Julie Clark
Updated:
Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake, a homemade cheesecake with pumpkin puree and caramel sauce. A copycat recipe for a pumpkin dessert that’ll make your holiday special.
Today we’re recreating a fall favorite that’s sure to warm your heart – Olive Garden’s Pumpkin Cheesecake. This pumpkin cheesecake, a pumpkin dessert that is only offered for a limited time, brings together the pure pumpkin puree, gingersnap cookies and smooth caramel sauce. It’s a baked version of our pumpkin pie cream cheese dip!
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, we’ll help you get make the best pumpkin cheesecake with no cracks!
About this Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe:
We crafted this recipe after falling in love with Olive Garden’s cheesecake during the holiday season. Even when I’m stuffed full of breadsticks, the New York style cheesecake with pumpkin spice flavor and drizzle of caramel won me over.
I spent time tweaking our creamy cheesecake recipe to make a better-than-Olive Garden pumpkin cheesecake.
You may also love our frozen pumpkin pie and easy cheesecake with no waterbath!
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Michelle says, “This was the best pumpkin cheesecake ever! Made it for birthday and everyone loved it!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Caroline says, “This was my first attempt at making a REAL cheesecake ever! It came out perfect and it tastes sooo yum! 🙂”
Tools to Make Cheesecake
There are a few key tools needed to make cheesecake successfully.
- Springform Pan. Most of our cheesecake recipes use a 9-inch spring form pan. Do you have to bake cheesecake in a springform pan? If you don’t have a springform pan, use a 9″ round cake pan with deep 3″ sides. Line the cake pan with parchment paper so it comes out a little more easily.
- Water Bath Mold. This isn’t 100% necessary, but it is great to have. You don’t want a soggy cheesecake if you’re baking it in a water bath. This prevents that!
Gingersnap Crust for Cheesecake
The first step to preparing this cheesecake is to make the gingersnap crust. Do you have to use gingersnaps? Not necessarily. You could easily use a graham cracker crumbs crust. The gingersnaps add such a depth of flavor so we highly recommend using them.
- Use a food processor to make the cookie crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the gingersnap crumbs, melted butter and sugar.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan. Note…this makes enough to cover the bottom of the pan. If you want crumbs up the sides of the pan (which would make a thicker crust) you’ll have to make a double recipe.
- Bake the crust for about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the crust to cool completely BEFORE you add the cheesecake filling.
How to Make Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
I’m always surprised at how fast it is to mix up cheesecake. You really only need 15 minutes to get it ready for the oven.
Here’s how to do it.
- Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Use 22 ounces of cream cheese which is 2 8-ounce blocks and then an additional 6 ounces. The cream cheese should be at room temperature to ensure a smooth filling. Use a hand mixer on low speed to cream the cream cheese until it is smooth. Don’t beat too much air into the cream cheese. Mix on low speed just until smooth and any lumps are out.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the sugars, vanilla extract and pumpkin. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Mix in the sour cream and mix on low speed just until blended. The sour cream helps cut the sweetness.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Use a hand whisk to gently whisk the eggs together to break up the yolks. Don’t whip them too much. You don’t want them frothy.
- Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture and blend the eggs into the cream cheese mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan with the pre-baked crust. Tap the pan on the counter 4-5 times. This will help bring any air bubbles to the top so that they pop. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes. Tap again if any more air bubbles surface. This will help your cheesecake have a nice thick texture.
How to Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
You may often hear about cheesecake baked in a water bath. It’s a strange process, but because cheesecake is most like a custard, it’s the best way to bake it for that perfect texture. It keeps the top of the cheesecake crack free.
- Heat 4 quarts of water on the stove or in the microwave until steaming but not necessarily boiling. Pour about an inch and a half of hot water in a 10×15″ baking pan or roasting pan.
- Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil. You’ll want 2-3 layers of foil so that excess water doesn’t seep through. Better yet, buy a silicone cheesecake mold.
- Place the wrapped springform pan into the water bath. The water should come about halfway up the side of the pan. Pour in additional water if needed.
- Place the cheesecake (in the water bath) in the preheated oven (325ºF). Allow the cheesecake to bake for 65 minutes. Do not open the oven.
- After 65 minutes, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for another 5 hours. Don’t open the oven. Just allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven while the oven cools.
- After 5 hours, remove the cheesecake from the oven and the pan. Remove the foil wrap.
How to Prevent Cracks in Cheesecake
If you follow our steps exactly, you shouldn’t have any trouble with cracks in this copycat Olive Garden pumpkin cheesecake. Here are the tips we showcase for preventing cracks:
- Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing or whipping too much air in to the batter can cause air pockets which create cracks. This is why we say to mix very slowly and tap the pan to pop any air bubbles. You can also allow the batter to sit in the pan for 10-30 minutes to help the batter to settle.
- Spray the springform pan with cooking spray or grease with butter. This can often prevent any sticking which may cause cracks. If you have a non-stick pan this may not be necessary, but we do it just to be safe.
- Bake in a water bath. Trust me on this! It’s the best method.
- Don’t open the oven door during baking or cooling. Sudden temperature changes can cause cracks.
Help! I still ended up with cracks! Spread a thin sour cream layer over the top the cheesecake, or whip some heavy cream into stiff peaks and spread that over the top. Then dust the top with pumpkin pie spices.
Does cheesecake have to be refrigerated overnight?
Yes! In order for cheesecake to fully set and become firm, you’ll need to refrigerate it overnight. Place the cheesecake in the fridge and put a sheet of wax paper loosely over the top. The cheesecake will firm up in the fridge.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Toppings
This Olive Garden pumpkin cheesecake is delicious enough to eat plain. It has a simple flavor very similar to pumpkin pie. If you want to decorate it, put dollops of whipped heavy whipping cream and sprinkles of ginger snap crumbs. You could also drizzle the top with caramel sauce and sprinkle with nuts. Pecans pair perfectly with pumpkin.
These garnishes are what make it taste like Olive Garden, but better! So good.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make this Olive Garden pumpkin cheesecake in advance, perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Make a cheesecake up to 4 days in advance and store in the fridge.
Freeze slices of cheesecake or a whole cheesecake for up to 2 months. When you are ready to serve it, place the wrapped cheesecake in the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Don’t unwrap it until it is thawed. This will help prevent condensation from forming and making the cake “wet”.
Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
Homemade Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake, a seasonal delight with pure pumpkin puree and rich caramel sauce. A copycat recipe for a pumpkin dessert that'll make your holiday special.
Servings 12
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 11 minutes
Resting Time 5 hours
Total Time 6 hours 26 minutes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs
- 6 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the cheesecake:
- 22 ounces cream cheese (2 ¾ blocks (room temperature))
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 ounces sour cream (room temperature) (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 3 large eggs (whisked, room temperature)
Instructions
- **Plan ahead so that the refrigerated ingredients reach room temperature. This will help the ingredients cream together more smoothly.**
- Spray a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray.
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the gingersnap crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan. 1 ½ cups ginger snap cookie crumbs, 6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Bake the crust for about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the crust to cool completely.
- Place the pan in the silicone water bath mold. Or you can wrap the outside of the springform pan with two layers of foil. This will help seal the bottom so that water doesn't get in.
Make the cheesecake filling:
- Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Use 22 ounces of cream cheese which is 2 8-ounce blocks and then an additional 6 ounces. Use a hand mixer on low speed to cream the cream cheese until it is smooth. Don't beat too much air into the cream cheese. Mix on low speed just until smooth and any lumps are out. 22 ounces cream cheese
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the sugars, vanilla extract and pumpkin. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix in the sour cream and mix on low speed just until blended. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 10 ounces sour cream
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Use a hand whisk to gently whisk the eggs together to break up the yolks. Don't whisk them too much. You don't want them frothy. 3 large eggs
- Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture and blend the eggs into the cream cheese mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan with the pre-baked crust. Tap the pan on the counter 4-5 times. This will help bring any air bubbles to the top so that they pop. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes. Tap again if any more air bubbles surface. This will help your cheesecake have a nice thick texture.
- Heat 4 quarts of water on the stove or in the microwave until steaming but not necessarily boiling.
- Pour about an inch and a half of water in a 10×15" baking pan. Place the wrapped springform pan into the water bath. The water should come about halfway up the side of the pan. Pour in additional water if needed.
- Place the cheesecake (in the water bath) in the preheated oven. Allow the cake to bake for 65 minutes. Do not open the oven.
- After 65 minutes, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for another 5 hours. Don't open the oven. Just allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven while the oven cools.
- After 5 hours, remove the cheesecake from the oven and the pan. Remove the foil wrap.
- Loosely cover the cheesecake and place it in the refrigerator to firm up overnight. Serve the next day with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cheesecake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cheesecake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 6604IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg
I have attempted this recipe twice and while I can tell the flavors are phenomenal, both times my crust came out wet. I determined that water is not getting into my pan. The only thing I can think of is either I used too much butter in making the crust or I didn’t let it cool enough. But I’ve seen many cheesecake videos since then and many of them rarely let it cool any longer than I did. It’s usually enough time to make the batter. So is it the butter?