A rich and creamy Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake made with warm spices and canned pumpkin. It’s an easy and fuss free cheesecake for beginners and experts alike.
Basque-style cheesecake, originating in San Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain (where we spent some time when living in Spain), is made without a bottom crust, without a water bath, and without any fancy or challenging techniques. This style of cheesecake has been popularized by the restaurant La Viña in San Sebastian.
It is a rustic cheesecake that has a caramelized top (sometimes referred to as Burnt Basque Cheesecake) and creamy texture inside. It is much easier than American-style cheesecakes. Imperfections add to the appeal.
I've made dozens of Basque cheesecakes, experimenting with different flavors and dishes such as Loaf Pan Basque Cheesecake, Mini Basque Cheesecake, Cheesecake Without A Springform Pan, or the ultra-rich chocolate version, Chocolate Basque Cheesecake.
Jump to:
🛒 Ingredients:
Below are the ingredients needed to make Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese bars, not whipped cream cheese. The foil packaging also has oz markings (just like butter with tablespoons), which you can use as a guide when measuring. It helps to use room temperature ingredients (like cream cheese and eggs), but it is not strictly necessary.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness, can be reduced to 1 cup if you prefer a less sweet cheesecake.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
- Pumpkin: Used canned pumpkin purée, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Cinnamon: I recommend using high-quality cinnamon. I use Ceylon Cinnamon from a brand called Simply Organic at Whole Foods.
- Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice: This recipe includes ¼ teaspoon of each. Feel free to add a pinch more if there's one of these spices you really love. You can use pumpkin pie spice as a substitute if needed.
- Salt: To bring out flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Use heavy whipping cream.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract. If you don’t already have it on hand, it’s not worth it to buy it. Vanilla extract can be expensive. Just omit it from the recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep. Preheat the Oven to 400°F.
Step 1. Combine Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with a mixer. Beat at low-medium speed for 5 minutes. Start at low speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium for 4 minutes.
Step 2. Add the Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. To do this, add the first egg and mix to combine (about 10 seconds). Then add the second egg and mix to combine, and so on until all 4 eggs have been incorporated.
Step 3. Prep the Pumpkin Puree: Wrap the pumpkin puree in cheesecloth and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid.
If you do not have cheesecloth, you can press the pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove excess water. Removing the excess water prevents the cheesecake from being watery or taking an excessive amount of time to bake.
Tip: Do not press the pumpkin too hard in the cheesecloth or the pumpkin puree will squeeze out (though if some leaks out, that is okay).
Step 4. Add Pumpkin and Spices: Add the reduced pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt to the large bowl, and mix to combine.
Step 5. Add Heavy Cream and Vanilla Extract: Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and use a whisk to combine.
Step 6. Sift Flour: Add the flour to a fine mesh strainer. Dust the flour over the cheesecake batter a little at a time and whisk to incorporate.
Tip: Do not add the flour all at once, or it will clump together and be lumpy in the batter. Add it to the fine mesh strainer, then lightly tap the strainer over the bowl to add a dusting of flour. Whisk to incorporate, then add another dusting of flour and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated.
Step 7. Prepare the Baking Dish: Lightly butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Then line the pan with two sheets of parchment paper such that there is a two-inch overhang. (This can be done before preparing the batter if so desired).
Step 8. Pour the Batter: Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.
Step 9. Bake the Cheesecake: Bake the cheesecake at 400°F for 45-50 minutes or until the top is dark golden brown. The center may be slightly lighter in color.
The cheesecake should have quite a dark top, otherwise, the center will not be cooked through. Allow to cool fully at room temperature, then place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
In the above picture, the left image is right after taking the cheesecake out of the oven. The right picture is after it has fully cooled and been refrigerated overnight.
Tip: It is important to let the cheesecake cool at room temperature rather than place it directly in the fridge so that it sets properly, which will give it a creamy, consistent texture. It also prevents condensation from forming when covering the cheesecake, which may drop on the top of the cheesecake and create discoloration.
✨ Pumpkin Cheesecake Tips and Tricks
- Cream Cheese: If you have not softened your cream cheese in advance, place the cream cheese in a microwavable bowl (removed from foil packaging) and microwave it for 1 minute at 20% power, checking and adding 30 seconds at 20% power as needed until it has sufficiently softened. It should be soft, but not melty or warm.
- Spices: If you know you really love any of the spices in this recipe, feel free to add up to ¼ teaspoon more of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.
- Baking Sheet: If the dish is very full of batter, consider placing a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any spillover. I have not yet had this happen despite having very full dishes, but you may want it as extra insurance.
🍽️ How To Serve, Store, and Freeze
- To Serve: Serve this creamy cheesecake cool or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream if you have it.
- To Store: Store the cheesecake in the springform pan (or whatever dish you baked it in) covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- To Freeze: For practicality’s sake, cut into slices and place in a sealed container. To thaw, just leave the cheesecake in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for roughly 30 minutes. Or eat it frozen, this is great too!
💖 For More Pumpkin Recipes, You May Love These
If you tried this Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1¾ lb cream cheese, softened 3½ standard 8oz bars
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 15oz canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1⅔ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the pan with parchment paper such that there is 2 inches of overhang. You will need two pieces of parchment paper. You can trim any excess.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer (hand-held or stand mixer) on low-medium speed for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated (add one egg, use the mixer to beat until fully combined, then add the next egg, and continue until all eggs are combined).
- Place the canned pumpkin on a sheet of cheesecloth. If you don’t have cheesecloth you can use several layers of paper towels. Wrap the cheesecloth around the pumpkin and holding it over the sink or a bowl press gently to squeeze out excess water. Be sure to squeeze gently so as to not press out the actual pumpkin (a little is okay). The goal is to remove as much excess water as possible to prevent a watery cheesecake.
- Add the pumpkin to the cheesecake mixture along with the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and use a whisk (not a mixer) to combine.
- Add the flour to a fine mesh strainer and gently sift the flour over the mixture a little at a time, stirring in between to incorporate.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cheesecake is dark brown in color on top, yet still soft and wiggly in the middle. It should be very dark in color, but not burned. Do not be worried that it is too dark in color, the middle will still be light and creamy. A dark color on top means that the inside is sufficiently cooked through.
Notes
- Adding Flour: Do not add the flour all at once or it will clump together and be lumpy in the batter. Add it to the fine mesh strainer then lightly tap the strainer over the bowl to add a dusting of flour. Whisk to incorporate, then add another dusting of flour and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated.
- Cooling: It is important to let the cheesecake cool at room temperature rather than place it directly in the fridge so that it sets properly, which will give it a creamy consistent texture. It also prevents condensation from forming when covering the cheesecake which may drop on the top of the cheesecake and create discoloration.
- Cream Cheese: If you have not softened your cream cheese in advance, place the cream cheese in a microwavable bowl (removed from foil packaging) and microwave it for 1 minute at 20% power, checking and adding 30 seconds at 20% power as needed until it has sufficiently softened. It should be soft, but not melty or warm.
- Spices: If you know you really love any of the spices in this recipe, feel free to add up to ¼ teaspoon more of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.
- Baking Sheet: If the dish is very full of batter, consider placing a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any spillover. I have not yet had this happen despite having very full dishes, but you may want it as extra insurance.
Leave a Reply