This phenomenal Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake has a thick layer of cheesecake, topped with a layer of spiced pumpkin cheesecake, all wrapped in a graham cracker crust! It’s an easy yet fancy looking twist on the classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Meet Your New Favorite Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Move over Pumpkin Pie, this year it’s time to try this gorgeously layered Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake! It’s one of our very favorite Fall themed desserts that disappears in seconds once people spy that bottom layer of hidden cheesecake!
Starting from the bottom we have a sweet graham cracker crust — you can use a store bought crust or make your own. Then we have a thick layer of sweet cheesecake that is topped with a second layer of spiced pumpkin cheesecake on top!
The biggest secret to this recipe is that it only takes about 10 minutes to whip this pumpkin pie cheesecake together and get it into the oven. Then it’s just baking and cooling time! This Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake couldn’t be any easier to whip up and is always a crowd favorite!
Cheesecakes Need to Cool – Plan Ahead!
The hardest part about this Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake is waiting for it to cool and then allowing it to completely chill in the refrigerator.
It needs at least an hour to cool completely on the counter before you move it into the fridge. Then it needs to chill for a minimum of 3 hours to fully set up and turn into pumpkin cheesecake heaven.
So if you are counting, it will take 4 hours after baking for this pumpkin pie cheesecake to be ready to eat! But remember, it only takes 10 minutes of actual work to make. So while you need to plan ahead, the actual recipe part is very, very easy.
I know it can be hard to plan ahead, but I usually just bake this Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake the night before and pop it into the fridge before I head off to bed. That way I can sleep through the chilling time and it’s ready to go the next day!
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Ingredients
Are you ready for this?! You only need SEVEN ingredients for this Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake:
- Cream Cheese
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Pumpkin Puree
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Graham Cracker Crust
Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand, which makes this recipe even easier. Make sure you purchase the regular, full fat cream cheese for optimum flavor!
Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin PIe Filling
Like most pumpkin baking recipes, you want to use pure canned pumpkin puree — not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filing is already sweetened and also has spices in it.
To make sure you have the right one, check the ingredients. The only ingredient you should see listed is pumpkin!
Graham Cracker Cheesecake Crust
You can use a homemade graham cracker crust or a 9 inch store-bought one. It is up to you and how much work you want to do!
Admittedly, I often use a store-bought one out of pure laziness. It’s so easy to grab one and have this pie into the oven in just 10 minutes!
However, if you are a make it all yourself kind of person, below you will find my favorite graham cracker crust recipe to go with this pumpkin cheesecake.
Graham Cracker Crust INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon until well blended .
- Press mixture with your fingers evenly into an 9 inch pie plate.
- Pour pumpkin cheesecake layers, as directed in recipe below, into unbaked graham cracker crust. Bake as directed.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
This recipe is very easy to make with just a few short steps:
Step 1: Start by beating together the cheesecake layer ingredients until smooth.
Step 2: Add 1 1/3 cups of the cheesecake batter to the graham cracker pie crust.
Step 3: Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the remaining cheesecake batter and whisk until smooth.
Step 4: Pour it on top of the plain cheesecake layer and pop it into the oven — no water bath needed!
Step 5: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool and then chill for at least 3 hours. Serve with whipped cream on top!
Tips to avoid cracks in your cheesecake!
This Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake does not need a water bath, but there are a few tips to keep it from cracking:
- Make sure you use room temperature cream cheese and add the eggs one at a time.
- Do not over bake. The cheesecake is finished when the center is *just* almost set. It will finish firming up when it chills.
- Lastly, make sure you allow this pumpkin pie cheesecake to cool completely before transferring it to the fridge.
If for some reason you do get a noticeable crack, there are two common solutions to try:
- Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes, then wet your finger with water and try running it along the crack.
- If that doesn’t work, cover it with whip cream and enjoy! In the end, no one cares if it cracked, just that it tastes good!
I can not wait for you all to try this Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake — I just know you are going to love it as much as we do.
My husband is already requesting I make it for Thanksgiving to bring to his families house instead of the traditional pie.
Looking for more great holiday recipes? Here are a few of my top favorites:
- Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Best Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Corn Casserole
- Cranberry Relish
- Fried Apples
While this cheesecake looks incredibly impressive, it is actually very EASY to make with simple ingredients.
Please leave a review/comment below letting me know how this pumpkin cheesecake recipe turns out for you!
Easy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe
This phenomenal Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake has a thick layer of cheesecake, topped with a layer of spiced pumpkin cheesecake, all wrapped in a graham cracker crust!
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust (store bought or homemade)
- whip cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Blend in eggs one at a time, until smooth.
- Remove 1 1/3 cups of the cheesecake batter and spread it into the bottom of the graham cracker crust; set aside.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the remaining cheesecake batter and whisk gently until well combined. Carefully spread the pumpkin layer over the plain cheesecake layer with a spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool (about 1 hour), then refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
- Serve with whipped cream, if desired!
Notes
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Make Ahead: Yes, you can make this pumpkin cheesecake ahead of time. Store it wrapped tightly in saran wrap until ready to serve.
Freeze: Yes, you can freeze this cheesecake! Allow to thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Categories
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It doesn’t tell you how much if each ingredient to use
Hi Billy, the post will discuss the ingredients (along with answering FAQS and giving tips), but the full recipe is always at the bottom of the post. You can scroll through the post to get to the recipe or you can hit the ‘Jump To The Recipe’ button at the top of the post to jump straight to the recipe and bypass the post. Hope this helps!
[…] Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake […]
I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone LOVED it. Thank you!
Can I just skip the pumpkin and pumpkin spice to make it a plain cheesecake? I’ve mad it with the pumpkin and LOVE it, but thinking of doing a plain one for Christmas. Will that work?
Thanks!
Yes it should work just fine!
Does you recommend a water bath for this recipe when baking?
I do not! You don’t need it!
This was SUCH a hit at Thanksgiving dinner! I finally had a piece and wow, so good.
Only thing I noticed was I had to cook longer than the 40 minutes. What I did however was turn off the oven and leave the pie in for a few more minutes. It didn’t get burnt or overcooked, but prior to that it was not set the way it needed to be.
How long should I bake if I use mini graham cracker pie shells?
Hi Marcel! Minis should bake around 20 minutes, I would start checking them around the 16 minute mark just to be sure they aren’t done earlier in your oven. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
OMGosh, you have to try this recipe…I made it for Thanksgiving yesterday, followed recipe as is and it is absolutely the best cheesecake I’ve ever made, 1st dessert gone after dinner !!
Thank you Jessica so much
Hello, I accidentally skipped the part where you layered the mix without the puree first. ( I got too excited and forgot to layer) So my cheesecake is all that one orange color with the crust. Hopefully it will be okay and taste fine. .You think that is a big deal for guests tomorrow?
Yes it should still bake fine and be delicious! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
The pumpkin layer was like an icing instead of an actual layer like yours was, I did use canned pumpkin instead of purée but I was thick.
Hi Jessica can I use the whole can of pumpkin with left over cream cheese. I have Deep dish pans
Hi Jody! You could double up on the recipe (or do 1.5x the recipe). Just keep in mind it will need longer to bake! And if the top starts to brown a little too much, add some foil over the top while it finishes baking.
Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!
Made this today and it was so delicious! Very easy to make and the instructions were easy to follow. Thank you!
Will it turn out okay if I only use 12 ounces of cream cheese?
Hi Rene! Yes it will still turn out out, but will be a little thinner. Also keep in mind it might bake a little quicker than the full size version. Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!
Can I use this recipe for the cream cheese layer instead? (It consist of cream cheese, whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar)
Hi, no, that sounds like a cream cheese icing, not cheesecake. If you put that mixture into the oven, it will just melt.
I made 2 pies today for Thanksgiving, each mixed separately but there is tiny white i guess lumps in both mixtures. I have made cheese cakes before but can’t figure out what happened. Cream cheese and eggs were room temp. They look great and the mixture tasted great before baking. Any idea why I have these little white lumps. Could I have overbeaten the eggs?
Hmm. My first guess would be that the cream cheese was not room temperature, that is usually when you get lumps in the cheesecake or cream cheese things. Was the filling smooth when it went into the baking dish? Did the white lumps only show up after baking?
Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!
Why would the cheesecake be sooooo runny? What did I do wrong? It’s been in the oven for an hr at 325 and it’s just soooo runny.
Hi Emmj! Did you use the 2 eggs? The eggs are what is used as a binder for the cheesecake.
Is there a way to add chocolate chips to this recipe?
Sure! You can just mix them in prior to baking.
Thank you for the reply!
Should I double the recipe if I use a 9′ springfoam pan?
Hi Colleen! I haven’t personally tried it in a 9″ spring form, but I’m sure you could double it. Just keep in mind it will need more cooking time!
Looks delicious! My daughter is gluten free, would this set up correctly if I skipped the crust?
It should have no issues without a crust! :-)
Can you use canned real pumpkin instead of pumpkin puree?
Sure! Just make sure it is a thick puree, like the canned stuff. If it’s thin or water they cheesecake won’t bake correctly.
If I am using a store bought traditional pie crust, should I pre bake it at all before putting the filling in? Or do you think the 35-40 minutes of baking the filling will cook the crust just fine?
I would pre-bake the pie crust for about 10 minutes, just to brown it a little and make sure it does cook through. You will probably want to warp the edges of the pie crust with foil to keep it from browning too much while baking.
It was absolutely delicious & so easy to make.. Thank you for sharing!