Move over pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake has entered the chat. This pumpkin cheesecake is super creamy with the perfect amount of pumpkin spice, and it's all over a layer of Biscoff cookie crust. This is THE recipe to make for Thanksgiving dinner!
If you're looking for other cheesecake recipes, check out my white chocolate salted caramel cheesecake, apple pie cheesecake or chocolate cheesecake!
Why You'll Love this Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake
It has the absolute best creamy texture. This cheesecake literally melts in your mouth. It's so creamy and smooth. It's perfect texture is achieved with a careful mixing method. The cream cheese is complimented with sour cream to achieve an unbelievably perfect cheesecake texture.
It's full of pumpkin flavor. The cheesecake filling is flavored with pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves. It's a pumpkin lover's dream!
It has a Biscoff cookie crust. Biscoff cookies are incredible on their own, but pair them with pumpkin and you've got yourself a heavenly dessert combo!
It's better than traditional pumpkin pie. It's so much creamier and tastier, making it the perfect Thanksgiving dessert and for the whole holiday season!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cookies- used to make the delicious crust for this cheesecake
- Butter- melted butter is used to make the cheesecake's crust
- Granulated Sugar- sweetens the cheesecake batter
- Cream Cheese- make sure you're using room temperature cream cheese
- Canned Pumpkin Puree- I recommend using Libby's if you can, it's cans have the most consistent pumpkin puree that's not overly wet
- Sour Cream- compliments the cream cheese to make the creamiest cheesecake
- Vanilla Extract- adds a sweet note to the cheesecake
- Eggs and Egg Yolks- make sure they're room temperature
- Pumpkin Pie Spice- a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, mace and cloves is used to add warmth to the cheesecake. I love Spice Island pumpkin pie spice!
- Cornstarch- absolutely essential for a perfect cheesecake. It adds a bit of structure, allows for clean slices and helps the top to never crack or sink
- Powdered Sugar- used to make the cream cheese frosting
- Springform pan- essential for making a cheesecake
- Large roasting pan- used for the cheesecake's water bath
Step by Sep Instructions
(See recipe card below for complete measurements and baking times!)
STEP ONE: Prepare the spring form pan by wrapping the bottom and edges of it with tinfoil. I recommend at least using 4 sheets of foil, but I always do 8-10 to be EXTRA sure no water will seep into the pan while the cheesecake bakes. Pulse the Biscoff cookies together in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Then add in the melted butter and sugar and pulse until combined. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step). Bake the crust and then let it cool.
STEP TWO: Make the cheesecake batter by mixing the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch together in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
STEP THREE: Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice vanilla and sour cream to the cream cheese mixture and mix on medium low speed just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure everything gets mixed together.
STEP FOUR: Add in eggs and egg yolks and mix on medium low just until combined, being VERY careful not to overmix.
STEP FIVE: Pour the cheesecake into the prepared crust. Place cheesecake into a large roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and pour boiling water into the pan being very careful not to splash the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, crack the oven door with a wooden spoon, and leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from oven and let it cool completely. Then cover the cheesecake pan with plastic wrap and chill the cheesecake in the fridge for 8 hours, or overnight.
STEP SIX: Make the cream cheese frosting by whipping the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together.
STEP SEVEN: When the cheesecake has chilled, carefully remove it from the springform pan and transfer it to a serving plate. Go around the outside edges of the cheesecake and pipe decorative swirls of cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle Biscoff cookie crumbs over the frosting if you desire, then finally serve!
(See recipe below for complete measurements and baking times!)
FAQs
Do I have to use Biscoff cookies for the crust? No, you can use another kind of spiced cookie like gingersnaps or graham crackers if you prefer. (If using graham crackers use 16 full sheets or 240 g of graham crackers.)
Do I really have to use a water bath to bake the cheesecake? Yes, it's absolutely essential. The water bath adds moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes and helps to regulate the heat. Without it, the cheesecake won't bake like it should.
How do I store this cheesecake? Store left overs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Pro Tips
Make sure to use room temperature ingredients. This will give you the best textured cheesecake. If your cream cheese is too cold you can end up with lumps in your cheesecake.
I recommend using Libby's canned pumpkin. Their pumpkin has the most consistent texture and isn't overly wet.
I recommend using a stand mixer to make the cheesecake if you have one. Mix the cheesecake on a medium and medium low speed to ensure you're not overmixing.
Be super, super careful not to overmix the cheesecake batter. If you mix too much the cheesecake texture can turn out very runny with a whipped cream consistency.
Make sure your cheesecake has completely chilled before attempting to decorate/cut into it. I recommend making it the day before you're panning on serving it and allowing it to chill overnight.
If you make this cheesecake please leave a star rating! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see your creation! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Pumpkin Desserts to Try Next Time
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Biscoff Crust
Ingredients
For the Biscoff Crust
- 46 Biscoff cookies
- 10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree Libby's
- ⅓ cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 whole eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Biscoff Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wrap at least 4 sheets of tinfoil around the bottom and edges of a 9 inch springform pan so no water seeps in while baking. (I always do 8 sheets just to be extra, extra careful.)
- Pulse the Biscoff cookies in a food processor until finely ground.46 Biscoff cookies
- Add in the sugar and melted butter and pulse until combined. You may have to stop, scrape the edges with a spatula and pulse again to ensure everything is combined together.10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
- Press the crumbs onto the bottom, and about an inch up the sides, of the springform pan.
- Bake for 12 minutes and then let cool completely.
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, if not still preheated.
- Put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling. You will want enough water to go up about 1 ½ inches on the sides of the springform pan.
- In a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, corn starch and sugar together with a paddle attachment on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a hand mixer, but just be careful not to overmix). Half way through, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed well.32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened, 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar, ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- Add in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and mix on medium low speed just until combined. (Scrape sides and bottom of bowl again).1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree, ⅓ cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Next add in the eggs and egg yolks and mix on medium low speed just until combined. Do not over mix the batter.3 whole eggs, at room temperature, 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan with the crust.
- Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the roasting pan around the cheesecake being careful not to splash the cheesecake.
- Bake for 1 hour. When an hour is up, turn off the oven and crack the door open. It helps to use a wooden utensil to keep the oven door slightly open. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for an additional 1 hour. The cheesecake will continue to bake as it is cooling.
- Once the 2 hours are up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the butter to a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until and mix on low speed until all is combined. Then mix on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. (My favorite is my Wilton 1M tip.)
Assembling the Cheesecake
- When the cheesecake has chilled overnight, carefully remove it from the springform pan and transfer it to your serving plate.
- Pipe decorative swirls of cream cheese frosting around the edges of the cheesecake. Sprinkle Biscoff cookie crumbs over the frosting if you desire.
- Then serve! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Everything in bloom makes is incredible and stunning 🤩
I was a bit intimidated to make cheesecake but it came out beautifully! I used homemade pumpkin puree and removed the extra sugar for the pie crust and it worked out well.