A very easy recipe for a delicious and creamy crustless keto pumpkin cheesecake that you quickly mix in your food processor.
I adore cheesecake (who doesn't?), and in the fall, I love making this pumpkin version. The pumpkin adds wonderful flavor and color to the cake.
In fact, I often make this cake on Thanksgiving alongside my keto pumpkin pie (plus this wonderfully creamy pumpkin mousse), because not everyone likes the soft texture and heavily spiced flavor of pumpkin pie. This cheesecake is the perfect solution.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this keto pumpkin cheesecake. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Cream cheese: Make sure it's soft. You can remove it from the fridge a couple of hours ahead of time, or cube it and microwave it for 20 seconds.
Canned pumpkin: Use pure unsweetened pumpkin puree and not sweetened pumpkin pie filling. A can of pumpkin puree contains 1 ¾ cups pumpkin. I intentionally use a ¾ cup of canned pumpkin in this recipe, which leaves me with 1 cup of pumpkin to use in other recipes, such as this excellent pumpkin cake.
Granulated sweetener: I usually use erythritol in this recipe.
Flavorings: Vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Make sure the cinnamon is fresh- a stale spice can easily ruin a baked good.
Coconut flour: It's extremely absorbent, so do measure it carefully. It can be overdrying if used in excess. This helps set the cake and prevent the deep cracks typical to cheesecakes from forming. The cake might still wrinkle a bit on top, but in my experience, it won't have deep cracks.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included. They should be at room temperature - remove them from the fridge a couple of hours ahead of time, or submerge them in warm (not hot) water to warm them up.
How to make keto pumpkin cheesecake
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. You simply process the ingredients, except for the eggs, in your food processor.
2. Now add the eggs and pulse to combine. Don't over mix! You don't want to introduce too much air into the batter.
3. Pour the mixture into a well-greased 9-inch pie plate. You can also use a smaller (8-inch) pie plate or a nonstick 8-inch springform pan. I've always baked this cake in a pie plate because I tend to serve it on Thanksgiving and it just seems appropriate.
4. Bake the keto pumpkin cheesecake until nearly set but still jiggly, 30-40 minutes at 350°F. This will largely depend on the pan you use and on your oven. In my old oven, using an 8-inch pan, it needed 40 minutes. In the new one, which I believe is more accurate, and using a 9-inch pan, it needs just 30 minutes. By the way, as you can see in the video below, I ended up overbaking the cake - see those dark edges? They're too dark. BUT the cake was still very good! Nice and creamy and very flavorful.
5. Cool completely on the counter, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight, before cutting.
6. When you cut the cake, since it's quite dense, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between slices. This will help prevent the knife from sticking and tearing the cake.
Possible substitutions
I've made this keto pumpkin cheesecake successfully with Neufchatel cream cheese, so that's an option if you'd like to give it a try.
You can use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, but then use less of it - just one teaspoon.
I haven't tried making this cake without the coconut flour - I like using it. I do believe it should be fine without it, but I haven't actually tried.
You can bake this cake in an 8-inch or a 9-inch pan. A 9-inch pan will produce a flatter cake as shown in the video and in the "How to make" photo collage above. A smaller pan will produce a taller cake, as shown in the other photos on this page. Both are excellent!
How to serve keto pumpkin cheesecake
This cake is excellent just as it is. Sometimes I dust it with a bit of Swerve Confectioners. You can also top it with a dollop of keto whipped cream.
What about leftovers?
If you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, on wax paper, for up to 5 days. Remove them from the fridge one hour before serving. I haven't experimented with freezing this cake.
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Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin (183 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sweetener (I use erythritol)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 2 large eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch pie plate with butter.
- In a food processor, add the cream cheese, pumpkin, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and coconut flour. Process until blended, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and process just until blended. Don't over mix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate.
- Bake until the cake isn't liquid anymore but is still a bit jiggly, 30-35 minutes.
- Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight, before slicing.
- To slice the cake, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean. Dip it again after each slice. This will help you cut the cake into neat slices.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 