Pumpkin Cheesecake: A Classic Fall Dessert

Looking for the best Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe to make this holiday season? You've found it! This easy and sumptuous pumpkin cheesecake is the ultimate fall dessert, featuring a rich, velvety pumpkin filling spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, all nestled in a buttery ginger snap crust. Forget the pie-this classic recipe is a versatile, crowd-pleasing alternative that's guaranteed to be the star of your Thanksgiving table.

Why You'll Want To Make This Pumpkin Cheesecake

• The Ultimate Fall Flavor: It combines the comfort of pumpkin pie with the decadent texture of classic cheesecake, giving you the best of both worlds.

• A Crowd-Pleasing Alternative: If you're tired of traditional pumpkin pie, this is an enticing, easy-to-make dessert that pleases everyone.

• Simple to Follow: Despite its impressive appearance, this recipe is relatively straightforward. With a few key tips and tricks, you can achieve a perfect, crack-free cheesecake every time.

• Perfect for Preparation: This is a make-ahead dessert. It needs to chill overnight, which frees up your time on the day you plan to serve it.

Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need for the Crust

Steps to make the crust for Pumpkin Cheesecake

1. Start by adding ginger snaps, toasted pecans, and dark brown sugar to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the multi-purpose or "S" blade. With the top to the food processor secure, turn it on and let it run until all the ingredients are finely ground, about a minute or two.

2. With the food processor running, drizzle the butter through the feed shoot at the top. Let the food processor run until the crumbs stick together.

3. Using extra-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap a double layer around the outside of a 10-inch springform pan, making sure that the foil comes all the way up to the top of the pan. Please note, you will need to use the extra wide foil, as the regular will not be big enough. Then dump the crust crumbs from the food processor into the prepared pan. Press the crumbs together, covering only the bottom of the pan using your hands. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350° oven, then transfer to a wire rack and cool while preparing the filling.

4. After you've removed the crust from the oven, place a large roasting pan or baking dish that your cheesecake pan will fit in, into the oven with one kettle full of boiling water. This is so that the pan and the water are already hot when you place the cheesecake in the water bath.

Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

Steps to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake filling

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl for about two minutes, or until smooth and creamy.

2. Add the sugar and beat for about two minutes until smooth and creamy.

3. Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each is incorporated.

4. Then add the pure pumpkin and beat until combined.

5. Add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.

6. In a small bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves.

7. Add the combined flour and spices to the liquid ingredients and beat until just combined. You don't want to over-mix your filling because that will incorporate air which will cause the cheesecake to crack.

8. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into the prepared pan on top of the cooled crust.

9. Place the pumpkin cheesecake into the prepared water bath pan in the oven. Then add another kettle full of boiling water so that the water comes up to about the middle of the cheesecake pan. Bake for 1 ½ hours, then turn the oven off and leave in the oven for half an hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN until you are ready to remove your cheesecake.

10. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Do not try and remove the entire water bath pan from the oven. Place the cheesecake on a dish towel on top of a wire rack. Please note that whatever you use to take the cheesecake out of the oven is likely to get wet (and the water is extremely hot), so you will want to have your prepared wire rack close by. I actually burned my finger tips a little when I was doing this.

11. When the pan is cool enough to touch, remove the aluminum foil, and continue to cool on the wire rack until the cheesecake is at room temperature. Place uncovered overnight in the refrigerator.

Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need for the Topping

• Toasted Pecans: They're not pictured, but I like to sprinkle some toasted pecan pieces on top of the finished Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Steps to make the topping for Pumpkin Cheesecake

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl for about two minutes, or until well combined.

2. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.

3. Next add powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until well combined.

4. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a large serving plate or cardboard cake circle. Place a 1M large star tip in a piping bag then fill with the topping, making sure you don't overfill your piping bag. Then pipe a circle of small swirls around the edge of the pumpkin cheesecake. Continue piping small swirls in consecutive circles until the entire surface is covered.

5. To finish the Pumpkin Cheesecake, sprinkle toasted pecans over the pipped topping.

This easy Pumpkin Cheesecake is more than just a dessert; it's a holiday tradition waiting to happen. By following these simple steps and pro-tips, you will master the perfect, creamy, crack-free result that will have your guests asking for the recipe.