Description
A rich and creamy cheesecake with a beautiful pumpkin swirl, buttery graham crust, and warm fall spices — the perfect holiday dessert that tastes as stunning as it looks!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 crackers)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until combined. Press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan, covering the bottom and slightly up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream, and flour, and mix on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each — do not overmix.
- Set aside 1 cup of the plain cheesecake batter. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Stir into the reserved batter until blended.
- Pour half of the plain batter into the crust. Add spoonfuls of the pumpkin batter on top. Repeat with remaining plain and pumpkin batters. Swirl gently with a knife — just enough to create a marbled pattern.
- Place the springform pan in a larger baking pan and pour hot water halfway up the sides to create a water bath. Bake 60–70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, crack door open, and cool 1 hour inside.
- Remove from water bath, run a knife around the edge, and cool completely. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight for best flavor. Serve with whipped cream or caramel drizzle. Use a warm, clean knife for perfect slices!
Notes
For a lighter texture, avoid overmixing once the eggs are added. This cheesecake can be made 1–2 days in advance and kept refrigerated. It also freezes beautifully for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 130mg