The first time I had pumpkin cheesecake, it was more of a New York style. It was delicious, but also very heavy. I mean, you just finished eating a plate full (or perhaps several plates full) of Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re like me, by that time, you just aren’t in the mood to eat something heavy.
Enter this recipe. I use ricotta as the main base for the filling, which is lighter, and can cook up to a good texture without requiring flour. This recipe is enough to make one 8-inch round cheesecake. You’ll need a springform pan. Also, the cheesecake needs to sit in the fridge overnight, so you’ll want to make this the day before.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients:
For the crust
- 3 cinnamon graham crackers
- 1 handful ginger snap cookies
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 4 tbsp butter melted
For the filling
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 20 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 3/4 cup white sugar
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 15 oz pure pumpkin
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 6 large eggs
Directions:
For the crust
- Break up the graham crackers and ginger snaps in a food processor or with a large mortar & pestle.
- Add the melted butter and sugar to the crumb, and mix until evenly coated. Pour into the bottom of a springform pan, and press down evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge while you make the filling.
For the filling
- Preheat the oven to 315 °F. In a stand mixer (if you have it, use a hand mixer if not) beat the cream cheese on low for 10 minutes, scraping the sides throughout.
- Add the ricotta and white sugar and beat for another 5 minutes until smooth, scraping the sides throughout. Slowly add the evaporated milk while running the mixer on low, until it is all incorporated.
- If using a stand mixer, change to the whisking attachment. Add the pumpkin and whisk together on medium speed.
- While the mixer is running on medium-low, add the cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and salt. Turn the mixer off, scrape the side, then turn it back on to medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and uniform.
- While the mixer is still running, add the eggs one at a time (crack them into a separate bowl first to ensure no shells get added) and whip until evenly incorporated.
To bake
- Remove the springform pan with the crust from the fridge and discard the plastic wrap. Pour in the batter to within about 1/2in from the top.
- Using one solid piece of tin foil, surround the springform pan loosely. Set in a large roasting pan filled with about an inch of water (this is called a water bath).
- Bake at 315 for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool for one hour before covering with a cloth or paper towel and setting in the fridge at least over night.
- If moisture has gathered on the top after chilling, dab with a paper towel. Cut the cheesecake into 8-16 pieces, depending on the size you want. Serve chilled.
Equipment used:
More Thanksgiving Recipes:
• Savory Cornbread Stuffing
• Scratch-Made Asparagus Casserole (my version of green bean casserole)
• Country-Style Herbed Mashed Potatoes
• Dijon Country Gravy Made with Turkey Drippings
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce Worth Serving
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Bacon Vinaigrette
• How to Roast the Perfect Turkey
• How to Make an Entire Thanksgiving Meal In One Oven
Have you tried this with gluten free graham crackers? Does anything need to change if doing it GF? Thanks! :)
GF graham crackers would work great.
Your video was inspiring and I’m gonna try to make one for Thanksgiving! Can you give me advice on how to do it in advance? Can I freeze it at any point so I can make it a week ahead of time? I want it to be as impressive as it sounds when I serve it!
I’ve never tried freezing it but it will keep in the fridge for several days. The longest I’ve done is like 5 days, but you have to keep moisture away from it. Including the humidity in the air. Try to refrigerate it sealed up completely and air tight.
I have made this a few times and now everyone demands it on Thanksgiving. Did the recipe change? Seems like it used to be heavy cream rather than condensed milk.
Delicious!! I made Chris’ Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving and is was a hit! It will definitely become a part of every future Thanksgiving dinner! Thanks! Sue
Chris….Excellent cheesecake!! So light and flavorful. Not sure what I did wrong but the crust “desolved” into the bottom of my cake…way too moist on the crust and cake I guess?? Next time I will brown the crust and let it cool. Maybe then it will stick around. Truly the best cheesecake I’ve eaten and fun to make! Thank you!!