Description
Incredibly creamy and perfectly spiced, this easy pumpkin cheesecake is a great addition to the holiday dessert table. No water bath is needed, and it is ideal to make ahead of time! *We adjusted the recipe to fit into a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan– no need to double!
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 grams gingersnap cookies (40 1.5 inch cookies)
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 9 or 10 inch springform pan
Filling
- 32 ounces (4 packages) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups (13 ounces) pumpkin puree (fresh or canned or substitute butternut squash)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see notes)
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place cookies in a food processor with the metal blade, process to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and mix in until crumbs are saturated and stick together when pressed. Scoop into a spring form pan, press crumbs into the bottom, a small glass or jar works well for this.
- Bake 10 minutes, remove and turn oven up to 450F.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Clean out the food processor if a large capacity (or use a hand mixer or stand mixer). Add cream cheese (softened at room temperature (see notes), pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, sour cream, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt. Mix until completely smooth.
- Add eggs and pulse until just incorporated. Avoid over mixing.
- Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 250F and prop oven door open a crack (like with a wooden spoon) for 10 minutes. Close the oven door and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Check internal temperature, it should be 145 when done (leave it longer if you prefer it more on the dry side). It will be puffed up and slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool on the counter for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges. Leave on the counter for 1 hour. Refrigerate covered for at least 6 hours, and preferably overnight.
Optional Topping
Just before serving, spread about 1 & 1/2 cups fresh whipped cream over the top. Combine 1 teaspoon maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon molasses, drizzle over the whipped cream and swirl in with knife. Grate a light sprinkling of fresh nutmeg over the top. It gives caramel like flavor notes.
Notes
Pumpkin Pie Spice: 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
To soften cream cheese quickly; cut into 1-inch chunks and either microwave at 15-second intervals, or set on a plate for about an hour at room temperature. If your kitchen temperature is on the cool side, you can set the plate over a bowl of hot water, just make sure to keep an eye and turn the cubes so they don’t melt away.
Halve the recipe if using a 7-inch spring form pan.
Feel free to use a regular graham cracker crust if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small slice with whipped cream
- Calories: 457
- Sugar: 33.2 g
- Sodium: 363.4 mg
- Fat: 28.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 16.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.8 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 119 mg