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Velvety Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe with Abundant Seasonal Pumpkin and a Hint of Cinnamon-Spiced Speculoos.
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Melt-in-your-mouth Pumpkin Cheesecake
I've noticed this with our previous chestnut cheesecake as well, but both chestnuts and pumpkins have a pronounced sweetness that can overshadow their distinct flavors. However, the subtle acidity of cream cheese surprisingly complements and enhances their sweetness.
Adding spices and liqueurs further elevates the taste profile. However, it's important to be mindful of the quantities, as the flavors of the spices and liqueurs can easily overpower the delicate taste of pumpkin if not properly balanced.
Pumpkin and Cinnamon are indeed a classic combination, and incorporating the strong cinnamon flavor of Speculoos, a spiced cookie similar to gingerbread, was a great idea.
Initially, I added cinnamon directly to the pumpkin cheesecake filling, but it ended up overpowering the entire dessert, giving it a somewhat artificial candy-like taste. So, I decided to omit cinnamon from the pumpkin cheesecake filling itself and relied solely on the spice base provided by the Speculoos crust, which created a perfect balance of flavors.
Should I use a water bath (bain-marie) for baking? Yes or no?
When making cheesecake, I usually opt for a water bath (bain-marie) method, but it is also possible to make it without using one.
This time, I didn't want the Speculoos crust to become too watery, so I decided to bake it without a water bath. I baked it at a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius for about 1 hour.
The cheesecake had a beautiful browned surface and a smooth texture, but as it cooled outside the oven, cracks gradually formed. When I cut into it, I noticed that the cookie crust had absorbed moisture and there was some seepage of liquid from the bottom.
In the end, when I baked it using a water bath, the cheesecake turned out very soft without any cracks, and the crust remained crispy even on the following day, with no signs of moisture seepage.
However, this doesn't mean that you must always use a water bath. Please decide whether to use a water bath or not based on the recipe and desired texture.
Ingredients
Speculoos base
I used Speculoos, a spiced cookie, but if you can't find it, you can achieve a similar result by adding cinnamon powder to regular biscuits.
- Speculoos - Speculoos is a thin biscuit that resembles gingerbread and is rich in spices, including cinnamon. For this recipe, I used Lotus Speculoos from Belgium.
- unsalted butter
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin - I used chestnut pumpkin. It's important to cook it thoroughly until it becomes soft to achieve a smooth texture.
- Cream Cheese - I used Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Granulated Sugar
- Sour Cream
- Eggs
- Cornstarch
- Heavy Cream
Instructions
Preparations
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Peel off the skin and heat the pumpkin in the microwave until it becomes soft. It should be tender enough for a skewer to easily go through.
- Line the baking pan with reusable parchment paper or regular cooking paper that can be used multiple times.
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) about 10 minutes before baking and prepare hot water for the water bath.
Speculoos base
Place the Speculoos cookies in a resealable bag and crush them finely using a rolling pin or any other suitable tool. Pour in the melted butter and knead/mix until well combined.
Place in a mold and press down tightly with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Place pumpkin in a bowl and using the back of a spoon, mash to a purée. Add cream cheese and granulated sugar Add sour cream and mix.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Sift in the cornstarch and mix it in. Add the heavy cream and mix until well combined.
Bake in the preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) using a water bath for approximately 1 hour.
Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate it until well chilled, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, use a heated knife to slice the cheesecake. Enjoy!
Baking time and temperature
For this recipe, I baked the cheesecake in a water bath at 160°C (320°F) for 1 hour. The result was a very soft and creamy texture, where the slices would bow down when cut. It was delicious, resembling the texture of eating cream. However, if you prefer a firmer consistency, you can adjust the oven temperature to 170-180°C (340-350°F) and bake it accordingly.
Storage
The cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. If you wish to freeze it, wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and place it in a resealable bag or container. It can be stored in the freezer for approximately 2 weeks.
Equipment
I usually use a removable-bottom pan and reusable oven sheets for cake baking. The removable-bottom pan makes it easy to remove the cake without damaging it, and the reusable oven sheets don't absorb moisture, resulting in clean and neat sides of the cake.
Check out new recipes!
Rich and Creamy! Melted Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (15cm / 6-inch round mold)
Description
Velvety Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe with Abundant Seasonal Pumpkin and a Hint of Cinnamon-Spiced Speculoos.
Ingredients
Speculoos Base
- 90g (about 12 pieces) Speculoos
- 35 g unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 250g pumpkin
- 150g cream cheese
- 80g granulated sugar
- 100g sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons (12g) cornstarch
- 150 ml heavy cream
Instructions
Preparations
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Peel off the skin and heat the pumpkin in the microwave until it becomes soft. It should be tender enough for a skewer to easily go through.
- Line the baking pan with reusable parchment paper or regular cooking paper that can be used multiple times.
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) about 10 minutes before baking and prepare hot water for the water bath.
Speculoos base
- Place the Speculoos cookies in a resealable bag and crush them finely using a rolling pin or any other suitable tool. Pour in the melted butter and knead/mix until well combined.
- Place in a mold and press down tightly with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Place pumpkin in a bowl and using the back of a spoon, mash to a purée. Add cream cheese and granulated sugar Add sour cream and mix.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Sift in the cornstarch and mix it in.
- Add the heavy cream and mix until well combined.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) using a water bath for approximately 1 hour.
- Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate it until well chilled, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, use a heated knife to slice the cheesecake. Enjoy!
Notes
Baking time and temperature
For this recipe, I baked the cheesecake in a water bath at 160°C (320°F) for 1 hour. The result was a very soft and creamy texture, where the slices would bow down when cut. It was delicious, resembling the texture of eating cream. However, if you prefer a firmer consistency, you can adjust the oven temperature to 170-180°C (340-350°F) and bake it accordingly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hours
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 87
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 104
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