Pumpkin Cheesecake is a seasonal dessert that's great for the fall and winter holidays. It has a smooth, firm texture and the creamy sweetness of pumpkin pie with just enough cream cheese to give it a rich flavor. This is our recipe for the perfect pumpkin cheesecake that has no sugar added!
This easy-to-make cheesecake starts with a boxed graham cracker crust that we make - we highly recommend using store-bought ones, as they'll taste much better than the packaged kind at the store. We then make good-quality cream cheese and soften it up in both dial and microwave ovens or on top of your stovetop (you may need to stir it every few minutes).
Ingredients
2 c cooked pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie mix) (or sweet potato)
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, divided (optional)
1/2 c full-fat coconut milk or canned full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup water combined in a food processor to make coconut cream OR
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 cup warm water for thickening alternative.
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp arrowroot powder or tapioca flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling
Directions
1. To make the crust layer, you'll need to bake the graham crackers on a 9" pie plate on top of the stovetop. Bake the graham crackers at 300 degrees F for 7 minutes or until golden brown. We then spread them down with melted butter, making sure that it gets really thick and shiny. Then we sprinkle them with some cinnamon sugar mixture to decorate them nicely. Or, you can skip the cinnamon sugar for a plain graham cracker crust if you want to skip on this step too.
2. After the crust is prepared, you'll need to mix up the pumpkin cheesecake filling in a large bowl that's been lightly greased. Add in some pecans, cinnamon sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg powder to make your pumpkin cream mixture taste awesome! Pour this mixture into your graham cracker crust after it has cooled in the refrigerator.
3. If you want to make this pumpkin cheesecake in a no-bake fashion, then just take out the cream cheese from the refrigerator and place it inside a microwave oven for about 30 seconds or until it's softened up enough to spread evenly on top of your pie crust layer.
4. After you're done baking your cheesecake in a water bath, then sprinkle it with some pumpkin spice and serve immediately. If you want to make your cheesecake in a no-bake fashion, then place it inside a glass tray or box and cover the box with plastic wrap. Place it inside the fridge for about 3 hours before serving. [Note: It's best to make this pumpkin pie in a springform pan instead of an outside crust if you don't want to ruin your cookware.]
