Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
I’m something of an addict when it comes to food magazines, especially around this time of year when all the holiday themed recipes begin making an appearance. The November issue of Bon Appetit proved particularly irresistible this past Saturday afternoon, when it arrived in my mailbox filled with tempting visions of pumpkin brulee, pumpkin butterscotch pie and pumpkin trifle. Yet of all these mouthwatering morsels, one reigned supreme: the pumpkin cheesecake. Its gingersnap cookie, pecan and brown sugar crust was too much to resist, to say nothing of its filling, which was spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and vanilla. Yes. Please.
As luck would have it, I was in the middle of making the menu for this week. So I added all the ingredients to our grocery list, then on Monday evening my husband and I put the cheesecake together, reveling in the promise of homemade pumpkin decadence. This was, I must tell you, my first experience making cheesecake – and the end result was so satisfying that I think many more cheesecakes will be appearing in our kitchen. The cheesecake was surprisingly easy to make, and although I was a little shocked by how much the filling rose in the oven, in the end it all turned out well. After cooling on the counter for an hour, then overnight in the refrigerator, the filling condensed into the mouthwatering delight you see pictured here. Because its so dense, this is an example of a “New York” style cheesecake. Other variations include the “French” cheesecake, which is whipped and light, and the “Italian” cheesecake, which is made with ricotta instead of cream cheese.
We skipped the marshmallow-sour cream topping that’s supposed to go on top of the custard, opting instead for whipped cream. Also, a few helpful hints: when adding the crust to your pan, fill a small glass (no handle) with coins and use it to gently press the crust onto the bottom and sides, allowing the weight from the coins to do the work for you. Later, when making the custard, add the pumpkin puree to your mixing bowl before the cream cheese, thereby preventing the cream cheese from sticking to the sides of the bowl. After the cheesecake has cooled overnight, cover it with saran wrap. You can also freeze cheesecakes for up to 1 month if you carefully wrap them first in saran wrap, then in tin foil. 
That’s all for now but be prepared for more cheesecake in the future! Now that I’ve made one I plan to experiment with ingredients and techniques – beginning with a visit to the Cheesecake Factory this weekend. One must do proper research, after all.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
From Bon Appetit Magazine, November 2008. Click here for instructions on adding the marshmallow-sour cream topping, which we skipped. Because the cheesecake needs to chill overnight, be sure to make this one day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator.
Ingredients: Makes 12 servings
- For crust:
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 ounces)
- 1 cup pecans (about 3 1/2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
For filling:
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Grind cookie crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and ginger in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; using on/off turns, process to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Filling:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed to incorporate each addition. Add flour, spices, and salt; beat just to blend. Beat in vanilla. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Bake until filling is just set in center and edges begin to crack (filling will move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to release crust. Chill cheesecake uncovered in pan overnight.
128 Responses to “Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust”
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Oh.My.God is all i gotta say.
The filling actually LOOKS melt-in-the-mouth.. this is by far my most favorite dish on this blog.. like evah!
Specs’s last blog post -> Chronic Marriage Phobia Chronicles II
Specs » Wow thanks! We were really happy the results, mmm mmm.
Ariela, this is your first cheesecake?! I’m so impressed … it looks perfect. I’ve been enjoying your blog, botth recipes and book recommendations.
Audrey
Audrey’s last blog post -> Food from other books: Corduroy Mansions
It’s nice when research takes you away from the computer and into a dining establishment.
beastmomma’s last blog post -> VeganMoFo #8: Cyberdogs and Sarah Vowell
OMG – that looks amazing! I am so making one this weekend!!
Amanda’s last blog post -> Even If It’s Just A Smile
GASP! I so wish I had a slice of that right now. I HEART pumpkin cheesecake. Definitely going to put this on my “to make” list. Thanks.
pam’s last blog post -> Book # 41 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Oh man – that looks awesome! I looooove cheesecake… the closest Cheesecake Factory is 2 hours away, but I’m going to visit them two weekends from now. I might tide myself over by making this.
Plus I’ve got a lot of extra pumpkin puree from when I made your delicious chocolate chip pumpkin bread.
Nicole Hughes » I saw your post about the pumpkin bread! Your loaf looked awesome, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
That looks gorgeous – and delicious! I’ve never made cheesecake from scratch, but this actually sounds doable!
Juliet » It was very easy to make, give it a try!
I just made a pumpkin cheesecake not long ago, but this is making me want to make another!
Deborah’s last blog post -> "Warm You Up" Chili
First of all, that photo is STUNNING. With all the gorgeous creations on this site, I can’t believe this is your first cheesecake!!!! Go figure! It looks scrumptious, and I thoroughly support a trip to the Cheesecake Factory in the name of research
Dana’s last blog post -> Finger Lickin’ Good
Oh, wow! That looks delish. I’ve never tasted pumpkin cheesecake before and i just can’t take my eyes off the photo!
I’m addicted to food magazines as well – and magazines in general, since I have over 20 subscriptions!! Eek!! Haha ;0)
STUNNING CHEESECAKE!!!
I LOVE making cheesecake. My goodness this one looks good, and that crust is extremely tempting. I love the banana cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory.
Wow – this looks delish. Not normally a fan of “flavored” cheesecakes (I’m a cheesecake purist), but this looks good.
It’s beautiful!
The crust sounds amazing! Maybe I could try using it to make an apple tart for those of us who can’t handle that much dairy. What do you think?
I’m with you on loving the holiday-themed magazines…I love this time of the year, especially because I get to plan all the dessert menus for the upcoming holidays!
Merav » Why not? An apple filled gingersnap crust sounds incredible.
Bring on the holidays!! This looks ridiculously good. Glad to hear that it wasn’t terribly hard, because I’ve always been a bit nervous about making cheesecake.
Culinarywannabe’s last blog post -> I’m Back!!!
My dad will flip over this! He’s addicted to pumpkin desserts, and I’m thrilled to have something to offer that’s different from the usual pumpkin pie. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel’s last blog post -> Marmol Radziner – Palms house tour
Oh this looks amazing. I have been thinking of cheesecake lately and wanted to use the pumpkin i have. so this comes at a perfect time!
Not too big a fan of pumpkin desserts but the gingersnap cookie crust is intriguing.
Nate’s last blog post -> Big List of "Things You Must Eat" Lists
I have got to try to make this cheesecake! It looks /fantastic/.
I can’t believe this is the first cheesecake you’ve ever made! I mean, it looks like it should be in a magazine! I’ve never made a full-size one either. But I love my mini cheesecake pan and I’m making some tiny pumpkin cheesecakes today
Triple yum. I’m quite the addict too when it comes to seasonal recipes and the magazines that come along with them!
RecipeGirl’s last blog post -> Oatmeal Pumpkin Seed Bread (from Artisan Breads in Five)
This looks very delicious. It turned out fantastic for your first cheesecake! I made a similar dessert over the weekend. Everyone has pumpkin on their minds!
Reeni’s last blog post -> Halloween Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
OH MY GOODNESS!! This looks too amazing to be your first cheescake. I think I’m drooling a little bit…
Whoah! That’s just beautiful.
aleta meadowlark’s last blog post -> gourmet grilled cheeses
How many cups of pumpkin puree do you guess there are in a 15oz can? I´m asking because I made homemade pumpkin puree today planning to use it for a pumpkin pudding recipe, but I´m changing my mind after seeing these pictures. I have 1 1/2 packed cups of puree, do you reckon that would be enough?
Marce’s last blog post -> Gluten free Persian cardamom cookies
Your cheesecake looks ridiculously decedent! I can’t wait to share with my mother in law, she is a pumpkin lover too!
It looks wonderful.
Llamabean’s last blog post -> some days we need more than mac and cheese
One of my all time favorites. Yours looks nice and creamy.
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Marce » According to this page “One 15 oz. can equals 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree; one 29 oz. can equals 3 ½ cups pumpkin puree.” So 1 1/2 cups is a little short, but I don’t think it’s enough of a difference to affect the cheesecake – it will just be a little less pumpkin-y.
great, thanks!!! I´ll let you know how it turns out.
Marce’s last blog post -> Gluten free Persian cardamom cookies
This looks absolutely fantastic! Perfectly flawless for your first cheesecake – incredible job!!
Chelle’s last blog post -> Apple Hand Pies
Your first effort is a beauty! I tell ya, for some reason I am not a fan of pumpkin pie. But pumpkin cheesecake? I cannot resist it. I will file this recipe away for Thanksgiving.
Carolyn Jung’s last blog post -> The Best Darn Gelato
this is the perfect dessert for october! i haven’t always been a fan of ginger snaps but i can’t imagine these cheesecake any other way! definitely going to have to give this a try
megan’s last blog post -> chic for cheap: a casual seattle wedding
Wow! for your first cheesecake that looks amazing
Never had gingersnap crust but it sounds delicious.
Ari, I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve made me — a person who likes neither cheesecake nor pumpkin — absolutely crave this cheesecake! The color and texture are seductive.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)’s last blog post -> Ground turkey (Recipe: turkey-escarole soup)
Pumpkin cheesecake is absolutely my favorite! This looks sooooooo good, I wish I had a piece right now… I find home-made cheesecakes to be infinitely superior to all others. No surprise there!
Irene’s last blog post -> Alsatian Apple Tart
I’m a BIG fan of cheesecakes & a bigger fan if they are as healthy & beautiful asthis. Love the ginger in the base & now think that I will have to begin making pumpkin puree soon. there is no concept of canned pumpkin puree here…*SIGH*. Pretty & delicious slice, that!
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Oh my heavens. I’m a cheesecake junkie, and I’ve even made a pumpkin cheesecake before, but this one takes the proverbial cake. Yummmmm!
Andi’s last blog post -> Book Randomness on the Go…
I am always official Thanksgiving pie baker for both of our family celebrations, and this year, we are having our pumpkin pie in the form of THIS cheesecake. Thanks, Ari!!
That looks delicious!
I just made pumpkin cheesecake ice cream this weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving!
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Ariela, absolutely gorgeous!
How I love this blog!!
Tara » Aw, thank you Tara! I love that you love this blog.
brilynn » That sounds REALLY good.
Sandy S » You’re welcome! What a lucky family to have you as their official pumpkin pie (and cheesecake!) baker.
Deeba » I bet this cheesecake would be even more fabulous with homemade pumpkin puree, so don’t despair! You’re just going to have to be more gourmet than me.
Irene » Homemade is better because it’s made with love!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) » Well, now that IS something. I hope you give in to your craving.
yum. i have been brewing ideas for a thanksgiving tart and the crust looks just like what i have been looking for. beautiful.
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I’m also addicvted to food magazines! That cheesecake looks incredibly tempting and sooooo good! Perfect! I’m drooling…
Cheers,
Rosa
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This must be the most beautiful cheesecake I’ve seen in a while. I like the thickeness of it and your did a beautiful job with the plating. I’m glad you posted that recipe, it is now bookmarked. Thanks.
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This looks so good. I do like anything with spices such as ginger in them. mmm,
Canned pumpkins is not something that is easy to get in Belgium, I have looked a few times. But if I find some I may have to give this lovely looking dessert a go.
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I can’t believe that this is your first cheesecake, Ari! You’ve certainly got the knack of making them
It looks and sounds absolutely amazing—love all the spices!
Oh Ari! This looks amazing!! I’m so excited to see pumpkin coming back!! I’m actually going to the Circleville Pumpkin Festival this weekend, what a great recipe in the spirit of pumpkin!
Hearing this was your first time making cheesecake is so inspiring! Two Thanksgivings ago I made a Pumpkin Ginger cheesecake for friends during the holiday and the recipe technique called for a water bath during baking to make the cheesecake lighter…well it also being my first time, I didn’t know I was supposed to wrap the pan in layers of tin foil before letting it rest in the water bath! lol I just remember the surprise and confusion of the “cheesecake” that wouldn’t form slices, but always laugh as I remember my armenian friend saying “I love this pumpkin MOUSSE! It’s soo good!” The flavor was amazing, but I hadn’t made “cheesecake” since loool I’ll definitely be trying again!! Thanks so much!
I can’t even explain how awesome this looks! I’m a magazine addict too!
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how wonderful !!! looks so yummy !
And thanks so much for the little helpful coin hint. I do have a bunch of FRANCS coins I just gather ( while doing some cleaning / packing …we ‘re moving by the end of the month) … I know exactly what to do know : I’ll keep them for this purpose in a little old fashioned preserve jar and use them from time to time to to do the “work for me”
YUM! I cut this one out of the magazine but have never made cheesecake, so I’m a bit nervous. Do you think low-fat cream cheese would work?
maggie » Yes, I think low-fat cream cheese would definitely work. Or, you could always just use regular cream cheese and eat smaller slices (my preference!)
I have yet to finish going through my current issue of Bon Appetit(it just hasn’t been doing it for me lately), but now that I see this; I can’t wait to see the rest!
I love pumpkin cheesecake, it’s probably just about the only flavored cheesecake I really love.
That looks divine but whatever were you thinking passing up a topping made with marshmallows? Crazy! LOL! Sorry, I a HUGE fan of anything marshmallow-y. The word marshmallow alone gets me drooling.
I am printing this out and the marshmallowing topping for it. I will hopefully have a camera soon so that I can take a pic and post it with all its marshmallow-y glory!
Yum, I can’t wait!
~ingrid
ive never made cheesecake either but ive always wanted to try. yours looks so creamy and good!
sara angel’s last blog post -> i’m sensing a theme here.
I had my eye on that recipe, so I’m glad that you tried it and liked it. And thanks for the tip about adding the pumpkin puree, first!
Madam Chow’s last blog post -> Pain au Levain with Whole Wheat for Third World Bread Day! Woo-hoo!
Gorgeous cheesecake!!! I can’t believe it’s your first – it looks like it came from a fancy bakery!
That’s amazing for a first attempt at cheesecake… and kudos for trying one with a gingersnap crust. MY FAVORITE!
Love your blog.
This recipe is taking my breath away. It looks soo good. I link this recipe to my community website. Here it is recipe collection. Your readers can also vote for it too by giving it a star here. Thank you for sharing!
I can’t wait to try this one. it looks absolutely delicious! thanks
I have that same issue sitting right here on my desk at work. I’m loving all the different stuffing recipes that are in it – and those pics they have on the wood furniture is just great.
Anyway – great looking piece o’ pie!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Darius T. Williams’s last blog post -> Diablo Cream Whole Grain Linguini – My Style!
The crust is such a great combo and I’m interested in the marshmallow topping. Reminds me of Fluff – a fine childhood memory!
robin // caviar and codfish’s last blog post -> My favorite cookie.
I love cheesecake and pumpkin pie. This sounds like a yummy combination of both. I might have to make this for Thanksgiving!
Ariela, our tastes are in sync with pumpkin cheesecake – a fave! – and sweet potato muffins. Two recipes look like two winners I can’t wait to try. I’ll be checking back here often – can’t wait to see what I’m craving next. Thanks!
Cora’s last blog post -> A Chicken and Her Peeps
That cheesecake looks really good! I think I will have to try it sometime soon, I havn’t made cheesecake in years.
Amy’s last blog post -> Biscuits and Gravy
THIS is your cheesecake debut? good gracious–it’s perfect! you’re obviously a natural. nicely done.
grace’s last blog post -> surplus of squash, part 2
That pumpkin cheesecake looks amazing, and the swirl of whipped cream makes me want a spoonful right now!
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ingrid » It’s ok, I love marshmallow too! Since this was my first cheesecake though, I was focused on getting the main attraction to come out nicely. Next time I’ll try it with the marshmallow topping, husband permitting.
Let me know if you make it & post a photo! I’d love to see.
sara angel » You should try this recipe, it’s super easy – go for it!
Madam Chow » You’re welcome, anything I can do to help a fellow foodie. I always love it when someone tries a recipe first and shares any helpful tips they discovered!
CookiePie » Thanks! You’re very generous.
Lo! » This was the first time I had gingersnap crust – I think it’s one of my favorites now too! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my blog.
Darius T. Williams » Thanks.
And that must be tough, having food magazines at work and trying to ignore all those delicious photos…. don’t think I could do it!
robin // caviar and codfish » Ah, Fluff! It’s been ages since I had that… my mom never let me have it but sometimes I’d sneak some Fluff at a friends house.
Janel » I love those both too, and yes, this cheesecake is the perfect combination!
Cora » Woohoo! Glad our tastes are in sync, I love it when that happens. I hope you have fun with the recipes.
Amy » Then I think it’s high time you reacquainted yourself with the fabulous world of cheesecake, and homemade at that!
grace » Thanks! That would be awesome if I had a knack for cheesecake. We’ll find out when I make my second one.
Shari » The whipped cream does it for me too… wish I had a slice right now, but alas, we finished the cheesecake off last night. Guess it’s time to make another?
I love pumpkin cheesecake! Your recipe sounds wonderful. I made one once with an amaretti-cookie crust. The crust was great, the filling not so much. I can’t wait to try your recipe! looks heavenly.
That is Amazing for your first cheese cake. I have made many and mine never look that pretty!
Hello Again Ari,
Since you are so generous with giveaways, I thought you would enjoy the chance to win something. I am hosting a giveaway on my site:
http://beastmomma.squarespace.com/from-shelf-to-hand/2008/10/16/giveaway.html
This cheesecake looks and sounds so good!
Kevin’s last blog post -> Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir
the cheesecake looks absolutely stunning! i’m surprised you didn’t go for the marshmallow topping though–when the bon appetit arrived in my mailbox, i was immediately attracted to the recipe because of the topping! this is on my list of recipes to tackle, and i will certainly be letting you know how it turns out!
Looks absolutely spectacular. I have the magazine and your photo makes me want to give it a shot, thank you!!
Oh yah, I’ll totally be making this! Seriously, cheesecake AND pumpkin? I imagine this is what heaven will taste like.
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hi,
i don’t entirely understand.
the pumkin is cooked before it is used for the cake?
or how did you process it to be able to mix it with the cheese?
illustrativo » By “pure pumpkin” the recipe means canned pumpkin puree. So you could either buy a can of pumpkin puree and use that, or make your own puree using a technique like the one mentioned here.
I had pumpkin pie today…. I think I’ll share this recipe with my friend who made it.
Also, I wanted to share this $5 off $25 Whole Foods printable coupon (good until oct 22nd) with you and your legions of fans. If I had one near me *sigh* I’d use it.
Coupon here
The local “big box” store will have pumpkin cheesecake around the holidays but this one with the ginger cookie crust looks soooo much better! Thanks!
LisaSD’s last blog post -> My Nana’s Empanadas
Happy Autumn, Ari! That cheesecake sounds and looks soooooo good. *drooling in Manila*
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hey, Ari
I did it with my homemade pumpkin puree (the 1 1/2 cups I had) using 5 medium eggs and a little less cream cheese and it was delicious and still very “pumpkiny”… in fact, it turned out a darker color than yours so maybe the fact that it was very concentrated after drying it out made up for the 1/4 cup lacking.
Anyways, thanks so much for the recipe, I´ll be posting the recipe on the blog soon and linking back to this post as well since that´s where I got the idea from in the first place.
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