My creamy and delicious pumpkin cheesecake with a pecan praline topping is the perfect cheesecake for the fall season. It’s a delicious blend of creamy New York style cheesecake and pumpkin pie, topped with a sweet pecan praline topping.
I promise this will become one of your favorite pumpkin desserts!
And if you’re not a fan of the praline topping…..gasp, it’s easy enough to leave it off and just create a delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake. Even if you’re not a fan of pumpkin pie (like me) I promise you’re going to love this light creamy cheesecake with a perfect blend of pumpkin flavors that won’t overpower the cheesecake.
If you love pumpkin my pumpkin crunch cake is another of my favorite pumpkin desserts.
Fall is definitely my favorite season, with cool nights and all the deliciousness that comes with the season.
My Pumpkin Cheesecake is delicious by itself but it’s over-the-top delicious with the addition of my praline topping! And let’s not even talk about how ah-mazing your kitchen will smell while it’s baking.
What ingredients do I need to make a Pumpkin Cheesecake?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
If you want to change up the crust on the pumpkin cheesecake that’s easy enough to do. You can use ginger snaps, chocolate graham crackers or any of your favorite wafer cookies to make the crust for pumpkin cheesecake.
How do I make a graham cracker crust?
- Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process them into a fine meal of graham cracker crumbs.
- Add the melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs and mix together to make the crust
- Press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan and 1-2 inches up the sides of the pan (I used a 9-inch spring form pan).
- Place on the center rack of a preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, until firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
How do I make a Pumpkin Cheesecake?
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with your electric mixer) add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Slowly add in the brown sugar, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you mix it together.
- Add in the flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix). Mix for 2 -3 minutes until well blended and smooth.
*You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon and allspice.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared crust and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for one hour.
- After the hour, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for one additional hour
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better)
How do I make a Pecan Praline topping?
- in a saute pan or sauce pan add brown sugar, and corn syrup, and heat until the corn syrup is well blended into the sugar
- Add in the pecans and let the mixture brown slightly
- Add the dulce de leche (or caramel sauce) to the pan and continue to simmer until thickened
Pour the praline mixture on the top of the cheesecake spreading it evenly. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator to allow the praline to cool and harden.
When ready to serve, carefully run a knife along the inside edge of the spring form pan and slowly release the spring.
For an added touch, garnish the pumpkin praline cheesecake with sugared cranberries.
Serve up this delicious pumpkin cheesecake with homemade whipped cream and watch the smiles around the table!
How to make whipped cream
It’s easy to make your own whipped cream by adding 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix at a slow speed, gradually increasing the speed of the mixer over 6-8 minutes until you get stiff peaks. The cream and the mixing bowl should be very cold.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Topping
Ingredients
Crust
- 20 graham crackers or digestive biscuits
- 6 Tbsp butter – melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 32 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¾ tsp salt
- 5 large eggs
- 16 ounces solid pack pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
Praline Topping
- 8 ounces chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp bourbon or vanilla
- 3 tbsp dulce de leche or caramel
Instructions
Crust
- place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process into a fine meal. Place in a mixing bowl
- Add melted butter and mix together to make the crust
- Press mixture onto bottom and up the side of a 9-inch springform pan one inch to two inches.
- Place on the center rack of a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- In the bowl of your stand mixer add the cream cheese and beat until smooth
- Slowly add in the brown sugar, scraping down the sides of bowl
- Add in the flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. Mix for 2 -3 minutes until well blended and smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into prepared crust and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour.
- After the hour, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for one additional hour
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool completely on wire rack
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better)
Praline
- After the cheesecake has completely chilled begin making the praline topping
- in a saute pan or sauce pan add brown sugar, and corn syrup, heat until the corn syrup is well blended into the sugar
- Add in the pecans and let the mixture brown slightly
- Add the dulce de leche (or caramel) to the pan and continue to simmer until thickened
- Pour the mixture on the top of the cheesecake spreading it evenly. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator to allow the praline to cool and harden.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!
Kait
Thank you for your suggestion of moving the springform up when I topped the cheesecake with the praline- it worked like a charm
And the cheesecake came out beautifully. Everyone commented on how delicious it was! (And it was devoured while the pies from a fancy bakery went untouched.) Thanks so much for the great recipe!!!
Amy B.
Chef Dennis, do you think Biscoff cookies would work for the crust…?
Chef Dennis Littley
absolutely, Biscoff cookies would make a delicious crust for pumpkin cheesecake.
Amy B.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Amy B.
One more question – does this recipe benefit from a water bath?
Tina
If using a biscoff for the crust, what cup measurement do I need to use?
Chef Dennis Littley
about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs
Candice
I’m wondering if I can substitute pure maple syrup for the brown sugar and if so do I need to reduce another ingredient?
Chef Dennis Littley
I have never made that swap, but I asked a friend of mine about it and she said to use 3/4 cup of maple syrup for every cup of brown sugar. So 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar would be about one cup and a tablespoon of maple syrup.
Kait
My cheesecake mix went right to the top of my springform… did I do something wrong? I’m concerned that the praline won’t fit in the pan.
Chef Dennis Littley
it will be fine. If it does go all the way to the top of the pan, let the cheesecake cool and run a knife along the inside of the pan to release it. Release the springform and slide the pan up enough to hold the praline topping. If the spring wont close, you can wrap foil around it to hold it closed. This will give you the room to add the praline. If it doesn’t work, don’t worry, just spoon the praline on the top as it cools it will hold better and the topping will be good
Elena Lopergolo Bush
I made the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Topping it is delicious. I will continue to make it. Thank you for sharing your receipt.
Chris
Sometimes I wish I had a stand mixer, like to make this cheesecake. Bummer.
Natalie
Such a beautiful cake. Seasonal, looks festive and delicious. I love that praline topping. I’m definitely making this cake for Thanksgiving.
Nicole
Definitely sharing and adding to my menu
Jamie
The praline is so delicious with this cheesecake! It’s perfect for fall and my whole house smelled amazing while making it. We loved it.