This pumpkin cheesecake is very creamy and rich, with a fantastic combination of flavors. It's not a tall cake, but with a wonderful ratio of chocolate crumb crust, pumpkin filling and luscious maple whipped cream. It makes a great Thanksgiving dessert that's simple enough for beginners, and can be made ahead.
Fall cheesecake recipe
I come bearing a pumpkin cheesecake that is traditional but not so much. I was expecting the flavors to be good together, and it turns out they're great. Unique and worth trying.
The filling is a classic one, creamy with warm spices, similar to the mini baked pumpkin cheesecakes. But then this recipe gets into new territory, with not-so-common flavor combinations.
Part of this recipe is not new for me, and I know the flavors go fantastically well together. I bake pumpkin muffins with maple and eat these pumpkin corn muffins with a drizzle of the syrup. So it's not a new combination.
But the chocolate cookie crust is the wild card, and the mound of maple whipped cream on top seals the deal, making it a fantastic threesome. Just like with these brownies with a pumpkin swirl, it's not your everyday combination, but it's so delicious together.
Testing notes
The easiest way to make the chocolate base is with plain chocolate wafers or cookies. But it appears that they're not easily available everywhere. So I added a chocolate graham cracker crust alternative that is wonderful. You can also use a chocolate pie crust instead of crumbs. It's more laborious, of course, but a very good alternative.
Don't beat after adding the eggs. You don't want to incorporate air, so the cheesecake is creamy and doesn't puff much during baking. So stir and incorporate well, but don't overbeat. If using an electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed just until mixed.
Cool down gradually. I can't stress this enough! They don't like sudden temperature changes. Let the baked cheesecake cool completely at room temperature, then cover and chill for several hours in the fridge. This ensures the best texture.
The best trick I know for whipped cream is to beat it with a tablespoon or two of cold cream cheese per cup of cream. The cream holds better without using gelatin.
Make some components in advance: the crust and cheesecake itself can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a few weeks, always well covered in the pan. Remove when ready to serve, top with the cream, and take to the table.
Flavorings and spices: This recipe uses cinnamon and vanilla, but you can play around with other flavors, such as orange zest, ground allspice, or ginger. Use the spices of your favorite pumpkin bread or cake as a guide. Make it your own.
Cheesecake squares: If this is part of a dessert table, you can opt for a square springform pan cheesecake and cut it into bars or squares. Similar to our favorite baked easy cheesecake recipe, it is easier to serve more people.
Ingredient Notes
This recipe has three layers: the cookie crust, the pumpkin cheesecake filling and the whipped cream topping.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Chocolate crumbs: Use plain cookies, not filled.
- Cream cheese and sour cream: the regular type, full-fat cheeses are needed for consistency and creaminess.
- Pumpkin puree. You can use canned fresh pumpkin or make homemade pumpkin puree. Please don't mistake it for pumpkin pie filling, which is a different product.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark.
- Maple syrup: It adds a fantastic layer of flavor. I like pure grade-A maple syrup.
Process steps
Preparing the springform pan: this is how I do it, and it's not mandatory, of course.
Place a large piece of aluminum foil covering the base with overhang. Adjust it to fit the bottom, like you do when you line a pie plate. Place the springform ring on top of the base and close it. The overhang will be on the outside. Lift it so it doesn't hang anymore.
This makes it a snap to remove the cold cheesecake: take out the removable ring, lift the foil and place your hand underneath the base of the cake, between the foil and the bottom of the pan. Lift the foil a little so you can peel the foil carefully with the other hand. Transfer to the serving plate.
Chocolate crust
I like to make a chocolate graham cracker crust with cocoa powder. If you can get plain chocolate wafers, they work just as well.
Time saver: Make the crust one or two days before. It can be stored in the refrigerator in the pan, well wrapped, for up to three days.
Use brown butter for a deeper flavor. But it's an extra step.
Ingredients should be at room temperature. This is important for them to integrate well together, helping with the creaminess and texture.
Cheese filling
Make sure the cream cheese and sugar are well integrated and lump-free. This is easy if the cheese is softened.
I do it all by hand, but you can use an electric hand beater only for the cheese and sugar part.
Pumpkin batter
Don't beat the filling once you add the eggs; we don't want to incorporate air. Stir until very well integrated.
The cheesecake batter is rather thin, and that is fine. Fill the pan near the oven for easier handling.
Baking
Pour the thin pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan and bake until slightly jiggly in the center. The sides might be slightly puffed.
Let cool gradually according to instructions.
Maple whipped cream
When whipping the cream for the topping, we use maple syrup as a sweetener instead of sugar. The result is fantastic, giving the cheesecake that distinct, almost smoky flavor.
Being such a huge maple syrup fan, I drizzled additional on top of the whipped cream before serving. It makes this pumpkin cheesecake even richer, if that's possible.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
Ingredients
For the cookie base:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, or use 2 cups ground plain chocolate cookies.
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, don't use it if using plain chocolate cookies
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the pumpkin cheesecake:
- 16 ounces regular cream cheese, 2 blocks, at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin pureé, canned or homemade, see Notes below
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple-flavored extract, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup heavy cream, straight from the container
For the maple cream:
- 1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons regular cream cheese, cold
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
For serving:
- extra maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 9-inch (24cm) springform cake pan.
- Optional: Line it with foil. Use a large piece of aluminum foil to cover the base with overhang, assemble the pan, leaving the overhang outside the springform ring, then pull the extra foil up around the sides of the pan. It makes it easier to remove the cold cheesecake later.
For the cookie base:
- Stir 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powderand ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup unsalted butterand mix until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press this mixture into the prepared pan, covering the bottom.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
- Lower it to 325°F (170°C) and leave it on.
For the pumpkin filling:
- In a large bowl, beat 16 ounces regular cream cheese and ½ cup brown sugar until smooth.
- Add 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk and mix until well combined.
- Add 1 cup pumpkin pureé, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon maple-flavored extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix, and ¼ cup heavy cream. Stir to combine well, but don't beat or overmix it. If using the electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed just until integrated.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300°F (150°C) and bake for about 40 minutes more. The cheesecake should still jiggle in the center.
- Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover the pan in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, run a smooth-bladed knife around the edges to loosen any stuck parts. Remove carefully from the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Spread the maple cream on top, and drizzle with extra maple syrup.
For the maple cream:
- In a medium bowl, beat 1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons regular cream cheese and 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup until thick. Be careful not to overbeat it so it doesn't curdle.
Earl C Williams says
We loved the combination of flavors from the Oreo crust to the maple cream. Overall, a very good dessert worthy of serving to fussy guests.