Creamy Ricotta Pumpkin Cheesecake

Make this pumpkin ricotta cheesecake and fall in love with the smell as it bakes! You will hardly be able to wait for it to cool!

It has a crumbly pecan and almond crust, a silky pumpkin filling made with ricotta and cream cheese, and a homemade caramel sauce poured over the top. It is perfect for Thanksgiving or any time you need something with a pumpkin kick.

The Best Ricotta Pumpkin Cheesecake (With Caramel Sauce)

Now, this pumpkin ricotta recipe is unique because it uses ricotta! The ricotta adds a creamy texture that is out of this world! A friend called this cheesecake a super creamy pumpkin pie. Sounds amazing to me! The crust is made of nuts and adds to the richness of the dessert. It’s crumbly and nutty and just plain delicious!

This week my husband and I are going to Colorado to watch our dear friends get married, and I’m taking some of this cheesecake to my old roommate on the way. When I told her I was bringing her Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake, she was thrilled. We both love everything about this recipe. My husband, who isn’t a huge cheesecake fan, also enjoyed it! So WIN!

And, seriously, make the caramel sauce. It is SO GOOD! Oh, and might I add it doesn’t have any corn syrup in sight! (I really don’t like corn syrup.)

It’s FALL in Colorado, and I plan on collecting lots of colorful leaves and preserving them. Something I like to do every fall, and I wrote about how to do it in my Pumpkin Spice Waffles post. This is a delicious treat whether you are making it for Thanksgiving or for an old roommate. Everyone will love it!

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ricotta

• Extra creamy filling. Ricotta and cream cheese whip together into a smooth, rich pumpkin custard.
• Nutty crust. Pecans and almonds make a crumbly crust that is richer than graham crackers.
• Corn syrup free caramel. The sauce is just sugar, butter and heavy cream.
• Made from scratch if you like. You can use homemade ricotta and homemade pumpkin puree, or grab store-bought.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into each part of this ricotta pumpkin cheesecake. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Pecans and almonds: Pulsed until finely chopped, they form the base of the crust. Toasting them first is optional but deepens their flavor.
• Flour, sugar, melted butter and an egg yolk: These bind the nuts into a crust you can press into the pan. The yolk helps it hold together once baked.
• Cream cheese: Gives the filling its classic cheesecake body. Let it come to room temperature so it whips smooth with no lumps.
• Ricotta cheese: The star of the recipe. It makes the filling lighter and creamier than an all cream cheese version. Homemade or store-bought both work. If it looks wet, drain it in the fridge for a few hours in a colander lined with cheesecloth so the filling doesn’t turn watery.
• Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Homemade puree from small sugar pumpkins is highly recommended. Sugar pumpkins are small, bake faster and have sweeter, less stringy flesh than carving pumpkins. Good puree should be juicy and wet, not dry and pasty.
• Pumpkin spice: Store-bought is fine, or make your own with cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground ginger and freshly grated nutmeg.
• Granulated sugar, flour and vanilla: Sugar sweetens the filling, a little flour helps it set without cracking, and a full tablespoon of vanilla rounds out the pumpkin.
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend in smoothly and set the filling. Add them one at a time. Cold eggs can make the cream cheese seize into little lumps.
• Sugar, butter and heavy cream for the caramel: Melted sugar cooked to amber, then enriched with butter and cream. No corn syrup needed.

How to Make Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

1. Make the crust. Pulse the pecans and almonds in a small food processor until finely chopped. Pulse in the flour and sugar, then mix in the melted butter and egg yolk. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with a little coming up the sides, and freeze until ready to use.
2. Heat the oven. Preheat to 300°F. A low oven bakes the filling gently so it stays creamy.
3. Whip the cheeses. In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium for 3 minutes until whipped. Mix in the ricotta and pumpkin on low, then the sugar on medium for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin spice, vanilla and flour.
4. Add the eggs. With the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each to disappear before adding the next. Don’t overbeat, since extra air makes cheesecake crack.
5. Set up the water bath. Wrap a couple of sheets of foil around the bottom of the pan and set it in a larger roasting pan so the crust stays dry.
6. Bake. Pour the filling into the crust, add about 3 cups of hot water to the roasting pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the cheesecake is slightly jiggly but looks set.
7. Loosen and chill. Run a thin knife around the edge right away, then refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.
8. Make the caramel. Melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, then stop stirring and watch until it turns amber. Off the heat, stir in the butter, then the cream. Return to medium-low, bring to a quick boil, cook less than a minute and cool.

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake FAQs

• Can I use store-bought ricotta and pumpkin? Yes. Both work. Just drain the ricotta if it looks wet, and use plain pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
• How do I make my own pumpkin puree? Halve and seed a pumpkin, roast it cut side down at 375°F for about 45 minutes until a knife slides in easily, then process the flesh until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water if it seems dry.
• How do I keep my cheesecake from cracking? Don’t overbeat the eggs, bake it in a water bath and run a knife around the edge as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Can I make it ahead? Yes. It needs at least 4 hours in the fridge anyway, so baking it the day before is ideal. It should come out of the oven slightly jiggly in the center but looking set, and it firms up as it chills.
• How long does it keep? Cover and refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days. Store the caramel separately in the fridge and warm it gently before serving.
• My caramel won’t mix. What happened? It cooled too much while adding the butter or cream. Put it back over medium-low heat and stir constantly until smooth.
• How should I serve it? Slice it cold and top each piece with whipped cream and a generous drizzle of the caramel sauce.
• Can I freeze extra pumpkin puree? Yes. Well packaged puree freezes well for about a year.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ricotta

Lisa

Pumpkin cheesecake with ricotta, baked in a water bath on a pecan and almond crust, is lighter and creamier than an all cream cheese version. It is topped with an easy homemade caramel sauce made without corn syrup.

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Ingredients

  

For the crust

• 2 oz chopped pecans (1/2 cup)
• 2 oz chopped almonds (1/2 cup)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk

For cheesecake

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups ricotta cheese* homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups pumpkin puree* homemade or store-bought
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice*
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs at room temperature

For caramel sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

Crust

• Combine nuts in a small food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add flour and sugar and pulse to combine. Mix with melted butter and egg. Press mixture in the bottom of a 9” springform pan, making sure the whole bottom is coated and there’s a little bit of crust coming up the sides about ¼’ high. Stick the pan in the freezer until ready to use.

Filling

• Pre-heat the oven to 300ºF
• In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, add the cream cheese. Use the paddle attachment for 3 minutes on medium speed until cream cheese is whipped. Add ricotta and pumpkin puree and mix on low to combine. Add sugar and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or until well incorporated. Add pumpkin spice, vanilla, and flour, mix to combine. With the mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time, waiting for each egg to incorporate before adding the next one. Also, make sure you don’t overbeat the mixture, which adds too much air to the mix and most likely will make your cheesecake crack.
• Wrap a couple of sheets of aluminum foil around the bottom of the springform pan and place the pan in a larger roasting pan for the water bath. The foil will make sure the crust doesn’t get soaked by the water from the water bath.
• Pour filling into crust and place it in the oven. Pour about 3 cups of hot water in the roasting pan. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, until cheesecake is slightly jiggly but appearing to be set. Remove from the oven and run a thin knife right around the cheesecake between the cake and the pan. This helps to avoid cracks on the top of the cheesecake when the cheesecake cools and shrinks away from the pan.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

• Put sugar in a medium sauce pan and and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly to help it melt evenly and to avoid burning. Once all the sugar is melted, stop stirring and watch very closely as it simmers. When the melted sugar has an amber color, it’s time to remove from the heat. Don’t let it pass the amber color point because sugar burns very quickly and you don’t want to taste bitter burnt sugar. 
• As you remove the sugar from the heat, immediately add the butter and stir until all the butter is melted. Add heavy cream and stir until incorporated. Place the pan back on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. After it is combined, increase the temperature to medium and bring the mixture to a quick boil. Cook, stirring vigorously for less than a minute, to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and let it cool before transferring to another container.

Notes

• *To make your own pumpkin spice combine cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground ginger and freshly grated nutmeg
• *If you are making your own ricotta, make sure to let it drain in the fridge for a few hours in a colander lined with a cheesecloth, and if you are using store-bought, make sure to do the same if the ricotta appears to be too wet. Check out our homemade ricotta recipe here: https://www.nodietsallowed.com//homemade-ricotta/
• *If you are planning on making your own pumpkin puree, which I highly recommend, here are the steps: 
  • Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF.
  • Cut pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Discard the seeds or set them aside and roast them later for a delicious snack. Place each pumpkin half with the open side facing down on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Roast in pre-heated oven for ~45 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your pumpkin. I like to use sugar pumpkins which are small and bake faster. You will know the pumpkin is done when it is soft and a knife cuts it easily.
  • Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it sit until it’s cool enough to handle. Remove the softened flesh and place in a food processor and process until smooth.
  • If your pumpkin seems too dry, add a tablespoon of water to the food processor. 
  • The pumpkin puree should be juicy and wet. Remove 2 cups to use in this recipe and use the rest for another recipe.
  • Pumpkin puree also freezes well. It will last a long time in your freezer if it’s well packaged. About 1 year! I’m sure you will have pumpkin puree needs before a year though if you are anything like me!
• When making the caramel, if your mixture gets too cool while adding the butter or cream, it won't mix well. To fix this you can put it back on the burner over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. 

Made this pumpkin ricotta cheesecake? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and share how it turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other bakers.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Homemade Ricotta
• Pumpkin Whole Wheat Waffles
• Eggless Pumpkin Pie (Dairy Free)
• Eggnog Cheesecake Bars
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Parfait

This recipe was shared by Camila.