Pumpkin Vanilla Cheesecake

This is the BEST layered Pumpkin Vanilla Cheesecake. It’s got a THICK brown butter cinnamon graham cracker crust, and two silky and creamy layers of cheesecake – one pumpkin, and one vanilla bean. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s finished with a MOUNTAIN of the fluffiest vanilla whipped cream.

What makes this Pumpkin Cheesecake the BEST?

• Thick Crust. If my slice of cheesecake doesn’t have a nice thick crust, I’m not interested. With all that creamy texture, it NEEDS a good bit of crunch! This recipe uses a browned butter cinnamon crust and it’s SO delicious.
• Layers. This is both for the aesthetics AND for the flavor. I don’t know about you, but I like my pumpkin desserts to be subtle with the pumpkin flavor. I want to taste it, but I don’t want it to be overpowering. Doing one layer of vanilla bean cheesecake and one layer of spiced pumpkin is the perfect balance. And the (very large) layer of whipped cream is the cherry on top.
• Texture. This cheesecake is SO creamy and perfect – almost melt in your mouth. It’s simple ingredients, done well.

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese. No doubt the most important ingredient. I feel strongly about using Philadelphia Full Fat Cream Cheese when baking cheesecakes. It really is the best flavor and texture.
• Eggs. You’ll need three large eggs PLUS one egg yolk which gives this cheesecake that lucious velvet-y texture.
• Sour Cream. I use sour cream in my cheesecakes for lots of reasons! It adds a perfect tangy flavor, it helps add moisture so your cheesecake won’t crack, and the acid in sour cream helps create a super soft and creamy texture.
• Cornstarch. This ingredients gives us some extra insurance that the cheesecake won’t crack.
• Pumpkin Puree. Make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin – NOT pumpkin pie filling.
• Spices. There is cinnamon in the crust, as well as in the pumpkin layer of the cheesecake. The pumpkin layer also has a bit of nutmeg and allspice creating that perfect warm fall flavor.
• Heavy Cream. For the whipped cream topping. If you don’t want to make your own whipped cream, store bought is fine! But – homemade whipped cream is so easy and delicious.

How to Make Pumpkin Vanilla Cheesecake

Make the Crust.

First, line your 9″ springform pan with parchment paper. I like to line both the bottom and the sides of the pan to make removing the cheesecake from the pan extra easy and foolproof. Lining the sides also helps ensure your cheesecake doesn’t crack when it cools because the cheesecake will shrink slightly as it cools and it will pull away from the sides of the pan. If the cheesecake is stuck at all to the sides, it can cause cracks. Lining it with parchment ensures that it won’t stick!

Next, brown the butter. In a light colored medium saucepan, place the butter over medium low heat. Allow the butter to melt, then continue to cook it until it is golden brown. The butter solids will separate from the fat and the water will evaporate and the butter will crack and pop while this happens. Then, the butter solids will begin to toast. The butter will become silent and start to foam up – that’s when you know it’s done. Let it cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the brown butter is cooled, mix it with the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Press the crust into the prepared springform pan using a flat bottomed glass or measuring cup. Make sure to press firmly so the crust holds together. Work the crust up the walls of the pan creating a nice thick layer. Bake the crust at 350 for 12 minutes, then allow it to cool while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Make the Cheesecake Filling.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a casserole dish (or any oven safe dish) with a few inches of very hot water and place it onto the bottom rack in the oven as it preheats. This will create a moist environment for the cheesecake to bake in and will prevent it from cracking. Make sure there’s another rack in the center of the oven for the cheesecake to bake on.

There are two layers to this cheesecake, but we make it all at once so it’s super easy! Start by beating the cream cheese in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 5-7 minutes or until completely smooth. Make sure to stop the mixer a few times to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. This is ESSENTIAL to making sure your cheesecake is smooth. If you don’t get the lumps out at this point, you’ll end up with lumps in the baked cheesecake.

Once your cream cheese is completely smooth, add the sugar and mix for an addition 1-2 minutes. Then, add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time with the mixer on low. Again, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all the egg is getting incorporated. Egg whites love to settle at the bottom of the bowl! Then, add the vanilla, sour cream, and cornstarch and mix until combined and smooth.

Tips for Baking Cheesecakes

• Room temperature ingredients. Never is this tip more important than when making cheesecake. It’s the only way to make sure everything mixes nicely and gets completely smooth.
• Mix everything on LOW speed. When making the cheesecake batter, always mix on low. Mixing it on a high speed will incorporate air into the batter. Air will always find a way to escape – and as it escapes, it’ll leave cracks and bubbles in your cheesecake. Mixing on low prevents this from happening.
• Line the pan with parchment. Parchment paper is my favorite kitchen tool. It’ll prevent the cheesecake from sticking to the pan and creating cracks. And it’ll also make it super easy to transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
• Bake in a moist environment. You can use a water bath, or what I’ve been doing lately is just creating a moist environment by placing super hot water in a casserole dish on a rack underneath the cheesecake. This way, there’s steam in the oven keeping the cheesecake moist, but no risk of water leaking into your crust and making it soggy.
• Cool gradually. Man, there’s SO many ways that your cheesecake can crack. And one is if you try to cool it too quickly. The cheesecake will shrink slightly as it cools, and if it does that too quickly, cracks can form. I suggest cooling it in the oven with the door cracked for an hour after baking, then move to the counter for another hour, THEN finally place in the fridge to cool completely.

Tools & Equipment

• Springform Pan. A pan with removable walls so that you can easily lift your cheesecake out and place it on display in the center of the dessert table where it belongs.
• Stand Mixer. There’s a lot of mixing required for cheesecakes in general and especially this recipe where we’re also making homemade whipped cream. You’ll need both the paddle and whisk attachments. Of course you can make this with a hand mixer and some elbow grease, but your arm will be tired by the end for sure.
• Parchment Paper. I absolutely love these precut parchment paper. I use it with almost everything I ever bake. It’s shipped and stored completely flat so say goodbye to parchment with annoying edges that roll up!
• Rubber Spatulas. I love a rubber spatula. I use both a standard size and a mini one every single day.
• Kitchen Scale. I’m still begging you to buy a kitchen scale and bake using weighted gram measurements. It’s the only way that I can guarantee that your desserts will turn out exactly like mine. Baking is a science and this helps you to be EXACT.

Pumpkin Vanilla Cheesecake FAQs

• Can I omit the whipped cream? Yes! This cheesecake is just as delicious without it! You can also serve the whipped cream on the side and allow your guests to add (or not add) their own!
• Can I make the whole cheesecake pumpkin flavored and skip the vanilla layer? Yes! Just double the pumpkin and spices and mix it all in at the end of making the batter instead of splitting it in half.
• How to store this cheesecake? Store it uncovered in the fridge for up to 5 days after baking. I recommend not adding the whipped cream until you’re ready to serve!

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