Are you searching for the ultimate, show-stopping dessert for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table? A magnificent, jaw-dropping centerpiece so rich, so creamy, and so packed with the cozy flavors of the season, it will have all your guests swooning? This incredible, from-scratch-tasting Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce is that perfect recipe. We’re talking a spicy, crunchy gingersnap-pecan crust, a luscious and velvety pumpkin cheesecake filling, and a decadent, homemade salted caramel sauce drizzled over the top.
This isn’t just another pumpkin dessert recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a truly unforgettable holiday tradition. While a perfect, crack-free cheesecake may seem like the territory of a professional bakery, we’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets that guarantee a flawless, impressive result every single time. This is the recipe that will win the holiday dessert table forever.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Fall & Holiday Dessert
What makes this Pumpkin Cheesecake so spectacularly delicious is its incredible combination of textures and its wonderful depth of flavor. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, festive baking. The dessert starts with a crisp, buttery, and spicy from-scratch gingersnap and pecan crust. The star of the show, however, is the filling: a classic, rich, and tangy from-scratch New York-style pumpkin cheesecake, made extra luscious with the addition of sour cream and a warm blend of fall spices. The final, show-stopping touch is a simple but decadent, homemade salted caramel sauce, which is drizzled over each slice along with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted pecans.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 6 hours (includes chilling) |
| Active Prep Time | 35 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12-16 slices |
The Flavors of the Feast: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic party cake uses a handful of high-quality ingredients and key techniques to create its signature festive look and delicious flavor.
- The Gingersnap-Pecan Crust:
- Gingersnaps & Pecans: The secret to a truly festive and flavorful crust is the combination of spicy, crunchy gingersnaps and rich, buttery pecans.
- The Creamy Pumpkin Filling:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: This is the single most important, non-negotiable secret to a perfectly smooth, creamy, and completely lump-free cheesecake batter. It is absolutely essential that your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are all at a true room temperature before you begin.
- Pure Pumpkin Puree: It is crucial to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced and would ruin the texture and flavor of your cheesecake.
- The Salted Caramel Sauce: A simple but perfect combination of rich brown sugar, heavy cream, and salted butter.1 The salt is the key that beautifully balances the sweetness and makes the caramel flavor pop.
The Cheesecake Masterclass: The Secrets to a Perfect, Crack-Free Cheesecake
This recipe uses a few simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, restaurant-quality result.
- Don’t Overmix the Eggs: The number one secret to a cheesecake that bakes up flat and dense (not puffy and cracked) is to mix in your eggs on a low speed, one at a time, and only until they are just combined.2 Overmixing the eggs is the primary culprit that incorporates too much air into your batter, which causes the cheesecake to puff up dramatically in the oven and then crack as it cools.3
- The Slow Cool-Down: The second key to a crack-free top is a slow, gentle cool-down. This recipe uses a brilliant, easy method: you simply turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool down with the oven door propped open for 15 minutes. This prevents the drastic temperature change that can shock the delicate custard and cause it to crack.
- The Long Chill: Once the cheesecake has cooled, it must chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This crucial, patient step is the key that allows the cheesecake to fully set, develop its signature dense, creamy texture, and for its flavors to meld and deepen. Do not skip this step!
Step-by-Step to the Best Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake
This fun and festive project is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: The Spicy Gingersnap-Pecan Crust
Step 1: In a food processor, grind your 12 ounces of gingersnaps until they are fine crumbs. Pour them into a bowl and stir in the 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans, the 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and a dash of salt.
Step 2: Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Refrigerate the crust for at least 30 minutes.
Part 2: The Art of the Creamy Pumpkin Filling and Bake
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F ($175^{\circ}C$).
Step 2: In a stand mixer, beat your three 8-ounce packages of softened cream cheese until soft and smooth. Mix in the 1 can of pumpkin puree. Add your 3 large, room temperature eggs, one at a time, allowing each to mix in before adding the next. Then, add the 1/4 cup of room temperature sour cream and mix.
Step 3: With the mixer on a low speed, add your 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, the 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and the 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Mix until everything is smooth.
Step 4: Pour the filling into your chilled crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes. You will know it is done when the filling is no longer soupy but is still slightly jiggly in the very center.
Step 5: Turn the oven off, open the door just a hair, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 15 more minutes. Let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature, and then cover it and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours.
Part 3: The Luscious Salted Caramel Sauce
In a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat, mix your 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 4 tablespoons of salted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, whisking gently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Let it cool.
To serve, slice the cheesecake and top each piece with a generous drizzle of the salted caramel sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake (with Salted Caramel Sauce!)
A decadent and festive recipe for a Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake with a homemade Salted Caramel Sauce, a perfect dessert for a holiday like Thanksgiving. The cheesecake features a crunchy, spiced crust made from crushed gingersnap cookies and pecans. The filling is a rich and creamy, classic pumpkin cheesecake made with cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and warm spices. After baking and a long chill, the cheesecake is served with a drizzle of from-scratch salted caramel sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and more chopped pecans.
Ingredients
- For the Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake:
- 12 ounces gingersnaps
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- Dash of kosher salt
- Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- For Serving:
- Whipped cream
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- Make the Crust: In a food processor, grind the gingersnaps until fine. In a bowl, stir the crumbs with the chopped pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Make the Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until soft. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the sour cream.
- With the mixer on low, add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Mix until everything is smooth.
- Bake the Cheesecake: Pour the filling into the chilled crust and smooth the top. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, until the filling is no longer soupy but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 15 more minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely chilled.
- Make the Salted Caramel Sauce: While the cheesecake chills, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, whisking gently, until the sauce has thickened. Let it cool.
- To serve, slice the chilled cheesecake and top with the salted caramel sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
Notes
- This is a showstopper dessert, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- The long chilling time of at least 4 hours is a crucial step that allows the cheesecake to set properly, ensuring clean slices when serving.
- Letting the cheesecake cool down slowly in the turned-off oven is a key technique to help prevent it from cracking.
- Using room-temperature cream cheese and eggs is important for creating a smooth, lump-free cheesecake batter.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Pumpkin Cheesecake is the ultimate make-ahead holiday dessert!
- Make-Ahead: This dessert must be made ahead, as it requires a long chilling time. You can prepare and bake the entire cheesecake up to 3 days in advance and store it, well-covered, in the refrigerator. The caramel sauce can also be made up to a week in advance.
- Storage: Store the finished cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why did my cheesecake crack?
The two most common culprits are overmixing the eggs (which incorporates too much air) and cooling the cheesecake too quickly. Be sure to mix your eggs in on a low speed, and to follow the recipe’s instructions for letting the cheesecake cool down slowly in the turned-off oven.
Q2: Can I make this with a classic graham cracker crust instead?
Yes, absolutely! A simple graham cracker or even a chocolate cookie crumb crust would also be delicious with this pumpkin filling.
Q3: Can I make this in a 9-inch springform pan instead of a 10-inch?
You can, but a 9-inch pan is smaller and deeper. You will likely need to increase the baking time by about 10-15 minutes to ensure the center is properly set.
Q4: My caramel sauce is too thick/thin. How do I fix it?
A caramel sauce is wonderfully forgiving! If it is too thick after it has cooled, you can simply reheat it gently on the stovetop and whisk in an extra splash of heavy cream until it reaches your desired consistency. If it is too thin, you can simply simmer it for a few more minutes until it has reduced and thickened.
Q5: Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Yes! A good electric hand mixer will work perfectly well for this recipe. Just be sure your cream cheese is very soft to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.