Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake
This gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake has a super creamy texture with just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice. The homemade oatmeal cookie crust is quick and easy to make with basic ingredients, so you don’t need store-bought gluten-free graham crackers.
For my paleo and vegan readers, I also have this Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake, which is still a favorite of mine that I make every year. For the dairy lovers, today’s recipe is for you.
Homemade Oatmeal Cookie Crust
A lot of gluten-free pumpkin cheesecakes use store-bought graham crackers for the crust, but I wanted this one to be completely homemade. I think this crust is even tastier than a graham cracker crust! It’s pretty close to an oatmeal cookie in taste and texture, but more crust-like, with somewhat of a graham cracker crust flavor.
I use the oatmeal cookie-style crust from my Gluten-Free Cheesecake Crust recipe. If you have questions about the crust or want more details, check out that post.
Ingredients
Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just notes on select ingredients.
- Pumpkin puree – use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I strongly recommend canned pumpkin puree because it’s more consistent than homemade. If your homemade puree is thinner than canned pumpkin, strain it until it has a similar consistency. You can see how I do that in my Homemade Pumpkin Puree post. The pumpkin can’t simply be omitted because the recipe won’t work without it. For a classic version, use my Gluten-Free Cheesecake instead. You can add pumpkin pie spice if you still want those warm fall flavors.
- Coconut sugar (used for the crust) – I haven’t tested coconut sugar in the filling, so I can’t recommend it. I think it would taste good, but I’d be concerned about the cheesecake cracking.
- Cream cheese – if you live outside the US and have the softer, higher-moisture type of cream cheese, it needs to be drained before using. See the section below for exact amounts and instructions.
- Sour cream – adds extra moisture and tang. I haven’t tested a substitute in this recipe. I’ve seen many people say that heavy cream or full-fat Greek yogurt can be used in its place, but if it’s important that the cheesecake not crack, I wouldn’t risk an untested substitution.
- Eggs – there isn’t a good substitute for eggs in a baked cheesecake like this. If you eat dairy but not eggs, try my Eggless Cheesecake. That recipe uses cornstarch in place of the eggs, but it isn’t a direct substitution. I made other adjustments to get the texture right and make sure the cheesecake holds together properly.
- Pumpkin pie spice – you can leave it out, but I’d highly recommend using at least 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon in its place. That amount is just a guess because I haven’t tested it. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make the mixture below.
To make the 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice needed for this cheesecake, use:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
Or you can make a larger batch with this Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe.
How to Make It
The full instructions are in the recipe card below. Here’s a quick overview.
Make the oatmeal cookie crust, press it into the springform pan and bake until lightly browned.
Beat together the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt, then beat in the sour cream on low.
Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until combined.
Wrap the springform pan in foil, add the filling and prepare the water bath.
Bake the cheesecake, then cool it gradually before refrigerating it for at least 8 hours.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream and eggs.
- Once you add the eggs, mix on low and only until combined. Don’t overmix.
- After 50 minutes of baking, the cheesecake won’t be completely set, but it shouldn’t be super jiggly when you tap the pan.
- The topping shown in the photos is plain whipped cream with a tiny amount of cinnamon sifted over the top.
Do I Need a Water Bath?
If you don’t mind your cheesecake looking like the photo below, you can skip the water bath. I tested it without one, and it came out of the oven looking perfect but cracked during the 2-hour cool-down period.
If you prefer the smooth top shown in the other photos, use the water bath. Once I’d tried one, I realized it wasn’t nearly as much trouble as I’d expected. It adds 5 minutes of prep time.
If you’d like to see side-by-side photos of cheesecake baked with and without a water bath, this cheesecake water bath guide has helpful comparison photos.
The photo below shows how the crust looks when you use quick oats rather than rolled oats. If you’re making the crust by hand rather than using a food processor, you must use quick oats. If you’re using a food processor, either rolled or quick oats work.
A water bath is a pan of hot water that surrounds the cheesecake pan and helps it bake slowly and evenly without drying out or cracking.
- Use a roasting pan that’s deep and wide enough to hold the springform pan.
- Wrap the springform pan in three layers of heavy-duty, extra-wide foil to help keep the water out.
- Use just-boiled water rather than cold water.
- Carefully pour the water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Pour carefully so the water doesn’t splash into the cheesecake batter.
Cream Cheese Outside the US
If you live outside the US, you may have a different type of cream cheese. US cream cheese is firmer and meant for baking, rather than the softer type commonly sold for spreading in Europe.
For every 8 ounces (225 grams) of cream cheese, buy a 300-gram package. The cream cheese from Aldi, Lidl and similar stores works just as well as Philadelphia. Put it in the center of a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out the liquid until you have 225 grams of cream cheese left.
For this recipe, buy 900 grams of cream cheese and squeeze out the liquid until you have 680 grams left. If you use the softer cream cheese as is, the cheesecake will be too watery and won’t bake through. You’ll keep baking and baking, then it’ll dry out, and you’ll have a lousy cheesecake. It’ll also probably crack.
Make Ahead & Storage
This cheesecake needs to chill for at least 8 hours, so it’s a great make-ahead dessert. After baking, turn off the oven, open the door halfway and leave the cheesecake inside for 45 minutes. Then let it come to room temperature for about 2 hours before refrigerating it for at least 8 hours.
I leave the cheesecake uncovered during the first 8+ hours in the refrigerator so condensation doesn’t build up on the cover and drip back onto the cheesecake. After that, cover it and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
All of the fall recipes listed below are gluten-free or have an easy gluten-free option.
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Margarita
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Pancakes
I would love to hear from you if you try this gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake!
Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Oatmeal cookie crust:
- 1 2/3 cups (153 grams) gluten-free oats
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) coconut sugar tightly packed, or brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter softened
For the filling:
- 24 oz (680 grams) full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 15 oz (425 grams) canned pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream room temp
- 3 large eggs 50 grams each, out of shell eggs, room temperature
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Grease the bottom of a 9″ springform pan. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- If not using a food processor, add everything but the butter to a large bowl and stir.1 2/3 cups (153 grams) gluten-free oats, 1/3 cup (66 grams) coconut sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter. You might need to use your hands to get it combined properly.1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter
- If using a food processor, all you do is put everything into the bowl of a food processor. Process for about 30 seconds or until it easily holds together when pinched together.
- Pat over the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Make sure to get the mixture over the lip at the bottom of the pan (if your type of pan has one).
- Bake for 14 minutes or until lightly brown (prepare the filling while the crust bakes). Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack while preparing the filling.
Prepare the filling:
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt at medium speed until well combined. Beat in the sour cream on low.24 oz (680 grams) full-fat cream cheese, 15 oz (425 grams) canned pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream
- Beat in the eggs, one by one, on low until combined, being sure not to overmix. Set aside for now.3 large eggs
Prepare the springform pan:
- Do this once your cheesecake crust has cooled enough for you to handle the pan (about 10 minutes). Using heavy-duty, extra-wide foil, cut three pieces that are at least 14″ long for your 9″ springform pan.
- Put one piece on a flat surface and put the cheesecake pan in the center of the foil piece.
- Tightly wrap the foil around the sides. If any foil goes above the pan’s edges, then fold those down a bit.
- Repeat with the other 2 foil sheets for a total of 3 foil layers.
- Get out a roasting pan large enough for your foil-wrapped cheesecake pan.
Prepare the water bath:
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil. How much you’ll need depends on the size of your roasting pan. It’s better to boil too much than boil too little, and then have to boil more. Should you not have a kettle, then bring water to a boil and then pour it into something that has a spout, which allows for easy pouring and will prevent water from splashing into the cheesecake.
- Place the foil-covered pan into the empty roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake batter over the top of the pre-baked crust. Use a silicone spatula to smooth out the top.
- Right as the water starts boiling, move the waterless roasting pan with the cheesecake in it onto the oven rack.
- Very, very carefully pour the just boiled water into the roasting pan, pouring only about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Be careful that it doesn’t splash onto the cheesecake batter.
Bake:
- Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for 50 minutes. When you tap the pan, it won’t be totally set but won’t be super jiggly.
- Turn off the oven. Open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake sit in there for 45 minutes to prevent cracks from forming (that is the purpose of the water bath, but this is an easy step that will also help).
- Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and let the cheesecake come to room temperature, about 2 hours, before chilling for 8+ hours.
- I let the cheesecake chill for 8+ hours and only then cover it up in order to prevent condensation from building up and dropping back down onto the cheesecake. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For the oatmeal cookie crust, if using a food processor, you can use rolled or quick oats. If making the crust by hand, you need to use quick oats.
- Note that it’s best to weigh coconut sugar! Some brands are light and coarse and some brands (like the one I use) are very fine and dense.
- The oatmeal cookie crust is more graham cracker-like when using coconut sugar. Brown sugar works and is still delicious.
- If you live outside of the US – you likely have a different type of cream cheese than in the US. US cream cheese is firmer and meant for baking, rather than the kind for toast, like in Europe. For 8 ounces (225 grams) of cream cheese, buy a 300-gram package (the stuff at Aldi, Lidl, etc. works just as well as Philadelphia), put it in the center of a clean tea towel or cheesecloth, and squeeze out the liquid until you have 225 grams of cream cheese. So for this recipe, buy 900 grams of cream cheese and squeeze out the liquid until you have 680 grams of cream cheese left.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
- I’ve made this crust several times and never had the butter leak out of the pan, but you might want to put a baking sheet on a rack on the bottom of the oven, just to be careful because a smoking oven is never fun.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
I’ve been making this cheesecake since the newsletter went out. Oh my WORD. It’s just perfect. Super creamy and just the right amount of spice. Sometimes they’re too spicy for me. This was just right. Thank you, thank you! People always make sure I’m making it for Thanksgiving. Haha. They’re always happy when I confirm I am indeed making it again! Thanks.
You’re welcome! That’s really great that your family likes it so much. :) I’m thrilled you’re still enjoying it after a few years! Thanks a bunch for your comment.
Could I sub greek yogurt for the sour cream? Could I switch the granulated sugar for coconut sugar and the brown sugar for maple syrup? Trying to avoid refined sugars.
I’m sorry for just now seeing your question! Greek yogurt should work (but I haven’t tried so I can’t be positive). Coconut sugar, too, but not maple syrup. The issue is that that’s a lot of coconut sugar. The flavor might overpower the pumpkin.
what did you use to dollup on top? I know you used cake decoration tip and bag but what did you use for the ingredients?
Hi! Sorry for just now seeing your question. It was just plain whipped cream with a tiny amount of cinnamon sifted over the top. I hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
Can you use less sugar for the crust or it wont hold together.i am not of fan of too much sugar.but if its needed then i can compromise a little as its not often.
You’re right – it won’t hold together as well because sugar is a binder. I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar, but if you’re just making this for yourself and don’t mind if the crust is crumbly, I think you could reduce it to 1/2 cup from 2/3 cup.