Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

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Prepare yourself…because I am about to share with you the ultimate fall dessert that is the absolute perfect, show-stopper for your fall potluck, family gathering, or for your Thanksgiving table (which is what I just prepared this one for)…my Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake. If you follow me on YouTube or here on my blog, you know how I feel about cheesecake of all kinds…I LOVE IT…and this may be one of my all-time-fall-favorites! It offers a perfectly spiced, silky-smooth filling in a buttery, graham cracker crust. Topped with some whipped cream or Cool Whip, it is simply out-of-this-world! I promise you, this is one you’ll want to try!

So without further adieu, let’s talk about what you’ll need to make this baby. For the crust, you will need graham crackers crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. For the filling, you will need cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, canned pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F and preparing a 9-inch springform pan by lining it with a parchment paper round and greasing the sides. Then wrap the outside of your pan in a double layer of aluminum foil (this will prevent water from seeping into your pan while it bakes in your water bath); set aside.

Crust: For your crust, combine your graham cracker crumbs (and gingersnap crumbs, if using), sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a medium bowl and mix until your ingredients are thoroughly combined. Press your crust into the bottom of your prepared pan and about ¼ – ½ of the way up the sides.

Filling: For your filling, combine your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. With an electric hand mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add in your pumpkin, eggs, and spices, and beat until they are completely incorporated. Pour mixture over your prepared crust. Place your pan in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water until your springform pan is submerged halfway.

Bake in a water bath for 60–70 minutes, or until the top darkens a bit and the center is almost set. Remove your roasting pan from your oven and let it rest until your springform pan is cool to the touch. Remove the aluminum foil from the outside of your springform pan and run a knife or icing spatula around the outer edge of your cheesecake to release the sides from the pan; set aside. It is important that you do not skip this step, because as your cheesecake cools, it will settle and shrink a bit. If the sides of your cheesecake are still adhered to your pan, they will pull your cheesecake apart in the center causing your cheesecake to crack (greasing the sides of your pan prior to pouring your filling in will also assist with this). Allow your cheesecake to cool completely on the counter and then refrigerate it, uncovered, for at least 6 hours.

Garnish: Just prior to serving your Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, feel free to decorate it with some whipped cream or Cool Whip. As you can see in the photos, I opted to pipe some Cool Whip into the shape of a three-dimensional pumpkin on top of mine and garnished it with some ground cinnamon, a cinnamon stick, and a pie crust leaf. This step is completely unnecessary however, as the cheesecake is amazing all on it own!

I hope you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving, graced by this little slice of this Heaven!

For more of my Thanksgiving recipes, please make sure you check out my Cranberry Sauce and Candied Sweet Potatoes.