The best pumpkin cheesecake with a candied pecan trim! This easy recipe for a baked cheesecake is full of pumpkin and spice. It is basically a reconstructed pumpkin pie, with sweet crunchy candied pecans on top.
I'm becoming completely obsessed with autumn-themed baking! Autumn and winter are probably my favourite seasons for being in the kitchen (not least since the oven helps warm everything up!). The focus on summer salads gives way to hearty meals and all of the best flavours start to come out. After all, who doesn't love cinnamon? It takes a back seat to no spice.
My pumpkin cheesecake with a candied pecan trim is perfect for an autumn dessert. It can be dressed up or down and is a super easy showstopper for any occasion.
Ingredients
For this pumpkin cheesecake, you'll need:
- Some cupboard and baking staples: caster sugar, eggs and butter
- Tinned pumpkin - I always keep a supply of Libby's around. I stock up every time it's available and my parents send me reserves! You can use any tinned pumpkin puree.
- Cream cheese - Philadelphia is my go to brand. There is a major difference in cream cheese in the US versus the UK. In the US, you can get either blocks of cream cheese (much more solid) or a spreadable variety. In the UK, it is all spreadable. This has a pretty substantial impact when making a cream cheese frosting, but luckily not a massive one in a baked cheesecake. The silver lining is that, in Britain, you don't need to sit the cream cheese out to soften. It's already well there straight out of the fridge!
- Crushed biscuits - usually cheesecake has a graham cracker crust. In an attempt to save my limited graham cracker supply, I opted for Lotus Biscuits, which are pretty similar. Lotus Biscuits have a slight extra spicing too them, which works really well with the pumpkin here.
- Spices: Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg, Ginger and Cloves
Making Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cheesecake Base
I know that some people are put off by making a baked cheesecake and think that they are more difficult than their no-bake cousin. Honestly, they are super easy and worth a try!
First you'll need to preheat your oven and prep your crust. I baked this in a 350°F (155C Fan) oven.
For the crust, whatever biscuit base you are choosing to use, the biscuits will need to be crushed. You can put these in a plastic bag and beat them with a rolling pin. This is a tried and tested method, that certainly works in a pinch! Or you can use a food processor to achieve the same end.
In a bowl, measure out the crushed biscuits, sugar and add your spices. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Pour the butter into the crushed biscuits and spices and mix until well combined. Tip this into a springform pan (I used a 10" or 24cm tin). Press into the base and about one inch up the sides.
Once you have prepped your base, move on to the filling - which is handily a one bowl wonder!
Cheesecake Filling
This is an incredibly simple recipe for a pumpkin baked cheesecake.
Beat your cream cheese in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer to loosen this until smooth. Add sugar and beat to combine. Incorporate your eggs, one at a time and then add the pumpkin puree and spices. Pour the prepared filling into the base, spread evenly and bake for about one hour.
Wobble Test
The main test for a baked cheesecake is the wobble test. Essentially, you're looking for the centre to be set and not too liquidy. If you open the oven and lightly wobble the pan, you'll be able to see how much the middle jiggles. If this is the first time you're baking a cheesecake, check at about half an hour. You will see what I mean about the wobbliness - it will be very obviously still liquid right underneath the surface. At about 55 minutes, check again and keep an eye on the cheesecake. The cheesecake will also be slightly risen. If the cheesecake starts to split, this is a good sign that it is probably done, but we try to avoid too many cracks!
Once done, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. When it is room temperature, transfer to the fridge and continue to chill in the tin for a few hours (or overnight). After the cheesecake is well chilled, you can remove from the tin and transfer to a cake plate. I usually run a thin spatula or butter knife around the edge, to ensure this isn't clinging to the sides of the springform pan. Release the sides of the pan carefully and take this off. I generally leave the cheesecake on the base for the sake of ease, but you can carefully remove this as well (very very carefully!). The pumpkin cheesecake is now ready to eat as is, or you can add the trim!
Candied Pecan Trim
When my cheesecake came out of the oven, I felt it needed something on top to add a bit of pizzazz. I have been stocking up on pecans in anticipation for autumn baking and pecan pies, so these seemed the perfect accompaniment.
First I roughly chopped about ¾ of the pecans. I left the last ¼ as whole pecan halves to help diversify the textures.
In a saucepan over a medium heat, mix pecans, spices and maple syrup. Once the maple syrup starts to simmer and the spices have dissolved into the liquid, lower the heat and continue cooking for about 15 minutes. Unlike my candied maple pecan eclairs, the goal here was not to create a crystalised crust on the pecans. Instead, I wanted them to have a glossier coating. So, once the syrup reached a nice thickness, coating the pecans, I took these off the heat and spooned these around the edge of the cheesecake, forming the trim.
The cheesecake can then be put back into the fridge until ready to serve. It lasts in pretty good condition for a couple of days of leftovers - I can't vouch for any longer as ours has long since disappeared... I wouldn't recommend making this more than a day in advance of serving as the top will sweat a bit after too long in the refrigerator.
FAQs
Yes of course! This recipe is for a baked pumpkin cheesecake filled with warming spices reminiscent of a classic pumpkin pie.
You can also make no bake pumpkin cheesecake, but this recipe cannot be served without baking first as it requires cooking to set the mixture solid and cook the eggs.
This cheesecake will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It is a great make-ahead dessert as it needs to chill overnight before serving and can be made a few days ahead without any issue.
If making in advance, you may wish to wait until nearer the time of serving before adding the pecan trim. Chilling the pecan trim will make this a bit sticky.
Yes, this cheesecake made with pumpkin puree can be frozen. First bake and allow to cool and chill as normal. Once fully chilled and set, un-mould and place on a lined freezer safe plate to freeze for a couple of hours until more easily able to handle. Then wrap and return to the freezer.
When ready to serve, unwrap and allow to defrost in the refrigerator to return to a chilled state.
Looking for more fall baking inspiration? Try
- Pumpkin Pecan Bread
- Mini Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cakes
- Cinnamon Pound Cake
- Pumpkin Pound Cake
- Cinnamon Swiss Roll
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Trim
Equipment
- Springform pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for Biscuit Base
- 1¾ cup crushed lotus biscuits or graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese spreadable cream cheese
- 1 cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Ingredients for Pecan Trim
- 1½ cup pecan halves
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Instructions for Biscuit Base
- Mix all ingredients for biscuit base together in a small bowl, until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the base of a springform pan (10" or 22cm) and press onto the bottom and about 1" up the sides.
- Set aside to prepare the filling.
Instructions for Cheesecake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (160C Fan).
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until loosened and smooth. Add the sugar, beating to incorporate and then add the eggs one at a time.
- Add the pumpkin purée and spices, beating until a smooth batter.
- Pour this onto the base and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, checking occasionally and using the wobble test (**see notes**). Once ready, remove from the oven and cool in the tin - first on a wire rack until about room temperature and then in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- Once chilled, remove carefully from the springform tin - first slide a thin knife or spatula around the edge to loosen and then release. You can leave the cheesecake on the base, or carefully detach this, sliding the cake onto a cake tray.
Candied Pecan Trim
- Add all ingredients to a large shallow saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the maple syrup begins to boil and the spices have dissolved.
- Lower the heat and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, until the syrup has thickened covering all of the pecans in a glossy candied coat.
- Remove from the heat and spoon around the edge of your cheesecake. Continue to chill this in the fridge until ready to serve.
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