This chocolate pumpkin cheesecake is a smooth, luscious, and silky pumpkin cheesecake made with addition of chocolate bar on the bottom, topped with pecans, and more chocolate syrup on top.
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Have you ever thought to put pumpkin and chocolate together? Sure pumpkin brownies are great but there it is a predominantly chocolate. I’m talking about a mainly pumpkin dessert that also has an added bonus of chocolate.
This is exactly what this cheesecake is! It is a smooth, velvety pumpkin cheesecake that’s bursting with fall spices but also features the addition of chocolate. You will find a hidden chocolate bar at the bottom of the cheesecake and some chocolate drizzle on top.
The great flavors here are also complimented by the textures. The cheesecake itself is smooth and creamy but you get a pleasant crunch from the cold chocolate bar pieces on the bottom and pecans on top.
This chocolate pumpkin cheesecake was an experiment and it turned out incredible and has been beloved by many for years! Chocolate and pumpkin are wonderful together and pecans make it extra special.
How To Make Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
The Crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar together and spread the mixture in the prepared springform. Pat it evenly along the bottom and a little up the sides (1). Lay the chocolate pieces all over the crust, evenly (2).
Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the sides, start beating again, and pour in the sugar as it’s beating. Then add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree and beat to combine. Beat it eggs in one at a time and scrape the bowl again.
Lower speed and add in spices and corn starch. Make sure that all ingredients are well combined. Stop to scrape bottom and sides of the bowl and beat again until all smooth.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust (3) and spread chopped pecans over the top.
Bake the cheesecake in the water bath. Place the large roasting pan in the oven first, then place the cheesecake filled springform pan inside of it. Add hot water to the larger roasting pan until it’s about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake for about 85 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the oven doors, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 10 minutes. Take it out and rest it on the counter until cooled to room temperature (4). Cover the cheesecake and transfer it to the refrigerator to finish cooling for another 6 hours or overnight.
How To Tell If Cheesecake Is Done Baking?
When the edges are set and the center is slightly soft and jiggly, you’ll know it’s cooked! As it cools in the oven and on the counter, the center will continue to set more and become more firm. DO NOT insert a knife or toothpick into the center to check for doneness, since that may cause the dessert to crack.
Storing Instructions
Make sure to store the cheesecake in the refrigerator and covered air-tight. Properly stored, cheesecake should last up to 5 days.
I recommend simply storing it in the very same pan it was baked in, covered tightly with plastic wrap or another air-tight wrap you use. Remember to cover it tightly every single time after you take out a slice!
Can I Freeze Pumpkin Cheesecake?
PRO TIP: Make sure to freeze the cheesecake WITHOUT any frosting or toppings! Don’t frost until ready to serve.
You can freeze cheesecake right on the bottom of the springform pan or you can take it off the pan and transfer it onto an aluminum foil covered cardboard.
Once cheesecake has been cooled to room temperature, run a butter knife along the inside of the springform pan to separate the cheesecake from the pan. Place the pan with the cheesecake into the freezer and freeze for about an hour.
Then, carefully take off the side portion of the springform. At this point, you can either keep the bottom of the springform with the cheesecake or transfer it onto a piece of thick cardboard cake holder covered with aluminum foil.
Wrap cheesecake and the bottom of the pan with plastic wrap, in 2-3 layers. Then, wrap the whole thing with aluminum foil. As an added protection from air, you can place the whole things in a large, zip-top freezer bag, but that’s not necessary.
Make sure to date and label before placing cheesecake back in the freezer. Cheesecake will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To thaw frozen cheesecake, make sure to do it slowly, in the refrigerator! Take the cheesecake out of the freezer, take off the zip-top bag, and place into the refrigerator and slow-thaw overnight.
How To Make It Gluten Free?
The only part of this cheesecake that contains gluten is the graham cracker crust. Use gluten free graham crackers and pulse them into crumbs to create a gluten free crust. Remaining ingredients should already be gluten free but double check the labels and nutritional information.
More Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipes
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Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- Wide aluminum foil
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 oz chocolate bar broken in pieces
Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup Chocolate syrup or hot fudge topping
Instructions
Before Baking:
- Grease a 9-inch spring form, set aside. Preheat the oven to 325℉.You will need a large roasting pan that’s bigger and longer than the springform pan. (You can even use the aluminum foil disposable ones).If you are not sure about your springform holding up in water, you can wrap the outside of the springform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil from bottom up to the sides. Try to use a wide kind of foil so you would only need to use 1 solid sheet. (I recommend wrapping the outside of the springform in foil before adding the crust and cheesecake batter.)
- Although, there is a chance that a small amount of water will leak in, this will NOT ruin the cheesecake.
Crust:
- Mix the ingredients for the crust, very well, until all evenly incorporated. (Not the chocolate bar.)
- Spray inside of the springform pan with some cooking spray, making sure you get the sides too. Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side. (You can use a measuring up to press the cookie crumb mixture.)
- Lay the chocolate pieces all over the crust, evenly.
Cheesecake Filling:
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Give it a good 2-3 minutes of beating to get is soft and smooth. Scrape sides and bottom on the bowl and beat for another minute.
- Pour in the sugar as it's beating and then lower the speed and add the vanilla extract, sour cream, and pumpkin puree. Raise the speed again and beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition. Stop to scrape bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Lower speed and mix in spices and cornstarch. Make sure that all ingredients are well combined. Stop to scrape bottom and sides of the bowl and beat until all smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the top.
Baking The Cheesecake:
- Place a large roasting pan into the oven and place cheesecake springform inside the roasting pan. Carefully add hot water to the corner of the roasting pan, filling it about half way up the side of the springform.
- Bake for about 85 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door half way. Let cheesecake rest for 10 minutes and take it out of the oven. Take the foil wrap off the pan.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes on the counter and then gently run a butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it. (You don’t actually have to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to serve.)
- Cool cheesecake for an hour and then cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to cut and serve the cheesecake, drizzle the chocolate syrup over the top. (Note, if using hot fudge topping, you will need to warm it up to make it easier to drizzle and spread.)
Notes
- Storing: Cheesecake will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store it in the original baking pan and make sure to re-wrap the pan with plastic wrap air-tight after each time you take out a slice.
- Freezing: There are instructions on how to freeze the cheesecake in the post!
- Water Bath: DO use the water bath technique, it does strongly affect the texture of the cheesecake.
- How To Tell If Cheesecake If Done: You can tell the cheesecake is baked when the edges are set and the center is slightly soft and jiggly. As it cools in the oven and on the counter, the center will continue to set more and become more firm. DO NOT insert a knife or toothpick into the center since that may cause the dessert to crack.
- Cooling: DO cool the cheesecake is three steps: 10 minutes in the turned off oven, on the counter, and chill in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in September 2013.
Rhia says
Looks delicious. Could I make mini cheesecakes in a muffin tin? If so, how long would it need to bake for? Alternatively, how long would it need to bake in mini muffin tray? Thanks. I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving.
LyubaB says
-Hi Rhia,
Yes, you can make this into mini cheesecake but I HIGHLY recomond using muffin liner cups it will make it much easier to take them out. Usually, they take about 18- 22 minutes. As far as the mini muffins, I have not tried them but I am guessing the would take about 9-10 minutes to cook.
Cody says
This pumpkin cheese cake is very delicious
Joix says
This cheesecake has all the makings of a truly perfect Thanksgiving dessert. I made it yesterday for Thanksgiving. I am not sure if I did something wrong though. I followed the recipe instructions to a tee. When I cut in to the cheesecake, the crust layer was separate from the rest of the cheesecake. (I made sure to sufficiently spray the pan.) Also, I expected for the bars of Hershey’s chocolate to have melted, but they were still in tact. Any recommendations?
lyuba says
Hi Joix!
Actually, since the chocolates are kind of hugged by the cheesecake, they do melt but don’t incorporate with the filling. As the cheesecake cools and refrigerates, it does get solid again. What you can do, is use chocolate chips instead if you prefer and that way you will have smaller bites of chocolate.
I’m not sure why the crust separated, that never happened to me before. May be too many chocolates on the bottom.
One thing you can also do to prevent the crust from sticking to the pan is to cut out the exact round shape of the bottom of the springform out of parchment paper and place it in the springform, under the crust.
connie says
I did it, its delicious. Thanks for share this recipe.
Hugs,
Connie.
lyuba says
Awesome!! I’m so happy that you made it and I hope everyone enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you, Connie!
Amy says
Can you make you make it day ahead? Will it keep ok?
Suzanne says
I love it! Pumpkin cheese cake with a few touches of chocolate looks great, as I’m sure it tasted great too!
LoveMeSomeCheesecake says
This looks wonderful!! How do you know when your cheesecake is done baking and its time to take it out? Thanks!
lyuba says
Hello!
You should bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes and then check it. Very gently shake the pan and lightly touch in the center, the cheesecake should still be slightly jiggly but set at the sides. At that point, you can turn off the oven and open the oven door about half way and let the cheesecake sit for about 10 minutes. Take the cheesecake out and cool completely. You can serve it once it’s cooled but it’s best when refrigerated for a few hours.
I hope this helps!
LoveMeSomeCheesecake says
Has anyone made this? It looks great and I plan on making it. I was just wondering how do you know when a cheesecake is done being baked? Thanks!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh my gawd, gorgeous!!! love this cheesecake! Hello?!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
just oh my gawd. . I’ve been stuck on your blog for like 10 minutes . too much deliciousness!!
lyuba says
Never a bad thing 😉
Thank you so much, Alice!!
Amy says
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and both times it has been a huge hit!! Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious dessert with us.
lyuba says
This makes me feel so happy, Amy! I’m so glad you made it and everyone liked it!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
kate says
how do you get this cheesecake out of the pan??
lyuba says
So sorry for a late response, Kate! I use spring form for all my cheesecakes. It’s very easy to open the sides and take them off. It leaves the bottom and the cheesecake is not disturbed 🙂