Pumpkin Cheesecake With Sour Cream Topping

The edges should look set and firm while the center 3-inch circle still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan. It will look underdone, but the residual heat continues cooking the center as it cools. The jiggle should resemble gelatin, not liquid—if it sloshes like water, it needs more time. If you overbake until the entire surface is firm, the finished texture will be dry and dense rather than creamy. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 150-155°F.

Cracks usually happen from overbaking, overmixing, or cooling too quickly. Overbaking causes the proteins to tighten and pull apart as they cool. Overmixing incorporates air that expands and creates weak spots. Rapid temperature changes cause the surface to contract faster than the interior, creating tension cracks. Cool the cheesecake gradually in the turned-off oven with the door cracked to prevent this. Running a knife around the edge immediately after baking also releases tension before cracks can form.

Pumpkin puree is plain cooked pumpkin with nothing added, while pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices already mixed in. They're not interchangeable—this recipe calls for pure pumpkin puree since it includes its own sugar and spice measurements. Using pie filling would make the cheesecake too sweet and throw off the spice balance. Check the can's ingredient list: pure pumpkin puree should list only one ingredient (pumpkin), while pie filling will list sugar, spices, and sometimes thickeners.

Greek yogurt works as a substitute with a similar tangy flavor and thick texture, though it's slightly less rich than sour cream. Use full-fat Greek yogurt rather than low-fat to maintain the creamy consistency. The flavor will be nearly identical, and the topping will still set properly during the final 10-minute bake. Crème fraîche offers another excellent alternative with a slightly nuttier flavor and equally smooth texture. Avoid using regular yogurt or low-fat versions, as they're too thin and will create a watery topping.

A water bath helps prevent cracks and promotes even baking by creating a humid environment, but it's not absolutely necessary for this recipe. This pumpkin cheesecake works beautifully without a water bath if you follow the gradual cooling method—turning off the oven and leaving the cheesecake inside with the door cracked lets it cool slowly enough to prevent most cracking. The sour cream topping also provides insurance by covering any small cracks that might form. If you do get cracks despite these precautions, the topping hides them beautifully.

Yes, this recipe adapts beautifully to muffin tins for individual mini pumpkin cheesecakes. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and press about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker crust mixture into the bottom of each cup. Divide the filling among the cups, filling each about three-quarters full, then bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes until set. Add a spoonful of the sour cream topping to each mini cheesecake and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 400°F. Reduce cooling time to 30 minutes in the turned-off oven, then chill for at least 3 hours.

This recipe is designed for a 10-inch springform pan, which creates a thinner cheesecake that bakes more evenly than a taller version. Using a 9-inch pan will make it taller and require longer baking time—add 10-15 minutes and watch for the jiggle test to know when it's done. An 8-inch pan would make it very tall and risks uneven baking with a set exterior and undercooked center, so stick with 9 or 10 inches for best results. The 10-inch size also serves more people with reasonable portion sizes, as this rich dessert can be quite filling.

The quick pre-bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes before adding the filling creates a moisture barrier that keeps the graham cracker crust crisp. This initial baking dries out the butter-crumb mixture and sets it into a firm base that resists moisture from the filling during the long bake and overnight chill. Let the crust cool completely after pre-baking so it's not still soft when the filling goes in. Using the right ratio of butter to crumbs also matters—too much butter creates a greasy crust that never fully sets.

Traditional cheesecake relies on eggs to set the filling and create its characteristic dense, smooth texture, making them difficult to omit in baked versions. No-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipes use whipped cream folded into the cream cheese mixture instead, but the texture is lighter and mousse-like rather than the rich, firm consistency of baked cheesecake. For this specific recipe, eggs are essential to achieving the proper texture since it's a baked cheesecake rather than a no-bake version.