Go Back
–+ servings
Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake
No crust, no mixer, no water bath — this cheesecake mixes with a whisk right in its baking dish and comes out silky and dense, like the center of a pumpkin pie that finally got top billing. It is sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar, it is naturally gluten-free because there is no crust to convert, and it has to chill overnight, which makes it the easiest kind of holiday dessert: the one that is already done. In the Test Kitchen: not yet test-made in my kitchen.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 50 minutes
9 squares
Print Recipe Jump to Recipe
  • 1 can pumpkin purée 15 oz (425 g); plain purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 blocks cream cheese 8 oz (227 g) each, 16 oz (454 g) total, softened to room temperature
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup 80 ml
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Set out an 8-inch square baking dish — no greasing needed.
  • Add the pumpkin purée and the softened cream cheese to the dish and whisk until completely smooth, scraping the corners of the dish as you go.
  • Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice, until the batter is smooth and even.
  • Bake 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center barely jiggles when the dish is nudged.
  • Cool the cheesecake in the dish at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight, about 8 hours. Do not cut it warm — the chill is what sets the slice.
  • Cut into 9 squares and serve cold, straight from the fridge.
Softened cream cheese is not optional in a whisk-only batter: cold cheese leaves lumps no whisk can fix. Leave the blocks on the counter for an hour before you start, and bring the eggs to room temperature alongside.
The maple syrup makes this gently sweet, more pumpkin-pie than cheesecake-shop. That is the design, not a shortfall.
Purée versus pie filling: the can must say pumpkin purée (ingredients: pumpkin). Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced and will throw off both the sweetness and the set.
Storage: covered, in the refrigerator, 4 to 5 days. The squares also freeze well for up to a month; thaw overnight in the fridge.
This recipe is not yet test-made in my kitchen.