Are you loving all the pumpkin content we have for you this year?? We love pumpkin, and we bring to you another incredible recipe that we know you will want to try. This Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake is so creamy and decadent, with the best texture I have had in a cheesecake! You will probably make it more than once!
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What is in the Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake?
This pumpkin cheesecake is made with a combination – equal parts – cream cheese and mascarpone. Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese that has a lighter and creamier texture than regular cream cheese, with a much more mild flavor. Using mascarpone cheese results in the creamy texture of this cheesecake rather than a more dense traditional version.
The crust on this cheesecake is a variation of a traditional graham cracker crust. We used a combination of graham crackers and toasted pecans added to a food processor with a blend of Fall spices, sugar and brown butter.
Why use brown butter over regular butter?
Using brown butter gives this crust a deeper, nuttier flavor compared to simply using regular melted butter. Brown butter is super easy to make by melting butter in a sauce man and allowing the milk solids to brown slightly until it smells fragrant and nutty. Find the recipe for brown butter HERE if you have never made it before.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes! You definitely can and we typically recommend this over the canned versions that often have other additives or preservatives. If you have never made your own pumpkin puree, it is very simple and you can see our instructions HERE.
Can I use Pumpkin Pie Spice instead?
Yep, you sure can! We highly recommend using the spices we listed in the recipe below freshly ground. This will result in a more complex flavor profile that is much better than the pumpkin pie spice blend. But if you want, you can instead use the equivalent amount of pumpkin pie spice for the total amount of these individual spices listed (cloves, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg).
How to make cheesecake
Cheesecake often seems intimidating, but like any cake or pie, it just requires a bit of time and attention.
Do I need a springform pan?
You should use a springform pan if you want to make a traditional cheesecake. If you don’t have one, you can make this in any old pie or cake dish, although you may need to adjust the cooking time depending on how shallow your dish is. Because we use a 9″ springform pan, the cheesecake ends up being around 3 inches thick, so plan accordingly. Additionally, this recipe makes enough filling for that particular pan, so if you use a different dish, or may have more or less filling and pie crust.
Do I need to bake the cheesecake in a water bath?
Baking cheesecake in a water bath allows the cheesecake to cook more evenly and prevents cracking. To create a water bath, we use a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water around our aluminum foil wrapped springform pan. Th foil blocks the water from seeping into the springform to ensure your crust doesn’t get soggy. You should pour enough water to fill the roasting pan about halfway up the outside of the springform pan. Whenever we bake our cheesecakes using the water bath method, we always achieve a nice smooth top and no cracks.
How long do I need to wait before I can eat the cheesecake?
After the cheesecake is finished baking, it needs to sit out at room temp for about 2 hours. Then it should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours or overnight to ensure that it sets correctly. So you will need to plan ahead if you want to enjoy this for a special event, like Thanksgiving.
How do I know if my cheesecake is done?
When baking the cheesecake, you will notice that the top browns slightly and looks smooth. If you gently wiggle the pan, you may notice that the cheesecake is wobbly. A little wobble, similar to jello, is completely fine, but if you notice that yours looks very wobbly and ripples the top, then you will need to bake it a bit longer. We recommend reducing the heat to 325° F and baking for 5 minute increments. Depending on your oven it could possibly take an additional 20+ minutes. Once the cheesecake is removed from the oven and sits at room temp, you will notice that it will set and become less and less wobbly until it feels fairly solid. After sitting overnight in the fridge, your cheesecake will be completely set with zero wobble.
How should I store my cheesecake?
If you don’t eat this whole thing in one sitting, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze and enjoy within 1-2 months.
Enjoy!
We hope you enjoy this Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake recipe! If you give it a try leave us a comment below, or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!
Also, check out our Brown Butter Bourbon Caramel Sauce to drizzle allllllll over this cheesecake!
If you like this recipe, check out some of our other pumpkin favorites below:
- Pumpkin Spice Butter Cake aka “Crack Cake”
- Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail
- Pumpkin Passion Fruit Spice Cake
- Pumpkin and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Just WOW, what a Dessert!
It’s delicious!
Where is the link to this recipe….
Found…had to use a different browser.
Sorry about that! I’m glad you were able to make it work!