This creamy gluten free pumpkin cheesecake is the best pumpkin cheesecake recipe for the holidays! It is full of delicious fall flavor, making it perfect for any fall gathering. This cheesecake tastes like it came from an expensive bakery, and nobody will know it is gluten free.
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This is the cheesecake recipe I couldn’t wait to share with you. I have never been able to get pictures of this cheesecake before it was cut into and eaten. Every year, we drive to our family celebration for Thanksgiving. This gluten free bourbon pumpkin cheesecake has been our contribution for YEARS.
This recipe was given to Mr. Fearless Dining from a close friend years ago (10 years?). My husband “fearlessly” converted it to gluten free. This is an incredible bakery-quality cheesecake! It tastes like you spent a lot of money buying it! Nobody will know it is gluten free!
Mr. Fearless Dining makes this cheesecake every year with the kids. The kitchen is trashed…one year ago, they even managed to get the pumpkin on my kitchen ceiling! It is totally insane, but the flavor of this cheesecake is totally worth the mess.
You will love each and every creamy bite of this creamy gluten free pumpkin dessert! If you love dessert as much as we do, check out all of the gluten free cake recipes on the blog.
Allergen Information:
This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and has a nut-free option. To make it nut-free, garnish it with something other than pecans. I have not tested a dairy-free option.
For this recipe, I used canned organic pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is usually the best for pumpkin desserts like this because it is so smooth. If you prefer to make your own pumpkin puree, it must be blended super smooth!
How To Roast A Pumpkin For Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 375º F.
- Take a small sugar pumpkin and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds. (I like the smaller sugar pumpkins for roasting because their flesh softens and is not as stringy as a large carving pumpkin.)
- Brush olive oil onto the inside of each pumpkin half. Place the pumpkin halves in a baking pan facing upwards.
- Place the baking pan in the oven and roast for 40-45 minutes until the pumpkin halves are soft.
- Remove the pumpkin and allow the pumpkin to cool.
- Use a spoon to scrape the roasted pumpkin out and put it into a Vitamix or blender. Add a little water (quantity depends on how thick you want the pumpkin puree to be) so that it purees smoothly. (You can also use a mixer if you prefer, but the blender will make the pumpkin puree smoother.)
Tips For Success:
- Do not put the hot cheesecake into the refrigerator to cool. It is important to cool it to room temperature first, as described in the recipe directions.
- I do not recommend using fat-free or low-fat cream cheese or sour cream. It will impact the texture of the cheesecake.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Gingersnaps or Graham Crackers – If you like a less sweet crust, combine both! Note, I love Mi-Del brand gluten free gingersnaps, but really check the package because they also make non-gluten-free, and the packages are similar!
- Light Brown Sugar – This recipe is very specific; for some reason, we have only used my husband’s friend’s suggestion. You could use dark brown sugar…we just haven’t tried it.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Pumpkin Puree – Use canned pumpkin (preferred) or follow my directions above if you use freshly roasted pumpkin. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Heavy Cream – Do not substitute half and half.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – I do not recommend imitation vanilla.
- Bourbon – There is just a tiny bit in this cheesecake recipe. If you prefer no alcohol, you can leave it out.
- Sugar – Use granulated sugar. Don’t substitute with coconut sugar, or it won’t come out the same.
- Cornstarch – You can also use arrowroot starch if you are avoiding corn.
- Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Salt – Always triple-check to ensure the spices are gluten free!
- Cream Cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese because it is best for this cheesecake.
- Sour Cream – Use full-fat sour cream so your topping is creamy.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions
Step 1: Let the cream cheese warm to room temperature. This will make blending it much easier.
Step 2: Add the gluten free gingersnaps and/or graham crackers to a food processor. Grind them to a fine texture.
Step 3: Invert the bottom of a 9-inch springform and then lock on the side ring. Spray gluten free baking spray or oil on the springform pan to prevent sticking.
Step 4: Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Spray a springform pan with a gluten free baking spray. Press the crumb mixture down evenly onto the bottom of the pan and 1/2 inches up the side of the pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.
After the crust is finished chilling, set your oven rack to the middle position in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F degrees.
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Step 5: Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Step 6: Add the room temperature cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
🔑 Sandi says: I use my Vitamix to blend all of the liquid ingredients. It makes your cheesecake filling and layers super smooth! It is also a nice time saver!
Step 7: Pour filling into the crust. Smooth the top with a large spoon, then put the springform pan in a shallow baking pan. This is to prevent leaks from going to the bottom of the oven.
Step 8: Bake the gluten free cheesecake until the center of the cheesecake is just set, about 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the cheesecake to a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Do not remove it from the springform pan.
Step 9: Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a large
Step 10: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool it completely in the springform pan on a cooling rack for about 3 hours.
Step 11: Cover with plastic wrap and transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator. Chill it until cold, at least 4 hours.
Step 12: Remove the side of the springform pan and bring the cheesecake to room temperature before serving. Garnish with pecan halves.
Gluten Free Cheesecake Crust Options:
If you don’t like gluten free gingersnaps, there are lots of other great cookies you can use instead of gingersnaps:
- Crushed gluten free Oreo Cookies. Several companies make these, including Trader Joe’s, Glutino, and Goodie Girl.
- Gluten free vanilla wafers.
- Gluten free graham crackers.
- Gluten free oreo style cookies. The chocolate cookies and cream would taste great with pumpkin.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I personally have not used dairy-free cream cheese in this recipe, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be attempted. I would recommend a firm dairy-free brand like Tofutti or Kite Hill. If you try it, please post a comment and let me know how it turned out! (*Note: You would also want to use a dairy-free sour cream for the top layer.)
This cheesecake will keep fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container.
You can freeze this cheesecake whole or in slices. I recommend slicing the cheesecake and flash-freezing the slices. Once the slices are frozen, you can put them in a freezer bag.
Reader Reviews:
“Made this for Thanksgiving and my family loved it! Definitely need to make it the day before. The steps take time but it’s worth the effort. Halved the sugar in the pumpkin layer and it was great, not too sweet.”
Victoria T.
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes:
If you love pumpkin, you will want to try this thick and creamy gluten free pumpkin mousse recipe too!
- Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Madeleine Cookies
- The Best Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
Equipment
- springform pan
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- ¾ cup gluten free gingersnaps or Graham crackers or a combination
- ½ cup crushed pecans
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
Pumpkin Layer
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (*see note)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup light brown sugar (*see note)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (*see note)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon optional
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (*see note)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 24 ounces cream cheese (*see note)
Creamy Sour Cream Layer
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
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Instructions
For the Crust:
- Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.
- In a food processor, grind the 3/4 cup gluten free gingersnaps or Graham crackers.
- Stir together crumbs, 1/2 cup crushed pecans, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of the pan, then chill crust, 1 hour.
- Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350° F
For the Cheesecake:
- Whisk together 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon bourbon (if using) in a bowl until combined. (You can also mix in a Vitamix.)
- Stir together 1/3 cup cane sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Add 24 ounces cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
- Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks).
- Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
For the Sour Cream Layer:
- Whisk together 2 cups sour cream, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, and 1 tablespoon bourbon(if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.
- Cool cheesecake completely in pan on the rack, about 3 hours. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of the pan and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Garnish with pecans around the edge of the cheesecake.
Notes
- You can use gluten free gingersnaps or graham crackers to make this crust. We tend to use a combination of both, so the crust is a little less sweet. Other options are gluten free Oreo-style cookies, or combine 1/2 cookies and 1/2 almond meal if you would like to add a little protein.
- I prefer to use canned pumpkin. If you want to roast your pumpkin, I include directions in the post. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- The recipe calls for light brown sugar, but you can also use dark brown sugar. I don’t recommend substituting coconut sugar because it has a different melting point.
- If you cannot eat corn, you can substitute arrowroot starch for the corn starch.
- I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and sour cream to keep the delicious level of creaminess.
- Store this cheesecake in the refrigerator. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this cheesecake. I recommend slicing the cheesecake and flash freezing the slices. Once they are frozen you can put them in a freezer bag.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an old November 2019 post with more recipe details.
Just a question. I don’t see Gluten free flour anywhere in the ingredients, but it’s mentioned in the comments and some reviews. Am I missing something? Because I want this cheesecake to turn out great!
Hi Brenda, there is no flour in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for sharing this Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe! I gave it a try last weekend and it was a big hit with my whole family. The pumpkin flavor was so rich and creamy. I especially appreciated you suggesting arrowroot as a thickener instead of cornstarch. I was a little nervous about using a new ingredient but it worked perfectly. The cheesecake set up nicely without any cracks or issues. Your arrowroot tip was so helpful. Thanks for giving me a delicious and gluten-free dessert option to enjoy this fall season.
I am so glad the arrowroot starch worked well for you. This is our family’s Thanksgiving tradition cake and I am so glad you enjoyed it.
This cheesecake was PERFECT for Thanksgiving! I used arrowroot in place of the cornstarch and used a mixture of gf gingersnaps, gf vanilla wafers, and pecans. I also added chocolate shavings on top for a little extra pretty 🥰 It was a hit! Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad you loved this recipe. This cheesecake is very special for our family. I love the idea of topping it with chocolate shavings. I may try that next year!
I just made it and it came out perfect, I’m really excited to eat it.
I am so glad you are trying my husband’s famous pumpkin cheesecake recipe! This is his very favorite and I hope you all love it too!
My cheesecake ended up sinking in the middle when it cooled. Typically, I don’t care what it looks like bc it’s alll gonna be in my belly but is it bc of the GF flour?
Hi Korri, We have made this every year for a decade, so I am sure it is not the gf flour. Usually, this happens if the cheesecake mixture is whipped too much, causing more air to get into the batter. If that happens, it can sink after baking. I am not sure how much your cheesecake sank, but when it is cooled and you add the sour cream layer, you can sort of cover up the sunken middle.
Hi! I made this recipe and it tastes great! Just need some feedback on the crust. I have a family member who is GF and nut free so I just doubled up on the gingersnaps for the crust but it came out very gooey. Any suggestions?
Again— taste was perfect and I don’t mind the texture all that much. But why not try to nail it!
Hi Morgan, I can see how the crust was a bit gooey. Gingersnaps probably do not absorb the same amount of liquid as graham crackers. It is probably due to the molasses and other melty type of ingredients. Gluten free graham crackers should be nut-free.
Sandi, I followed your recipe exactly, using GF Graham crackers, also ground the pecans, melted the butter, used coconut cream in place of heavy cream, even purchased the springform pan for the occasion…and it turned out faaaaantastic!!! This was the first cheesecake I have ever made in my life (at age 71 years young). It took me about 2 hours to make plus baking time of 70 minutes. But it was gourmet all the way and my husband and our company LOVED it! Thank you for this great holiday receipe!
I am so glad you loved it Mary! It is definitely gourmet all the way :-).
I have a question about the crust…do you chop the pecans or put in the food processor with the crackers? I doubt you leave them whole so just wondering what to do here. Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving!!
Hi Brianna, you do want to chop them up for the crust. They also sell pecan flour if that is easier.
I cannot wait to make this! This is my first gluten free Thanksgiving and I LOVE pumpkin pie and cheesecake. I do have one more question…how far in advance can this be made and still hold?
I hope you love this cheesecake as much as our family does.
Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t see any GF flour as part of the ingredients? And also the 24 ounces of cream cheese is listed under the sour cream layer, but when I read the recipe it seems like it should be incorporated into the pumpkin layer. Can you please clarify? Thank you!
Thank you for your note. I just recently added headers to the recipe. I moved up the sour cream. I did search high and low for gf flour, I do not see this anywhere in the recipe. It does call for cornstarch.
I actually did make this because it looks so delicious. I don’t care too much for pumpkin pie so I thought this would be a good alternative, even though I’ve never made cheesecake before and I was a bit intimidated. However, I followed the recipe to the T including the gluten free options and it turned out DELICIOUS, despite my uncertaintanty of making cheesecake. Since my entire family loved it I’m sure I’ll be making it again The crust was especially good! I used half gf gingersnaps and half gf graham crackers. (These I had to order through Amazon since I couldnt find them in a store neer me.)
I am so glad you loved this recipe, Ann. Thank you!
I don’t usually have bourbon in the house. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative? or is it worth buying a bottle for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Marilyn, you can skip the bourbon if you don’t have it…it is too little liquid to make a difference.