Fluffy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Granola Crust
This Pumpkin Cheesecake with Granola Crust is light, airy, and packed with autumnal flavors. Balance your fluffy cheesecake with a nutty, crunchy granola crust for a perfect twist on a classic crowd-pleasing dessert.
This recipe was originally created for Low Karb.
How to Make the Fluffiest Pumpkin Cheesecake
This pumpkin cheesecake has the exact texture you want from a cheesecake. It’s not dense, chewy or overly rich. Instead, it’s creamy, with an almost ice cream-like fluffiness to it. And the best part of all? It' does not skimp on pumpkin flavor. And thanks to canned pumpkin purée, this doesn’t have to be a seasonal recipe reserved for the fall. Stock up on a few cans and you can enjoy this low-carb, deeply satisfying homemade dessert all year long.
The secret to light and fluffy homemade cheesecake? Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. This way, it’s easier to whip air into the cream cheese. In addition, a stand or electric mixer is your friend when you’re looking for lightness in any baked goods.
Beat the pumpkin cream cheese filling on medium speed with a paddle attachment. When you beat the cream cheese and sugar together, in a process called “creaming”, you’re actually working pockets of air into the cream cheese. When the cake bakes, these air pockets expand to help the cheesecake rise and lighten in the oven.
Grain-Free Granola Cheesecake Crust
You can make this cheesecake with your favorite granola. I love grain-free granola crust, as it’s packed with flavorful nuts that stay crisp and crunchy, even after baking and cooling. Granola made with grains or oats will absorb more moisture. This can result in a crust that’s soggier than the crisp, crunchy crust you get from nutty keto granola.
Be sure to note the flavor of your granola. I chose pecan cinnamon grain-free granola for this cheesecake, which is a flavor friend to pumpkin. If your granola contains dried fruit or other strong flavors, it might compete with, rather than complement, the pumpkin.
The secret to the fluffiest cheesecake?
Hint: it’s all about temperature 🥵
Serving Suggestions
The cheesecake will need to chill in the fridge for at least four hours after baking. It’s best served chilled for springy and firm texture. The filling can get melty and gooey as it warms up, so I recommend keeping the cake in the fridge until just before serving.
Dollop each slice with a generous scoop of homemade whipped cream to complete the festive meal!
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Granola Crust Recipe
Yield: 1 6-inch cheesecake, about 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1:15
Granola Crust
1⅓ cups grain-free granola such as Low Karb Pecan Granola
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
⅛ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake
16 ounces plain cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar or monk fruit sweetener for low-carb
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
Whipped cream, for serving
Chopped pecans, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-inch springform pan.
Place the granola in a food processor and pulse into a fine crumb. Add the butter and salt and pulse a few more times to combine.
Transfer the crust to the prepared pan and firmly press to form a crust on the bottom.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool fully. When cool, wrap the springform pan in a double layer of aluminum foil, coming all the way up the edges to protect it from water.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetener together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Transfer the filling into the pan with the crust.
Boil a kettle of water to make a water bath. Set the springform pan in a roasting pan with high sides and pour boiling water into the roasting pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the cake.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the center is almost set.
Cool the cake in the pan to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or up to overnight.