This pumpkin swirl cheesecake features a delicious pumpkin spice swirl, rich and creamy cheesecake filling, a deliciously spiced and crunchy gingersnap cookie crust, and is topped with fresh whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.
Fall has arrived and we’re all in a mad dash to bake all the fall things like jalapeño cheddar bread and apple cider donuts. My latest creation is pumpkin swirl cheesecake, a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie and pumpkin cake. Judging by this reader-favorite cheesecake recipe, I know most of you are CRAZY for cheesecake too.
How to Make Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
If you look at my classic cheesecake recipe, you’ll notice that today’s pumpkin cheesecake uses mostly all of the same ingredients. Besides the amounts of each, the difference is that we’ll divide the batter in half and add pumpkin puree + spices to create a hypnotizing pumpkin swirl. The result is pockets of luscious cheesecake paired with rich, creamy, perfectly spiced pumpkin cheesecake.
You can absolutely use homemade pumpkin pie spice here!
All this cheesecake sits on top of a crunchy gingersnap cookie crust. Add extra flavor to the crust with a bit of cinnamon and ginger. Here’s my tip: Not all store-bought gingersnap cookies are the same, so make sure you read my notes below about which cookies are best for a cookie crust.
How to swirl: My trick is to drop spoonfuls of alternating batter—plain and pumpkin—until the pan is filled, then use a toothpick or knife to swirl. It doesn’t need to be perfect and it certainly doesn’t need to be neat.
Cheesecake Water Bath
I promise a water bath is nothing complicated. All you’re doing is placing the springform pan in a roasting pan, filling it with hot water, and baking. What’s the point, you ask?
I actually have an entire post and video tutorial for How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath.
You see, cheesecake loves a humid environment. The steam from the hot water will lift the cheesecake up slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of cracks on the surface. Additionally, this slow and even baking method helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking back down as it cools. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a water bath for this cheesecake recipe is well worth it.
Want to skip all the water bath drama? Try my no-bake pumpkin cheesecake. It tastes like pumpkin mousse and is definitely one of my fall favorites. Or try pumpkin cheesecake pie which has the same great flavors, but is scaled down to fit in a pie dish.
Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Make sure you’re using bricks of cream cheese, not cream cheese spread.
- All of the cheesecake batter ingredients must be at room temperature so the batter remains smooth and combines quickly, so as to not over-beat the eggs.
- Do not over-mix the cheesecake batter
- Bake cheesecake in a water bath or alternate discussed in the recipe notes below
- Leave cheesecake in the cooling oven for 1 hour
- Cool completely at room temperature before chilling
I did have a small crack in the upper right edge of my pumpkin cheesecake, but that’s nothing a thick layer of fresh whipped cream can’t hide! Add a little salted caramel and I’m pretty sure this pumpkin cheesecake is the definition of pumpkin dessert heaven. How lovely would this look on a dessert table with your Thanksgiving pies?
How to Freeze Cheesecake
- Cool the cheesecake on the counter before freezing. No need to chill it in the refrigerator
- Freeze on springform pan: Remove the outer rim from the springform pan. Wrap the cheesecake with the bottom of the pan with a few layers of plastic wrap, then a final layer of aluminum foil.
- Or freeze without springform pan: After the cheesecake has completely cooled, run a sharp knife underneath the crust to release it from the bottom of the pan. Carefully slide it onto a parchment paper lined piece of cardboard or use a plate. Wrap it all in a few layers of plastic wrap, then a final layer of aluminum foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Do not freeze cheesecake with any toppings. Prepare toppings like homemade whipped cream and salted caramel for serving cheesecake.
I would LOVE to know if you try the pumpkin cheesecake! If you want something smaller, I also have a recipe for mini pumpkin cheesecakes and pumpkin pie bars. You may also enjoy my pumpkin cream cheese Bundt cake, too!
Print
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 9 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: serves at least 12
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This pumpkin cheesecake features a delicious pumpkin spice swirl, rich and creamy cheesecake filling, a deliciously spiced and crunchy gingersnap cookie crust, and is topped with fresh whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Gingersnap Cookie Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) gingersnap cookie crumbs*
- 1/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger and ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Cheesecake
- 32 ounces (904g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (227g) pumpkin puree*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- topping suggestions: salted caramel and whipped cream
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the crust: Using a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies into crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter until combined. (You can also pulse it all together in the food processor.) Mixture will be sandy. Press firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. No need to grease the pan first. I use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crust down tightly. Pre-bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the hot pan on a large piece of aluminum foil. The foil will wrap around the pan for the water bath in step 5. Allow crust to slightly cool as you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling:Â Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the final egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. To help prevent the cheesecake from deflating and cracking as it cools, avoid over-mixing the batter as best you can.
- Scoop out 2 cups of batter and place in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Begin adding spoonfuls of each batter, the plain and the pumpkin, on top of the crust. Alternate until all the batter is used and pan is filled. Using a toothpick or knife, swirl the batters together by dragging the toothpick top to bottom, then left to right.
- Prepare the simple water bath (see note): If needed for extra visuals, see my How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath; the visual guide will assist you in this step. Boil a pot of water. You need 1 inch of water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. I use an entire kettle of hot water. Place the pan inside of a large roasting pan. Carefully pour the hot water inside of the pan and place in the oven. (Or you can place the roasting pan in the oven first, then pour the hot water in. Whichever is easier for you.)
- (Note: if you notice the cheesecake browning too quickly on top, tent it with aluminum foil halfway through baking.) Bake cheesecake for 55-70 minutes or until the center is almost set. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour as it cools down. Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Add toppings, if desired. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean and dip into warm water between each slice.
- Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions:Â This cheesecake can be made the day before. It has to chill for quite some time before serving. See step 5. Another way to make this cheesecake ahead of time is to freeze it. Cheesecake can be frozen up to 2 or 3 months. I find this tutorial for freezing cheesecakes helpful. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowl |Â 9-inch Springform Pan or 10-inch Springform Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Large Roasting Pan
- Gingersnap Cookies: Store-bought gingersnap cookies are ideal as they are the most dry. The ONLY brand that I’ve had issues with is the Nabisco gingersnap cookies. They’re delicious on their own, but they’re too moist for a gingersnap cookie crust. Alternatively, you can use a graham cracker crust instead. Feel free to add or reduce the amount of cinnamon and ginger based on your taste preference.
- Pumpkin: I recommend canned pumpkin, not fresh pumpkin puree in this recipe. I like to use Libby’s brand. Fresh will work in a pinch, but the cheesecake is tastier and more firm with canned. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon—you will still add that.
- Why is Everything at Room Temperature? Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients combine quickly and evenly, so you won’t risk over-mixing. Also, beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake batter, hardly the way you want to begin!
- Alternate Water Bath Method: This method works as well, and you don’t have to bake the cheesecake IN water. Boil a kettle or pot of water. You need 1 inch of hot water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. Place the cheesecake on the center oven rack of the preheated oven. Place a large metal baking or roasting pan (do not use glass—I usually use a 9×13-inch baking pan or an extra-large cast iron skillet) on the bottom rack. Pour boiling water into the empty pan, about 1 inch deep. Immediately close oven to trap the steam inside. This unique water bath adds steam to the oven without having the cheesecake sit inside the water itself. No need to wrap the springform pan in foil. See How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath for more information.
These cheesecake was incredible!!! I made this for Thanksgiving and it was my first baked cheesecake. I was intimidated, but quickly learned I didn’t have to be! The directions were clear and so many helpful tips along the way. Mine wasn’t as pretty as Sally’s, but nothing a good drizzle of salted caramel sauce and whipped cream couldn’t hide. I even won over the pumpkin haters with this one!
First time I’ve ever made a cheesecake and it turned out great and no cracks! I took it to thanksgiving dinner and was told it should be my signature dessert so thank you! I would like to use the recipe to make a banana cheesecake, any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Hi Amy, we’re so glad this recipe was a success for you! We’ve never tested a banana cheesecake, but here’s our plain classic cheesecake recipe you can work from – adding a banana topping, or some sort of a swirl. Let us know what you try!
I’m new at baking and have been trying cheese cakes and made three of these for Thanksgiving dinners. All three groups thought they were delicious and couldn’t believe this old carpenter made them. I handed out three plates with cheesecakes on them and received three empty plates back. Thanks for a delicious recipe and all the tips, those were very helpful and informative. Any chance you would have a recipe for a snickerdoodle cheesecake
Hi Jeff, we’re so glad you enjoyed this cheesecake! We do not have a snickerdoodle cheesecake at this time, but that’s a great suggestion for a future recipe. We will certainly keep that in mind—thank you again!
Thanks for being here Sally. I made this pumpkin cheesecake recipe with some modifications (no swirl… used 2 cups pumpkin and twice the spice mixed into the batter…)
Anyway… I used Purity ginger cookies (very spicy). I found this cheesecake tasted much better on the 3rd and 4th day (I was sharing the cake, but it’s a big deal for me to bake, and I don’t get cheese cake often enough, so I treasured it over 5 days). The flavours mellowed really well.
I also love some of your other recipes… especially the coconut cream pie. And your pan sizes are very useful… I often bake in a cast iron skillet. Good job. I’m glad you are providing all this great info.
Very good! I brought to a Thanksgiving gathering and was pleased with taste and texture. One issue I had though, was that the crust stuck to the bottom of my springform pan. Any advice as to how to avoid this happening in the future? Thanks!!
Hi Roy, You could try lining your springform pan with parchment paper (like we do with cakes) and very carefully removing the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan with a wide spatula.
Everyone loved it! I did not do the swirl I just added the pumpkin to the batter. Delicious! This is the first cheesecake I ever have made that did not crack!
This was the best cheesecake my family has ever tried, and we are self-proclaimed cheesecake aficionados! We always make them in the slow cooker, and for this recipe we filled the basin with an inch of water and cooked the cheesecake on high for two hours, unplugged the slow cooker for one hour, and removed the cheesecake and let it cool to room temp before refrigerating. We also placed a triple layer of paper towels between the basin and the lid to catch any drips. So, so delicious, and no cracks. Will be making again!!
I’m wanting to try this for thanksgiving using 1 cup mashed sweet potato instead of canned. Do you think this would work? I don’t want to bring a bad dessert to thanksgiving.
We haven’t tested it but can’t see why it wouldn’t work! Let us know how it goes 🙂
I’d love to try this recipe- but without a springform pan. Any suggestions for baking time in a pie dish— will it work?
Hi Maggie, this is a bit too much batter for a pie dish, but you might enjoy this pumpkin cheesecake pie instead!
Thank you so much! I will try that recipe!
My son requested pumpkin cheesecake for his birthday dessert, and since you are my go-to for baking recipes, I tried this one. Fantastic! It is a big hit, and so pretty!
We loved the pie! The only issue I had was that the crust seemed, for lack of a better word, wet. It seemed baked long enough when I took it out of the oven prior to pouring the cheesecake mixture on top, but with the cheesecake over it, a great deal of the crust stuck to the pan. My kids want it again, so any tips on what to try would be appreciated!
Hi Jaimie, we’re so glad the cheesecake was a hit! Did you bake the cheesecake directly in the water bath? It sounds like some moisture may have made its way into the pan. Using a quality springform pan and wrapping it in aluminum foil definitely helps, but you could also avoid it all together by using the alternative water bath method outlined in the recipe notes (this eliminates baking it directly in water). What brand of gingersnaps did you use? Some are crispier and work better for crusts. You could also try extending the pre-bake time by just a minute or two to give it a bit more crisp. Hope this helps for the next round, and thank you for giving it a try!
Any tips for baking this to make bars? Should I just incorporate the pumpkin pie bar recipe?
Hi Jennifer! The crust, as written, will be enough to stretch for a 9×13 inch pan, though you could certainly double it. We’re unsure of the bake time, but it will be much shorter than the thick cheesecake.
Thank you!!
I’ve made this recipe before and loved it! I want to try going for a layered look this year. Instead of scooping the batters and alternately adding both, could I spread out the cheesecake layer and then put the pumpkin layer on top? Thank you!
Hi Shelby, you certainly can, but they’ll likely somewhat combine together when you’re spreading them.
Can this be made Tuesday before Thanksgiving?
Hi Kathy, yes, it should be fine if kept covered in the fridge for that long.
Quick question, could I use Nilla wafers for the crust instead?
Hi Ericka, yes, that should be fine. The amount of sugar may change, though–I’m not sure what the amount would be.
Haven’t tried it yet but my cheesecake cracked all around the sides during baking. It was still jiggly before turning off the oven. I did the water bath as well. Maybe I should have put the foil over the top? I didn’t notice any significant browning early on but it was also hard to tell bc of the main color on top was the pumpkin orange. Any tips/suggestions of what went wrong?There’s only a few bubbles as well so i’m not sure if over mixing it was the culprit? Hopefully it’s not overcooked! I will update after tomorrow.
Hi Gisella, it sounds like you did everything right–sometimes no matter what you do to prevent cheesecake cracks, they still happen! Over-mixing after adding the eggs could be the culprit… You can read more about it here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/prevent-cracks-cheesecake/ I’m sure it will still taste amazing; if the aesthetics bother you, I recommend covering the cracks with some whipped cream before serving.
Hi Beth! It tasted absolutely delectable! The texture was perfect as well so i’m not sure why the cracks appeared. The only thing I could think of is that I DID open the oven a few times more than maybe I should have but I was trying to check if the cheesecake was done. It could have also been that I did not cover it with foil midway and maybe the top got just a little too hot. To make it more visually pleasing, I did cover it with Sally’s recipe for homemade whip cream. Nobody knew! (; It was a hit! To be honest, it was super rich and quite sweet for my personal liking so next time I think i’ll cut the sugar by just a smidgen! Thanks for the lovely recipe! (:
Without changing the amounts of the ingredients, is it possible to simply incorporate the pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice within the whole batter? Or, could I scoop out three cups of batter to mix w/ the pumpkin stuff?
Hi Lydia! You can mix the pumpkin ingredients into the whole batter. Or you may enjoy our no-bake pumpkin cheesecake as well.
It turned out very well! I was going for a jack-o-lantern cheesecake, so I added a generous amount of orange gel food coloring to the batter. Then, I made a batch of salted caramel, added some molasses, and piped on a jack-o-lantern face with molasses/caramel before serving 🙂
Hello, I am excited to try this recipe! Have you tried it with gluten free ginger snaps? We have one at Friendsgiving who cannot have gluten
Hi Barb, I’m sure GF gingersnaps would work nicely for the crust here. Make sure they’re crunchy.
I’ve made the crust gluten free with this product and it tasted great!
https://www.simplemills.com/Shop/Product/Honey-Cinnamon-Seed-Nut-Flour-Sweet-Thins.aspx
Can I use regular beaters if I don’t have paddles? Tips?
Hi Marie, if you are using a hand mixer, you can just use those beaters, yes!
I would like to make this cheese cake a little thicker. Can I double the recipe?
Hi Mel, while you could try doubling the recipe, you would want a bigger pan. Doubling the recipe in this same size pan would make it very difficult for the cheesecake to bake through properly. We’re unsure of the exact bake time for a larger pan.
I loved this, but my husband wants there to be more pumpkin flavor. Could I add more pumpkin?
Hi Sylvia, we’re so glad it was a hit! It would take some recipe testing to properly add more pumpkin. Since it’s such a wet ingredient, adding more would compromise the texture of the cheesecake. You could increase the pumpkin pie spice if desired. You and your husband might also enjoy this pumpkin no-bake cheesecake, too!
I’ve made this recipe several times exactly as written and it is a *huge* hit! I’m planning on making it again this weekend for (Canadian) Thanksgiving, and I was wondering if it can be modified to fit in a 9×13-inch pan?
There is a much larger crowd this year, and I was thinking that “cheesecake bars” might be a little easier to serve.
Thank you for taking the time to write all of these recipes! They are my go-to!
Hi Jessica! This recipe should work well in a 9×13 pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. So glad it’s such a big hit!
Perfect. Visually very appealing. The flaboe of the crust is delicious! The cheesecake itself reminds me of pumpkin pie. Definitely replacing the pie with this dessert this year.
Delicious!! Thank you!! Definitely making yearly or more