ Feed Your Soul Too
This cheesecake looks so moist Love the addition of the pumpkin. I featured it on my Friday Five – Pumpkin addition over @ Feed Your Soul Too – http://www.feedyoursoul2.com/2013/09/friday-five-pumpkin-addition.html
Courtney
I am planning to make this for my husband’s birthday next week but am not entirely sure what a “sheet of graham crackers” is. I already have pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs, do you know approximately how many cups of crumbs (pecan, gingersnap and graham combined) I need for the crust?
Shawn
I would try about a cup of crumbs, if it’s not moist enough to press into the pan, try adding a little more melted butter. Nothing wrong with too much crust! 😉
robin
A regular cheesecake crust calls for a cup of graham cracker crumbs, so if you’re adding gingersnap cookies and pecans you can get away with a little less than that.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
Not only is this cheesecake gorgeous, it looks SO heavenly! This makes me CRAVE fall!!
Heather
This is the best cheesecake I’ve ever had and it wasn’t even served with whipped cream and that drizzle!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life
Cheesecake is my friend!!! I am loving all things pumpkin right now, although I am with you and could eat it all year round! Love the moody photos…I can never seem to get those right!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
This is GORGEOUS. I love pumpkin cheesecake SO flipping much, especially with the gingersnaps. And I love the moody photos!
Shawn
Thank you Dorothy!! I had a fun time experimenting with the moody photos. I think they turned out pretty well! 🙂
Carla
Mmm that slice looks like pumpkin pie except much tastier.
Shawn
Exactly!! It’s like a pimped out version of pumpkin pie! 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny
This looks amazing! With this cool weather I’m craving pumpkin 🙂
Shawn
I know, I’m totally craving pumpkin everything right now. I could eat pumpkin all year long!
Deborah Bateman
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks delicious. I like the idea of the ginger snaps in the crust. If you get a chance stop by my blog Recipe for Life and check out some of my family favorites at: http://deborah-bateman.blogspot.com
Blessings,
Deborah H. Bateman
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
Aren’t cheesecakes just the best and fun to make?!
Shawn
Totally fun to make! I have several ideas in mind for new cheesecake creations. 🙂 No wonder The Cheesecake Factory does so well! HAHA
Heather
I think we just became best friends. This cheesecake looks SERIOUSLY incredible!!!
Shawn
Thanks Heather! 🙂