Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust in the perfect marriage between cheesecake and pumpkin pie. Thick, creamy, and pumpkin-y with an extra special fall-spiced gingersnap crust!
I’m going to share a little secret with you guys. I don’t like pumpkin pie. *gasp!* As a kid, the only reason I would eat it, was so I could pile up a mountain of Cool Whip on it. I have no regrets. However, I do love a good pumpkin cheesecake, along with other pumpkin-flavored desserts. And this, my friends, is the ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake. Not only is is thick, creamy and full of that pumpkin flavor we love, but it has a special crust made with gingersnap cookie crumbs. I mean, graham cracker crusts are awesome, but a gingersnap cookie crust on a pumpkin cheesecake takes it to a whole ‘nother level of yum. Trust me.
The spices in gingerbread/gingersnaps goes perfectly with the creamy pumpkin filling, very similar to the Gingerbread Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting I made a couple of years ago. It’s a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving!!
What you need to make Pumpkin Cheesecake
This is an overview. Full list with measurements can be found below in the printable recipe card!
For the Crust
- Gingersnap cookie crumbs
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
For the Cheesecake
- Cream cheese
- Graunlated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake
Full Printable Recipe Card Below!
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and/or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs, butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until well-combined and crumbs are all moistened. Press onto bottom and up the side of prepared pan, about an inch high. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Leave the oven on. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
For the Cheesecake
- Now is a good time to get your boiling water started, so it will be ready when the filling is done and in the pan!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, (or in a large bowl if using an electric mixer), combine cream cheese, and sugars until fluffy; about 3 minutes. Add eggs, pumpkin puree and heavy cream, mix until fully incorporated; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Finally, add in vanilla and spices and mix until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared crust. You may want to wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan in foil, as an extra measure to ensure no water gets in. Place pan into a larger pan (I used a large cake pan/roasting pan) and pour boiling water into the larger pan, about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Very carefully transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 60 minutes. The sides will be set, but the center will still have a little wiggle to it. Leave the pan where it is, crack open the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. Then, carefully remove from the oven, and remove the cheesecake pan from the water bath (if you wrapped the bottom and sides if foil, this will make the transfer even easier!) and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
- Top with whipped cream, caramel or pumpkin pie sauce, etc., if desired
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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Cheesecake
- 4 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and/or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs, butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until well-combined and crumbs are all moistened. Press onto bottom and up the side of prepared pan, about an inch high. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Leave the oven on. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
- Now is a good time to get your boiling water started, so it will be ready when the filling is done and in the pan!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, (or in a large bowl if using an electric mixer), combine cream cheese, and sugars until fluffy; about 3 minutes. Add eggs, pumpkin puree and heavy cream, mix until fully incorporated; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Finally, add in vanilla and spices and mix until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared crust. You may want to wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan in foil, as an extra measure to ensure no water gets in. Place pan into a larger pan (I used a large cake pan/roasting pan) and pour boiling water into the larger pan, about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Very carefully transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 60 minutes. The sides will be set, but the center will still have a little wiggle to it. Leave the pan where it is, crack open the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. Then, carefully remove from the oven, and remove the cheesecake pan from the water bath (if you wrapped the bottom and sides if foil, this will make the transfer even easier!) and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
- Top with whipped cream, caramel or pumpkin pie sauce, etc., if desired
Nutrition
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