✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Cheesecake Factory pumpkin cheesecake is tall, dense and creamy, with warm spice, a cinnamon graham crust and a big swirl of whipped cream. I bake it the night before, and the fridge does the hard part.
How Do You Make Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake? (Quick Answer)
Bake a cinnamon graham crust in a foil-wrapped 9-inch springform pan. Beat 24 ounces cream cheese with both sugars, flour and spices, then mix in 1 1/4 cups blotted pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla and 4 eggs on low. Bake in a water bath at 325°F for 70 to 80 minutes, cool in the oven for 1 hour, chill for at least 6 hours and top with whipped cream.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Blot the pumpkin before it goes in. Canned pumpkin carries a lot of water, and pulling a little out gives you a dense, creamy slice instead of a soft, pie-like one.
Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Real cheesecake first dense and tangy, with pumpkin and spice running through it.
- Make-ahead by design it needs a long chill, so your oven is free on the big day.
- That cinnamon crust a little extra spice in the graham crumbs ties the whole slice together.
- A proper showstopper tall, burnished and piled with whipped cream.
- Any time of year no waiting for the fall menu, since canned pumpkin is always in the pantry.
What Makes This Taste Like The Cheesecake Factory?
The restaurant slice is tall, rich and dense, closer to a real cheesecake than to a pumpkin pie with cream cheese in it. That was my goal here, and my test for any copycat is simple: does it taste like the memory, and can a home cook pull it off reliably?
So I keep the cream cheese high, blot the pumpkin so the filling stays thick, and use brown sugar alongside white for a warmer, more caramel flavor. The water bath takes care of the creamy texture, and a real whipped cream topping finishes it off.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Cream cheese: full-fat brick cream cheese, soft all the way through. Tub cream cheese has more water and won't set the same way.
- Pumpkin puree: plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices in it.
- Two sugars: white sugar for clean sweetness, brown sugar for that warm, caramel note.
- Pumpkin pie spice: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in one jar. I like an extra pinch of cinnamon, and the crust gets some too.
- Sour cream: a little tang and a softer, creamier slice. Have it at room temperature so it blends in cleanly.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Get everything to room temperature. My first pumpkin cheesecake used cold cream cheese straight from the fridge, and the filling stayed full of little white lumps. Give it 2 hours on the counter.
- Keep the mixer on low. Air is the enemy here. It puffs the batter up in the oven and then it sinks and cracks. Low and steady wins.
- Don't skip the water bath. It keeps the heat gentle and even, and that's how you get a creamy slice with no crack. Two layers of foil keep the water out of the crust.
- Trust the wobble. The center should still jiggle when you nudge the pan. It firms up as it cools, and overbaking is what makes cheesecake dry and grainy.
- Bake it the night before. My mum always baked her Thanksgiving pumpkin pie the night before, and I do the same with this. A full night in the fridge gives you the cleanest slices.
- Use a hot knife. Dip a long knife in hot water, wipe it dry, make one cut, and repeat. It's fussy, and it's worth it.
Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake
12
slices30
minutes1
hour25
minutes530
kcal8
hours55
minutesA copycat version of the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory: a dense, creamy pumpkin and warm spice filling baked in a water bath on a cinnamon graham cracker crust, chilled until firm and topped with whipped cream. Makes one 9-inch cheesecake, 12 slices.
Ingredients
- For the Graham Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- For the Pumpkin Filling
24 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, at room temperature (three 8 oz blocks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling), blotted
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
- For the Whipped Cream
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Make the crust
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Mix the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter, press firmly into the base and 1 inch up the sides, and bake for 10 minutes. Cool while you make the filling. Lower the oven to 325°F and put a kettle of water on to boil.
- Make the filling
- Spread the pumpkin puree on a double layer of paper towels and blot the top for a minute or two. On medium-low speed, beat the cream cheese, both sugars, flour, spices and salt for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl twice, until completely smooth.
- Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla on low. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each disappears. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth, because extra air means cracks.
- Bake and chill
- Pour the filling over the crust and set the pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the springform. Bake at 325°F for 70 to 80 minutes, until the edges are set and the center 3 inches still wobble like gelatin.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Lift it out, run a thin knife around the edge and cool on a rack. Refrigerate, uncovered at first and then covered, for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- Finish
- Whip the cold cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Unclip the pan, pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top and slice with a hot, dry knife, wiping it between cuts.
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More Copycat Cheesecakes and Pumpkin Bakes
You'll find the whole menu in my Cheesecake Factory copycat recipes. If you need more on the dessert table, try my copycat Costco pumpkin pie or a no-bake Oreo cheesecake that needs no oven at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in the Cheesecake Factory pumpkin cheesecake?
It is a pumpkin and spice cheesecake on a graham crust, topped with whipped cream. The chain does not publish its recipe, so this copycat uses cream cheese, pumpkin puree, brown and white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, sour cream and eggs to get close to the flavor and texture.
When does The Cheesecake Factory sell pumpkin cheesecake?
It is usually a seasonal fall and holiday item. Timing varies by year and location, so check with your local restaurant. Baking it at home means you can have it whenever you like.
Why did my pumpkin cheesecake crack?
Usually too much air in the batter, too hot an oven, or cooling too fast. Mix on low, use the water bath, and let it cool in the turned-off oven for an hour. A crack is only cosmetic, and whipped cream covers it nicely.
How do I know when pumpkin cheesecake is done?
The outer edge should look set and slightly puffed, while the center 3 inches wobble like gelatin when you nudge the pan. It will finish setting as it cools and chills.
Can I make pumpkin cheesecake ahead?
Yes, and you should. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, and add the whipped cream on the day you serve it. It needs at least 6 hours of chilling to slice cleanly.
Can I freeze pumpkin cheesecake?
Yes. Freeze it without the whipped cream, firm on a tray, then wrap it well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and top it just before serving.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
Yes, but roast and puree it, then drain it in a sieve for 30 minutes and blot it well. Fresh puree is wetter than canned, and extra water makes the filling soft.
