CrockPot Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe


Day 321.

mmmm. Cheesecake.

I made a traditional cheesecake on Fourth of July, and ever since have been wanting to make a pumpkin one. I have had my eye on a recipe I tore out of Good Housekeeping, and put it to the test yesterday.

I'm eating some right now with my morning coffee. It's delicious.


The Ingredients.


A jar of nutmeg made it into the picture. That's a mistake. You don't need any.



Crust:

  • 1 cup gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs (I used the GF gingersnaps from Trader Joes)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

Filling:

  • 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 can pure pumpkin (15 oz)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 eggs

Sour Cream Topping (optional):

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla


The Directions.

If you are planning on serving pumpkin cheesecake for an event, I'd recommend making it the day before, so it has plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

I used a 6.5 oval quart crockpot, and inserted a 1.5 oval casserole dish into it. 

You are using the crockpot as a bain marie, or water bath.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and white sugar.

Press the mixture into your casserole dish. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pure pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla extract. 

Add the spices and eggs, also. 

Mix well with a hand or stand mixer until the cream cheese is fluid and there aren't very many cream cheese spots/lumps. 

A few is okay.

I've never been one to add some ingredients first, and an egg at a time while mixing. 

If you are somebody who likes to do that, the Good Housekeeping people will tell you what to do.

Pour the filling on top of the crust.

Put 1/2 to 1 cup of water into the bottom of your crockpot. The inserted dish should push the water up to halfway up the sides of the cheesecake.

Place the cheescake into your crockpot and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours. It took 4 for mine to cook completely. 

 You will know it's done cooking when the top is no longer jiggly and the sides have begun to brown ever so slightly.


Unplug your crockpot, and take off the lid. In a small mixing bowl, whip together the sour cream topping.

With a rubber spatula, very carefully spread the sour cream topping on top of the hot cheesecake.

Let the cheese cake sit in the cooling crockpot for an hour, before chilling in the refrigerator. I put the lid on the crockpot sideways, but you can also leave it off. Chill for at least 6 hours. Serve.


The Verdict.

This is thick, moist cheesecake. The filling did not get as hard and as set-up as the first cheesecake I did. The first one called for 2 tablespoons of flour, and only 2 eggs.

I was worried that this pumpkin batter wouldn't set, because the first cheesecake I did only took 2 hours on high, and this took a solid 4 hours on high.

  In fact, I made a mistake, and brought it to some friends after baking for 2 (and only chilling for 2) for dessert last night. 
 It wasn't cooked. 

It was cheesecake soup.



When we got home, I plopped it back into the water bath (I hadn't cleaned the kitchen up, and the crockpot was still slightly warm) for the additional 2 hours and set an alarm to check on it. 

This cheesecake was finished at 1 am. (that's what you see in the above photo)



Pumpkin Cheesecake in the crockpot slow cooker! Easy and delicious and the flavor is perfect!



Thanksgiving Slow Cooker

Thanksgiving Slow Cooker

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yield: 6
Author: Stephanie O'Dea AYearofSlowCooking.com
Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 4 HourInactive time: 6 HourTotal time: 10 H & 45 M
pumpkin cheesecake recipe made in the crockpot slow cooker

Ingredients

Crust
  • 1 cup gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs (I used the GF gingersnaps from Trader Joes)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
Filling
  • 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 can pure pumpkin (15 oz)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 eggs
Sour Cream Topping (optional):
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. I used a 6.5 oval quart crockpot, and inserted a 1.5 oval casserole dish into it. You are using the crockpot as a bain marie, or water bath.
  2. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and white sugar.
  3. Press the mixture into your casserole dish. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pure pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
  5. Add the spices and eggs, also.
  6. Mix well with a hand or stand mixer until the cream cheese is fluid and there aren't very many cream cheese spots/lumps. A few is okay.
  7. Pour the filling on top of the crust.
  8. Put 1/2 to 1 cup of water into the bottom of your crockpot. The inserted dish should push the water up to halfway up the sides of the cheesecake.
  9. Place the cheescake into your crockpot and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours. It took 4 for mine to cook completely. You will know it's done cooking when the top is no longer jiggly and the sides have begun to brown ever so slightly.
  10. Unplug your crockpot, and take off the lid. In a small mixing bowl, whip together the sour cream topping.
  11. With a rubber spatula, very carefully spread the sour cream topping on top of the hot cheesecake. 
  12. Let the cheese cake sit in the cooling crockpot for an hour, before chilling in the refrigerator. I put the lid on the crockpot sideways, but you can also leave it off. Chill for at least 6 hours. Serve.


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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at November 16, 2008

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What they say about this article

  1. Anonymous11/16/2008

    I absolutly love pumpkin cheesecake. I make mine with the cheesecake on the bottom and the pumpkin part on top with a pecan crust. It looks layered. SOOOO YUMMY!! Its a big winner on Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I might just have to try this one though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looks yummy! I love anything with pumpkin. That's too funny that you are having it again this morning. Did you let your girls have some this morning too?

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  3. i'll still eat it! :) i love pumpkin cheesecake!

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  4. I'd like to try this, well the 1st version w/ additions I should say.

    We had the Azorean beef stew last night...delicious. Matter of fact, I think I'll warm some up right now!

    Thanks for the recipe :)

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  5. Each day you never cease to amaze me with what you've made in your crock. I wonder, when the year is over .. will you be relieved to not *have* to use your crockpot - or have you become addicted to crock pot cooking? :-)

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  6. I found your site today and fell in love!!! Thank you for your devotion!!

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  7. Anonymous11/16/2008

    I've been wondering about pumpkin cheesecake since I made your original cheesecake and waiting for you to post a recipe. I have tried the first one with gingersnaps and pumpkin in the filling seems like the next logical sequence.

    The first time I had pumpkin cheesecake was on Nov. 2, 1984. I had given birth to my beautiful baby girl (now grown, married and a committed crockpot user herself), and that night in the hospital it is what they had for dessert. Maybe it was the drugs or the baby high, but the hospital issue pumpkin cheesecake tasted divine and has been a favorite of mine ever since.

    When I eat it I get a wonderful, warm, fuzzy feeling like one has after having anamazing experience (in my case, my daughter being born).

    Hurray for more cheesecake!

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  8. This looks wonderful!!! I hope I have the courage to try it sometime!!

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  9. Would you still include the sour cream?

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  10. Do you have any suggestions as to how much pumpkin and stuff you would add? I would very much like to try this for thanksgiving but need a little guidance as I often have trouble in the kitchen:)

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  11. Hi Becky and Kat,

    I haven't tried this, and would recommend trying beforehand... :-0

    I think I'd use the first recipe with the flour, cream, and 2 eggs, then add the 15 oz of pumpkin with the spices.

    my fingers are crossed...

    --steph

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  12. Anonymous11/16/2008

    You may need to use some baking powder, we had to do so when ever using pumpkin to bake with at the bakery I worked for. If not it wouldn't bake up, because the pumpkins heavy.

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  13. Thanks for the quick answer! I plan on trying this cheesecake, too.

    One quick question, on making the crust myself (sounds easy), but would it not burn if cooked for as long as a pumpkin pie calls for?

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  14. Mmmmmm. I'm gonna try this, thanks!

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  15. Crockpot cheesecake? I'm so doing this!

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  16. i just found your site...LOVE IT! I have a ?....what if you don't have an insert to put water in? hmmm

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  17. Sandee - Your story was WONDERFUL, thank you so much for sharing! As a newly married gal who is going to be trying to start a family next year, it really warmed my heart about what I have to look forward to; the simplest of things becoming wonderful memories :)

    Steph - I am making this for Turkey Day but omiting the sour cream to the cake in hopes of firming it up more, but keeping it on top because sour cream is DELISH -- I'll let you know how it goes!

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  18. Ugh...there you go with the pumpkin again. Is there no end?? And to ruin a perfectly good cheesecake with the gourde intenstines. Blech. Ick. Pitoooey.

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  19. I will try it this week with your suggestions and let you know how it goes!

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  20. Sounds great. How do you think the crockpot stacks up as a baking device as opposed to an oven?

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  21. Anonymous11/17/2008

    Looks yummy and creamy!

    A trick for cutting cheesecake that my mom taught me is to use dental floss instead of a knife. Hold it taught over the cake, push down all the way through the crust, and then pull it out the bottom with one hand. It makes the sides look nice and neat :)

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  22. Anonymous11/21/2008

    I am trying pumpkin cheesecake this morning.

    Here is what I did:
    I made your original recipe, using gingersnaps for the crust. I have another recipe that is for a layered pumpkin cheesecake and the ingredients are almost identical to your original recipe (hah! sounds like I am talking about KFC!).

    For the pumpkin layer you separate out 1 cup of the plain cheesecake batter and combine it with 1/2 cup canned pumpkin + some spices. I put in 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. It called for ground clove too, but I don't like clove, so I added the ginger instead.

    I put the plain batter in the pan first, then the pumpkin enhanced batter on top of that.

    It has been almost 2 hours and then I will check it. The other ones I have made took 2 hours.

    I have only one crock pot. A 4 qt Hamilton Beach that I got before I was married (and I was married in 1979). I have a 7 inch springform pan that inserts perfectly into it and accomodates this recipe nicely.

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  23. Anonymous11/21/2008

    Forgot to add--- if this turns out successfully, I'm going to bring it to my daughter's tomorrow. She is having a bridal shower and I figure we can just put it out on the table with the rest of the spread.

    If it is good, then I will make one next week for t-giving too.

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  24. Here is what I did:

    I took you original recipe and used 10 oz of cream cheese and 10 oz of pumpkin pie mix. My main concern was that my cheesecake was relatively thick and the pumpkin mix I used was an organic brand from our natural store and it seemed more watery than the Libby's my mom used to use as a kid.

    Never the less my cheesecake timed like this:

    3-4 hours on high and it was set. I let it cook for an hour uncovered and then put in the fridge for 3-4 hours and it was pretty thick but lacked an overwhelming pumpkin taste-it was more cheesy. It needed something-maybe it was the mix I used. My husband said needed more nutmeg. Overall it was pretty good.

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  25. I'm sure you are sick of pumpkin by now, but next time you need a pumpkin fix you have to try this. Make your regular crockpot cheese cake but use gingersnaps instead of graham crackers and mix half of your cheesecake batter with 1/2 C. of pumpkin. Marble or layer the two batters, and Voila! Super yummy.

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  26. Jenny B.10/13/2010

    Hello! I have recently become a HUGE fan of your website and your recipes are super yummy and easy.

    I made this pumpkin cheesecake today, and was very happy with the results. I cooked mine for about 5 hours on high and then set it in the fridge (after sitting for an hour in the unplugged crock). It came out just like any other cheesecake made in the oven. It was a little bit more difficult than the other recipes I've tried, but definitely worth it. I didn't change any ingredients, just cooked it a little longer.

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