Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

Recipe by Molly Marzalek-Kelly
Not Yet Reviewed

With its burnished top and custardy interior, this Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake reimagines the classic with bold autumnal flair. Flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices (along with a hint of turmeric for extra color), this crustless cheesecake boasts a rich pumpkin flavor beneath its signature caramelized exterior. There’s no crust to fuss with, no water bath to babysit — just a dramatic, crackled crown giving way to velvety pumpkin decadence below. Inspired by Santiago Rivera’s famed Basque creation, this version is as stunning as it is effortless.  

Prep
20 mins
Bake
22 to 28 mins
Total
1 hr
Yield
one 9" cheesecake
Three pieces of Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake on plates - select to zoom
Three pieces of Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake on plates - select to zoom
The interior of Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake - select to zoom
Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake sliced into pieces on a sheet of parchment - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 500°F with a rack positioned in the center. 

  2. To prepare the pan: Take two sheets of 16 1/2" x 12 1/4" parchment and crumple each into a ball. If you don’t have parchment that size, you’ll need enough to cover roughly a 15" square. 

  3. Uncrumple the parchment completely and overlap the two sheets in a cross, pressing them into a 9" springform pan to completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan. The paper won’t lie flush with the sides but crumpling it first will make fitting it into the pan easier. 

  4. Fold the overhanging parchment down over the outside edge of the pan to ensure that the top of the cake remains visible and exposed to the oven’s heat. 

  5. To make the Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment (11-cup capacity is best; see “tips,” below, for alternatives). 

  6. Process the batter until it’s completely smooth and lump-free, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl about halfway through. 

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and transfer the pan to the oven. 

  8. To bake: Bake the cheesecake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the top is a deep-dark brown, the edges are just set, and the center is still quite jiggly. A digital thermometer inserted 1" from the edge and 1" deep should read as close to 185°F as possible. For best results, start checking your cheesecake at the 22-minute mark, and continue to check at 1-minute intervals until the desired doneness is reached. Taking this cheesecake out of the oven at just the right point is critical to its success; see “tips,” below. 

  9. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it on a rack; cool the cake in the pan to room temperature before slicing. Unmold and serve the cheesecake at room temperature or refrigerate and serve chilled. 

  10. Storage information: Store leftover Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Tips from our Bakers

  • Substitute the Pumpkin Pie Spice with 1 1/2 teaspoons Indonesian Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves, if desired. 

  • The maximum temperature rating for most parchment paper is below 500°F, and at temperatures between 450°F and 500°F parchment’s exposed edges begin to char. To be safe, keep a close eye on anything being cooked at temperatures above 450°F (especially anything on an upper rack). Burned edges can also be minimized by trimming away excess parchment before baking.

  • Be aware: Some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.

  • If you don’t have a food processor, combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low speed, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the batter is well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Lumps of cream cheese may still be interspersed throughout. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use an immersion blender (or a regular blender, working in batches if necessary), to blend the batter until it’s smooth and free of lumps, about 5 minutes.

  • If you remove the Basque cheesecake from the oven too soon, it’ll be soupy in the center; too late, and its decadent just-firm-enough texture will be lost. If you have a thermometer, use it; if not, follow the doneness cues above, understanding that the cake really shouldn’t look done in the center when you remove it from the oven.

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