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Dig into my decadent pumpkin swirl cheesecake, made with pumpkin puree, gingersnap cookies, and a to-die-for salted caramel topping.
Pumpkin swirl cheesecake
If pumpkin cheesecake has no fans, then I am dead. Pairing sweet and creamy pumpkin with warm spices and tart cream cheese – I dare you to find a better combination!
I’ve made my obsession known before with recipes like pumpkin pie cheesecake balls and lightened-up pumpkin cheesecake. But today, I’m sharing something brand new – my pumpkin swirl cheesecake recipe!
So, what makes this pumpkin cheesecake so special?
Beyond the gorgeous pumpkin cream cheese swirl, the crust packs a little something special. AKA, it’s made from gingersnap cookies! Their ginger pairs perfectly with the pumpkin pie spice flavors.
Ingredients needed
This pumpkin cheesecake swirl recipe includes all your pumpkin baking classics, along with a couple of delicious extras. Here’s a little bit on everything you’ll need:
- Gingersnaps: Move over graham crackers – there’s a new crust in town! The base of this cheesecake is made from 1 ½ cups of gingersnap cookies.
- Butter: ¼ cup of melted butter gives our crust that yummy, crumbly texture.
- Brown sugar: For extra sweetness, I add ¼ cup of brown sugar to my crust.
- Pumpkin pie spice: 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice brings all of those traditional fall flavors to the forefront. I also use 1 tbsp in the cheesecake batter.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt enhances each ingredient!
- Cream cheese: Tangy cream cheese is a cheesecake staple. I use 32 oz in this recipe.
- Eggs: You heard that right. 4 eggs help thicken the cheesecake batter, helping to give it that silky texture.
- White sugar: 1 cup balances out that cream cheese “tang.”
- Plain Greek yogurt: Adding 1/2 cup of 5% Greek yogurt is an easy way to lighten up this recipe.
- Vanilla: No baked good is complete without a bit of vanilla extract! This recipe uses just 2 tsp (but you can add a little extra if you’d like).
- Pumpkin puree: The star of this cheesecake is 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Bright, sweet, and creamy, it’s one of my top ingredients for both sweet and savory cooking.
- Cinnamon: 1 tsp of cinnamon enhances the pumpkin pie flavors in this dish.
- Whipped cream: I’ll never turn down a scoop of whipped cream. If you prefer a dairy-free alternative, coconut whipped cream is equally delish!
- Salted caramel topping: Finish your pumpkin swirl cheesecake with a drizzle of warmed salted caramel – you can thank me later.
Kitchen tools required
To make this pumpkin confection, you’ll need to gather a few common kitchen tools…
- Springform pan or 10” pie dish
- Parchment paper
- Cooking spray
- Food processor
- 2 mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or whisk
- Tinfoil
- Toothpicks
- Kitchen knife
You’ll also need a few measuring cups, including 1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, 1 tbsp, and 1 tsp.
How to make pumpkin swirl cheesecake
While this recipe is a bit time-intensive, it’s actually really easy to make. So, let’s get baking!
Baking the crust
Start your pumpkin cheesecake by preheating your oven to 350 F and prepping a springform pan with some non-stick cooking spray and parchment paper.
Then, pop your gingersnaps into a food processor and blend until crumbs form. Add in melted butter, salt, and brown sugar to finish the crust, pulsing until everything has combined.
Add your mixture to the prepared pan and compress into a crust. You can use your hand or the bottom of a glass for this step.
Bake the crust for 12 minutes, then remove to cool. At this point, reduce the oven heat to 325F.
Preparing the filling
Now for the filling! Add cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until it’s silky smooth. Continue mixing while adding in an egg at a time, then the sugar, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
Set aside two cups of this cheesecake batter in a separate bowl. To this, add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, mixing until smooth.
Reinforce your springform pan with tin foil. Then, pour about ⅗ cup of the cheesecake filling onto the cooled crust. Top this with the same amount of pumpkin cheesecake batter, alternating layers until you’ve finished both batters.
Use a toothpick to create that gorgeous pumpkin cheesecake swirl.
Bake and serve
Baking (and cooling) this recipe is a bit of a process, so get ready!
Bake for 30 minutes in your preheated oven. Then, reduce the heat to 250F and bake for an additional 50 minutes. Finally, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit for 30 minutes.
Crack the oven door for 1 hour, then remove the cheesecake and let it cool on the counter for an additional 2-3 hours.
Finish the cooling process in the refrigerator overnight, making sure to run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake beforehand.
Lift your completed pumpkin swirl cheesecake from the pan and serve with whipped cream and warmed salted caramel topping.
Recipe tips
Below are some common pumpkin swirl cheesecake questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Can I make this pumpkin swirl cheesecake dairy-free?
Making this recipe dairy-free requires a few substitutions, but it’s totally possible! To do so, you’ll want to swap the following for dairy-free alternatives:
Luckily, these dairy-free ingredients are all readily available in most major grocery stores.
How should I serve this pumpkin swirl cheesecake recipe?
I recommend serving this recipe with fluffy whipped cream and salted caramel drizzle for extra deliciousness. That said, there are lots of delicious topping options for you to try! Some of my favorites include:
- Coconut whipped cream
- Chopped walnuts
- Candied pecans
- Cinnamon dusting
- Stewed apples
- Chocolate shavings
Storing leftovers
Store any leftover pumpkin swirl cheesecake in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To prevent the cheesecake from drying out, you can also wrap the cheesecake in a bit of plastic wrap before storing it.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Here are some of my favorite autumn-inspired desserts. Enjoy!
- Healthy Pecan Pie Bars
- Apple Crumble Cheesecake
- Healthy Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Healthy Apple Crisp
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Dig into my decadent pumpkin swirl cheesecake, made with pumpkin puree, gingersnap cookies, and a to-die-for salted caramel topping.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups crushed gingersnaps
- 1/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 stick)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch salt
Filling
- 32 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup 5% plain greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Topping
- Whipped cream
- Salted Caramel Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a springform pan with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Alternatively use a 10 inch pie dish, but springform will be best for this cheesecake.
- In a food processor, blend gingersnaps until you have crumbs. Once fine crumbs, add in melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse until well combined.
- Pour into springform pan and press firmly down using the bottom of a glass or hand. Bake for 12 minutes at 350F and let cool completely. Reduce oven heat to 325F.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time and continuing mixing. Then add in sugar, greek yogurt, and vanilla and beat for several minutes until smooth.
- Take two cups of cheesecake batter and pour into separate bowl. Add in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Mix together until smooth.
- If your springform pan typically leaks, or just to be certain it doesn’t, wrap the bottom and halfway up in several layers of foil before adding cheesecake filling.
- Pour cheesecake filling into cooled crust by layering. Start with 3/4 cup plain cheesecake batter, then add 3/4 cup pumpkin cheesecake batter on top, and repeat until all batters are finished. Use a toothpick or knife and swirl batters together a few times.
- Bake cheesecake for 30 minutes at 325F. After 30 minutes is up, reduce heat to 250F and bake for 50 minutes. Turn oven off and let cheesecake sit in warm oven for 30 minutes, then crack oven door open and let cheesecake cool down even more for 1 hour with oven door open.
- Bring cheesecake to room temperature on counter (about 2-3 hours) and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake before transporting to refrigerator overnight.
- After a night in the fridge, release from springform pan. It should easily lift off, but if not, run a knife along the edge again. Before serving, top with whipped cream and drizzle with warmed caramel sauce. Slice into using a wet sharp knife.
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Lindsay Kastberg says
Hi Erin, all your recipes are amazing so this one will surely be a hit… just want to confirm, no water bath?
Erin says
Hi Lindsay, correct- no water bath. Let me know how yours comes out!! 🙂
Emily says
Made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out great! Favorite dessert for many! The recipe was easy enough as long as you have plenty of time for each step (I made it on Tuesday and kept it in the fridge until Thursday). It’s impressive looking and delicious dessert! Thank you!
Erin says
Hi Emily, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Justine says
This was a hit at Thanksgiving! Everyone loved it and couldn’t believe I had made it myself. So yummy. I’m gluten free so made the crust out of gf graham crackers and tasted great! Erin knocks it out of the park again!
Erin says
Hi Justine, so glad everyone loved your cheesecake!! 🙂
Elizabeth says
This recipe is SO GOOD! I ended up making it into bars since my pie pan was too small. They were creamy, pretty, and so delicious. I received lots of compliments on the gingersnap crust. This is a cheesecake, so don’t be like me and decide to start baking late at night – you’ll be up for a bit controlling the oven! I highly recommend.
Erin says
Hi Elizabeth so glad you liked it so much! 🙂
Chelsea Weiss says
Did you make your own salted Carmel? If so do you have a recipe? Or did you buy store brand, and if so what brand do you recommend?? Looking forward to making for Thanksgiving!
Erin says
Hi Chelsea, no, I do. I buy Smuckers brand! Let me know how your cheesecake comes out!! 🙂
Valerie says
Hi! How would I make this into bars??
Kaitlyn says
This recipe was a huge hit for my Friendsgiving! Everyone loved it and couldn’t believe it was homemade. This was the first cheesecake I’ve ever made and the recipe was foolproof. I’ll definitely be making this again, along with other cheesecakes!
Erin says
Hi Kaitlyn, so happy everyone enjoyed it so much!! 🙂
Alisanne says
Followed the recipe to a T and this came out perfectly !! I found it even got tastier after an extra day or two in the fridge so I may make it Monday or Tuesday so I can let it sit a bit before serving it at Thanksgiving! I can’t wait to make it again!!
Erin says
Hi Alisanne, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Marilyn says
Can this be made in advance and frozen? Does freezing it make it mushy?
Erin says
Hi Marilyn, unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one. It doesn’t thaw nicely. So sorry!
Jess says
Awesome recipe and it turned out super yummy for my very first time making a cheesecake.
The outside is perfect as far as consistency, but the middle is more watery/mushy. Any insight!?
Erin says
Hi Jess, so glad you liked it and it sounds like it may need to have been cooked a little longer! It shouldn’t be jiggly.
Stacey says
First time making a cheesecake and used this recipe. It was DELICIOUS and everyone RAVED! Deff remember to spray your springform pan, the crust will stick
Erin says
Hi Stacey, so happy it was a big hit! 🙂
Linda says
What else can I use in place of the greek yogurt
Erin says
Hi Linda, sour cream is a great sub! Let me know how your cheesecake comes out!
Pamela says
This answered my question