Make a pumpkin cheesecake tart with velvety pumpkin spice filling, a buttery cookie crust, and whipped cream for an impressive fall dessert!

This pumpkin cheesecake tart brings everything you want from a fall dessert into one neat, sliceable package: a buttery gingersnap-pecan crust with crisp edges, a silky pumpkin cheesecake filling fragrant with cinnamon and ginger, and a cloud of maple whipped cream that keeps every bite from feeling too heavy.

It looks polished enough for a holiday table, yet each step is manageable at home, even if your usual baking strategy involves crossing your fingers and staring through the oven door!

What Does This Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart Taste Like?

Imagine pumpkin pie and classic cheesecake agreeing to share one dessert, then moving into a crunchy gingersnap crust because neither one wanted to wash a pie plate.

Filling is creamy and tangy, with enough pumpkin to give it a proper autumn flavor without making it loose or watery.

Brown sugar adds a subtle caramel note, sour cream provides brightness, and warm spices sit in the background instead of overwhelming every bite.

Ingredients

For Gingersnap-Pecan Crust

• 1 3/4 cups finely crushed crisp gingersnap cookies, about 7 ounces or 200 grams
• 1/3 cup finely ground pecans, about 1 1/4 ounces or 35 grams
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

• 12 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2/3 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin puree, about 160 grams
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, about 105 grams
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 small pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For Salted Maple Whipped Cream

• 3/4 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 small pinch fine salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, for serving
• A light dusting of cinnamon, optional

Servings: 10 slices
Prep time: 35 minutes

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Take cream cheese, sour cream, egg, and egg yolk out of your refrigerator 45 to 60 minutes before you plan to mix filling.

Room-temperature ingredients combine more easily, which prevents little white cream cheese lumps from floating through your pumpkin mixture.

If you forgot this step, place unwrapped cream cheese on a microwave-safe plate and heat it at 20 percent power in 10-second intervals, turning it after each interval, until softened but still cool.

Position an oven rack in center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, paying attention to fluted sides, then place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

Baking sheet makes transferring a loose-bottom pan safer and catches any butter that tries to escape, because melted butter apparently enjoys adventure.

Combine finely crushed gingersnaps, ground pecans, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in melted butter and stir until every crumb looks evenly moistened. Pinch a spoonful between your fingers; it should hold together like damp sand.

If it immediately crumbles, add another teaspoon of melted butter, but do not pour in several tablespoons at once or crust may become greasy.

Tip crumb mixture into prepared tart pan and distribute it loosely across bottom before you begin pressing.

Use flat bottom of a measuring cup to compress crumbs firmly and evenly across base, then use your fingers or side of measuring cup to press crumbs about 3/4 inch up fluted edges.

Pay special attention to corner where base meets sides, since an overly thick corner can be surprisingly difficult to cut after chilling. Crust should look compact rather than fluffy, with no visible loose patches.

Bake crust for 9 to 11 minutes, until it smells toasted and surface appears dry. Gingersnaps are already dark, so color is not your most reliable signal here; follow aroma and texture instead.

Remove baking sheet from oven and let crust cool for 10 minutes while you prepare filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Place pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat.

Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring continuously with a flexible spatula, until sugar dissolves, spices smell fragrant, and puree becomes darker and noticeably thicker.

When you drag your spatula across bottom of pan, a trail should remain visible for a second or two before mixture slowly closes.

Scrape pumpkin mixture into a shallow bowl and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes, until lukewarm rather than hot.

Adding hot pumpkin to cream cheese can melt it and create a thin, oily batter, which is not a plot twist we need.

Place softened cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-low speed for about 60 seconds, just until completely smooth. Scrape bowl and beaters carefully, since stubborn lumps often hide along bottom.

Add sour cream and cornstarch, then mix on low speed for 20 to 30 seconds. Cheesecake batter does not benefit from lots of air, so keep mixer speed controlled rather than whipping it as if you are racing a clock.

Add cooled pumpkin mixture and vanilla, then mix on low until color looks even, stopping once to scrape bowl.

Add whole egg and mix just until yellow streaks disappear, then add yolk and mix again for only 10 to 15 seconds. Finish by folding batter several times with a spatula, reaching along bottom and sides.

Batter should look thick, glossy, and completely smooth, with a warm orange color and no pockets of white cream cheese.

Pour filling into cooled crust and spread it gently toward edges with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Tap baking sheet lightly against counter two or three times to release large air bubbles, then pop any visible bubbles with tip of a toothpick.

Do not fill above crust line. If your tart pan is unusually shallow and you have a little extra batter, bake it separately in a greased ramekin rather than balancing a pumpkin lake above your crust.

Bake at 325°F for 30 to 36 minutes. Begin checking at 29 minutes because tart pans and ovens vary. Outer two inches should look set and slightly puffed, while center should wobble gently as one area when you nudge baking sheet.

It should not ripple like liquid. An instant-read thermometer inserted into center should register approximately 150°F to 155°F, but visual movement is usually enough. Do not wait until center becomes completely firm, since residual heat will continue cooking filling.

Turn off oven, open door about two inches, and leave tart inside for 10 minutes. This gradual temperature change reduces sudden shrinking and cracking. Move tart, still on its baking sheet, to a wire rack and let it cool for 1 hour.

A small dip around center is normal, but a deep crater usually means batter contained too much air or filling baked too long.

Once tart reaches room temperature, cover pan without letting wrap touch its surface and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight chilling gives you an even creamier texture and sharpest slices.

Do not attempt to remove a warm cheesecake tart from its pan, no matter how persuasive it smells; filling needs cold time to set fully.

Shortly before serving, pour cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl and beat on medium speed until it begins to thicken. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and salt, then continue beating until soft-to-medium peaks form.

When you lift beaters, cream should form a curved peak that holds its shape without looking grainy. Stop at that point, since overbeaten cream can go from elegant to butter-adjacent rather quickly.

To release tart, place pan on a sturdy inverted bowl or large can that is narrower than its removable base, then carefully lower outer ring.

Slide a thin spatula between crust and metal base if you want to transfer tart to a serving plate, or leave it on base for easier handling.

Let tart sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, spoon or pipe maple whipped cream around top, and finish with toasted pecans and a very light dusting of cinnamon.

Cut tart with a thin, sharp knife, wiping blade clean between slices.

For especially precise edges, dip knife in hot water, dry it thoroughly, make one cut, and repeat. This sounds fussy until you see those clean pumpkin-and-crust layers, at which point you may feel briefly qualified to judge a baking competition.

Serving Suggestions

Serve each slice with a spoonful of salted maple whipped cream and a few toasted pecans. A tiny drizzle of maple syrup is lovely, but keep it light because filling and crust are already sweet.

For a holiday dessert table, arrange tart on a cake stand and pipe small whipped cream swirls around edge, leaving some pumpkin filling visible in center. You can add sugared cranberries for color, although they are optional rather than necessary.

A cup of strong coffee, an espresso, or black tea balances creamy filling beautifully. If serving after a large dinner, cut tart into 10 slender slices rather than eight generous ones. Its rich texture means a modest piece goes a long way.

For an extra dessert-style presentation, add a thin ribbon of salted caramel to each plate rather than pouring it over entire tart. This keeps crust crisp and lets guests decide how sweet they want each bite.

Once your fork cracks through that crisp spiced crust and glides into cool, creamy pumpkin filling, you will understand why this pumpkin cheesecake tart deserves a place beside classic pies at every fall gathering!!

Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!