Move over pumpkin pie, this pumpkin spice cheesecake is the new favorite Thanksgiving dessert. This cheesecake is made with a biscoff cookie crust, filled with a creamy pumpkin spice cheesecake filling, and topped with cream cheese whipped cream frosting. You will fall in love with this delicious cheesecake recipe!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- Biscoff cookie crumbs – I recommend using a food processor to grind the cookies into fine crumbs. For this recipe, I used a total of 32 cookies to make 2 1/2 cups of crumbs. Biscoff cookie crumbs add a great caramel and warm spice flavor to the crust. If you are not a fan or biscoff or want to switch things up, you can also use graham cracker crumbs or ginger snap cookies.
- Brown sugar – A bit of light brown sugar adds an extra touch of sweetness in the crust.
- Unsalted butter – Melted. You can also use salted butter, just omit the additional salt.
- Salt – A pinch of salt adds a bit of contrast to the sweetness.
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling
- Cream cheese – Room temperature for easy creaming.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness.
- Brown sugar – For additional sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
- All-purpose flour – A bit of all-purpose flour creates the perfect texture in the cheesecake filling.
- Pumpkin puree – Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree as opposed to pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient should be pumpkin. You will need a 15-ounce can for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract – A splash of pure vanilla extract adds great underlying floral vanilla flavor in the filling.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream adds a bit of richness and creates a smooth and creamy filling.
- Pumpkin pie spice – A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Purchase pumpkin pie spice or make your own at home! Check out my blog post on how to make pumpkin pie spice.
- Eggs – Large eggs, room temperature.
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting
- Cream cheese – For this component of the recipe, you will want cold cream cheese. Cold cream cheese will allow the heavy cream to whip up well and hold shape.
- Powdered sugar – A bit of powdered sugar adds some sweetness. You can adjust the amount slightly to suit your taste.
- Heavy cream – Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, just be sure it is cold.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds delicious vanilla flavor to the frosting.
Tools & Supplies for Making Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Biscoff Cookie Crust
To make the biscoff cookie crust, simply combine the biscoff cookie crumbs, light brown sugar, melted butter, and salt. Pour the cookie crumb mixture into a springform pan or cheesecake pan. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass to press the crumbs along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Blind bake the crust in the oven until it is set and golden brown.
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling
To make the pumpkin spice cheesecake filling, you will need a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer. Cream together cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour until smooth. Add in pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and pumpkin pie spice and mix on low speed. Add in eggs, one a time, mixing in between each addition until the cheesecake filling is smooth and creamy. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into the prebaked crust.
Baking the cheesecake
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath at 300-degrees F for approximately 90 minutes until it is set on the edges and jiggly in the middle. After 90 minutes, turn the oven off but keep the cheesecake in the closed oven for an additional 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, crack the oven open and keep the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Then, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature before chilling.
Cream cheese whipped cream
To make the cream cheese whipped cream frosting, you will need an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Cream together cold cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle in heavy cream and turn the speed to medium-high and whip the mixture until stiff peaks form.
Decorating the cheesecake
To decorate the cheesecake as pictured, you will need a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip. Swirl the cream cheese whipped cream frosting along the edge of the cheesecake. Feel free to spread or pipe the frosting however you like! The recipe for the cream cheese whipped cream frosting yields plenty, so don’t be shy!
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Recipe Tips
Bake the perfect cheesecake
Check out my baking tips blog post on 10 tips for baking perfect cheesecake to learn my top tips for making the best pumpkin spice cheesecake.
Use a springform pan or cheesecake pan for easy removal
For easy removal of the cheesecake from the pan, be sure to use a springform pan or cheesecake pan. Springform and cheesecake pans have separate bottoms and sides which allows you to remove the cheesecake without risk of breaking the crust. For this recipe, I used an 8-inch cheesecake pan that was 3 inches deep. I love adding a parchment circle to the bottom of the pan to make things even easier.
Pay close attention to ingredient temperatures
Ingredients temperatures can be key to the success of a recipe! For the cheesecake filling, all the chilled ingredients (cream cheese, heavy cream, eggs) should be at room temperature. This allows the ingredients to be easily combined to create a smooth, creamy cheesecake filling without a ton of whipping. Likewise, for the cream cheese whipped cream frosting, you want the cream cheese and heavy cream to be cold so that it whips up well.
Different baking temperatures
The biscoff cookie crust in “blind-baked”, which means baking the crust without the filling. This creates a crisp crust and prevents it from becoming soggy. The crust is baked at a bit higher temperature to crisp it up and the filling is baked at a bit lower temperature to create a smooth and creamy filling. Don’t forget to change the temperature of the oven in between baking the crust and the cheesecake!
Bake with a water bath to prevent the cheesecake from cracking or browning
A water bath is a large pan of water that the cheesecake is baked in. The water bath creates steam which helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking and also prevents excessive browning on the top. To prevent the water from leaking into the cheesecake or springform pan, wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan in aluminum foil. Be sure the water bath pan is larger than the cheesecake/springform pan. I find it easiest to place the larger pan in the oven first, then add the cheesecake/springform pan, and then use a liquid measuring cup to fill the larger pan with about 1/2 inch of water.
Gradual cooling method to prevent cracking
To create the perfect texture and prevent the cheesecake from cracking, we use a gradual cooling method. After the cheesecake is baked for 90 minutes, the cheesecake remains in the oven with the heat off for 30 minutes. The, after 30 minutes, crack the oven door and keep the cheesecake in the oven. After that, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature for a few hours. Once it is at room temperature, cover the cheesecake and chill for at least six hours, but ideally overnight.
Storing and serving
Pumpkin spice cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The pumpkin cheesecake is best served chilled.
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Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8-inch springform pan or cheesecake pan (3-inch depth) (you could also use a 9-inch pan – the baking time will be about 5 minutes less)
- Stand mixer fitted with a paddle and whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- 2 ½ cups biscoff cookie crumbs
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ tsp salt
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 eggs room temperature
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a springform pan or cheesecake pan with a parchment circle.
- In a mixing bowl, combine biscoff cookie crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter and salt. Mix together until well combined.
- Pour the biscoff cookie crumb mixture into the prepared springform/cheesecake pan and spread evenly. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup or drinking glass to firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while making the cheesecake filling.
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
- Turn the oven temperature down to 300° F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer, cream together room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour until smooth and creamy.
- Add in pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice and mix on low until well combined.
- While mixing on low speed, drizzle in heavy cream.
- Continuing to mix on low speed, add in the room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Wrap the springform/cheesecake pan in aluminum foil, on the bottom and up the sides. We are doing this because the cheesecake will bake in a water bath and we don't want the water to leak into the cheesecake. Be sure that the foil covers up the sides and will not allow water into the springform pan.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the biscoff cookie crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Place the cheesecake pan in a larger baking pan and place in the oven. Pour approximately ½ inch of water in the larger baking pan around the cheesecake to create a water bath.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the cheesecake appears set but also slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to sit in the closed oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, open the oven door and allow the cheesecake to begin cooling in the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together cold cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Drizzle in heavy cream while mixing on low speed and continue to mix until combined.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until stiff peaks form.
Decorating the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
- To decorate the cheesecake as pictured, pipe the cream cheese whipped cream frosting along the outside edge using a Wilton 1M piping tip.
Notes
Made This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
The best pumpkin spice cheesecake ever! Will make it this Thanksgiving again!
Hi Cindy! I am SO happy to hear you loved this recipe and it will be on your Thanksgiving table! Thank you!
Voor het eerst een cheesecake gebakken volgens dit recept en eerlijk is eerlijk ik heb nog nooit een lekkerdere gegeten dan deze pompoencheescake.
Mijn nieuwe favoriete.
Dank voor het delen van dit recept en duidelijke uitleg en stappenplan.
My neice and I made this last night. It was too much for an 8 inch pan. We made smaller extras in ramekins with both the filling and crust. The taste seems really good. Perhaps it was a typo?
I used an 8 inch cheesecake pan to make the recipe. I am wondering perhaps if the pan you used was not deep enough? The pan should be about 3 inches in depth to hold all the filling. I will add this to the post! Thank you for pointing that out to me! It sounds like you get super creative with the ramekins!! I love that idea!