Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
This Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie includes a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy, decadent pumpkin cheesecake filling and warm pumpkin spice flavor. It’s so much easier to make than classic cheesecake because there’s no water bath necessary, and it bakes up in a fraction of the time. It’s the perfect make ahead dessert for fall!
Two of my favorite fall desserts are my pumpkin pie from scratch and my pumpkin cheesecake recipe. I love them both equally and sometimes have a hard time deciding which one to prepare.
This Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is the solution to that “problem”. It’s truly the best of both worlds!
It’s complete with a buttery graham cracker crust, impossibly creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling, and the warm flavors of pumpkin pie spice.
It’s topped with my homemade whipped cream for the ultimate fall dessert!
The best part is that this is the easiest pumpkin cheesecake you’ll ever make because it’s baked in a pie shell. This means the filling is thinner (and less dense), there’s no water bath necessary, and it bakes up in a fraction of the time.
This is my family’s new favorite pumpkin dessert, and I’d have to say that I agree. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This pumpkin pie cheesecake is a delicious hybrid of pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake. It’s creamy, decadent and bursting with warm pumpkin pie spice flavor.
- It’s less dense than classic cheesecake and there’s no water bath necessary. It bakes up in about 45 minutes!
- The entire dessert only takes about 15 minutes of prep and it’s so easy to make.
- This is a great make ahead dessert for fall as it can be prepared up to 1-2 days in advance.
Recipe ingredients
- Pumpkin puree. You’ll need 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Canned is very convenient, or you can see my post on how to make pumpkin puree from scratch if you prefer.
- Cream cheese. Be sure that the cream cheese is softened to room temperature so that it beats up nice and smooth.
- Sugar. Sub the granulated sugar with packed brown sugar for added flavor or coconut sugar if you prefer to use unrefined sugar.
- Eggs. Allow the eggs to come to room temperature prior to adding them to the filling. To speed up the process, place them in a bowl of warm water (not hot!) for about 10 minutes.
- Sour cream. Sub with plain Greek yogurt if desired.
- Cornstarch. The cornstarch is not pictured above. During the recipe development phase, I encountered some small cracks in this pumpkin cheesecake pie as it cooled. Adding cornstarch helps stabilize the filling, which reduces the likelihood of large air pockets forming and expanding.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Use my homemade pumpkin pie spice or your favorite store bought brand.
- Graham cracker crumbs. Use boxed graham cracker crumbs for convenience, or grind up your own in a food processor.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter for the graham cracker crust to control the sodium. If you only have salted butter on hand, do not add the 1/4 teaspoon salt to the crust.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make pumpkin pie cheesecake
This recipe is so easy to prepare, but it is guaranteed to wow everyone that tries it!
The entire dessert takes about 15 minutes of prep time from start to finish.
Pro tip: It’s essential to allow the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs come to room temperature as they blend together more uniformly. Room temperature ingredients trap air more effectively, which results in a lighter, creamier cheesecake, and it bakes more evenly as well.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave, then stir in the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and sea salt until well coated with the butter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate and distribute evenly over the bottom. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom working from the center toward the edges and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.
- Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, sour cream, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is set and the center wobbles slightly. Begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes as all oven temperatures vary.
- Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack, then chill completely in the refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream!
Recipe FAQs
I learned through trial and error that adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch helps stabilize the filling by reducing the likelihood of large air pockets forming and expanding. Those air pockets are responsible for cracks forming as the cheesecake cools.
Also, be sure that the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs are at room temperature as room temperature ingredients trap air more effectively, be careful not to over mix the batter, and bake the cheesecake at a lower temperature of 325 degrees.
There is no need to bake this cheesecake pie with a water bath because it has a much thinner filling than classic cheesecake. This means that it bakes up faster and more evenly, which significantly reduces the risk of cracking.
This is the perfect make ahead dessert because it requires lots of chilling time. Make it 1-2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it!
Serving suggestions
This pumpkin pie cheesecake is perfect just the way it is, or serve it up according to the ideas listed below:
- Serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or coconut whipped cream. If you prefer to pipe the whipped cream, this stabilized whipped cream is just what you need.
- Sprinkle with additional homemade pumpkin pie spice for a festive touch. You can also change things up by using my homemade chai spice mix!
- Add some texture by topping with toasted chopped pecans or additional cookie crumbs.
- Serve with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce to make it extra indulgent.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: It’s essential to allow the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs come to room temperature as they blend together more uniformly. Room temperature ingredients trap air more effectively, which results in a lighter, creamier cheesecake, and it bakes more evenly as well.
- Be sure to use a deep dish 9″ pie plate as there is a large amount of filling!
- The cornstarch helps stabilize the filling, which prevents the pumpkin cheesecake pie from cracking as it cools.
- This is a great make ahead recipe as you can bake it 1-2 days before you plan to serve it.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More recipes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
- 6 TBL unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 TBL granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream sub with plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch see note 2
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- homemade whipped cream for serving; optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep dish 9" pie plate generously with butter or cooking spray. It is essential to use a deep dish pie plate as there is a large amount of filling!
- Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave. Add the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and sea salt and stir until well coated with the butter. Do not add salt if using salted butter.6 TBL unsalted butter, 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 TBL granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate and distribute evenly over the bottom. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom working from the center toward the edges and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, sour cream, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 large eggs
- Pour the filling into the prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly wobbly in the center. All oven temperatures vary, so begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes and go from there. Cover the crust with a pie shield as if it browns too quickly to prevent it from burning.
- Remove from heat and allow the pumpkin cheesecake pie to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator to chill completely.
- Serve topped with homemade whipped cream or pipe with stabilized whipped cream in advance. Dust with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired, serve and enjoy!homemade whipped cream
Notes
- Pro tip: It’s essential to allow the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs come to room temperature as they blend together more uniformly. Room temperature ingredients trap air more effectively, which results in a lighter, creamier cheesecake, and it bakes more evenly as well.
- The cornstarch helps stabilize the filling, which prevents the pumpkin cheesecake pie from cracking as it cools.
- This is a great make ahead recipe as you can bake it 1-2 days before you plan to serve it.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.