Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake {Egg-Free, Easily Gluten Free}
Creamy and rich and luxurious, this is the best pumpkin cheesecake! It is silky and decadent and so easy to make. The white chocolate topping is fantastic!
Based on this ethereal, amazing Vanilla Bean White Chocolate Cheesecake, this egg-free, pumpkin version you see before you today is so creamy, so luxurious, so delicious, it kind of blows my mind.
When I set out to make a lightly spiced, seasonal pumpkin cheesecake, I didn’t realize it would skyrocket to the top of my favorite cheesecakes of all time.
Which is saying a lot since I love me some cheesecake.
Perfect for a decadent fall dessert on any given day, it would also make a very special addition to your Thanksgiving menu* (is anyone planning yet or are you cringing and curling into a quivery ball at the thought?).
It doesn’t hurt that the silky, creamy, pumpkin cheesecake is topped with a rich white chocolate mousse layer. Such extreme yumminess, it isn’t even funny.
One Year Ago: The Best and Only Pie Crust Recipe {& Tutorial} You’ll Ever Need
Two Years Ago: Sweet Potato Casserole
Three Years Ago: Lasagna Soup
Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups (200 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 14 rectangle crackers
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, melted
Cheesecake:
- 3 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) sour cream
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15-ounce) can (425 g) pumpkin puree (or about 2 cups if using homemade)
White Chocolate Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces (113 g) white chocolate, melted
Instructions
- For the crust, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the melted butter and mix until combined and it looks like wet sand. Press the crumbs into the bottom and just a bit up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Place the springform pan on a foil-lined larger baking pan and bake for about 8 minutes until the crust is just lightly golden and smells fragrant. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F.
- For the cheesecake batter, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer), whip together the cream cheese and sour cream until just combined. Add the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and mix until incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and pumpkin until just combined.
- Spread the batter evenly over the crust and bake (keeping the pan still on the foil-lined baking sheet; helps prevent any leaking butter/batter from dirtying your oven) for 45-60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center slightly jiggles. Let the cheesecake cool completely.
- For the white chocolate topping, in a medium bowl, beat the cream and vanilla with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until combined and the peaks are slightly stiffer. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the white chocolate and mix until smooth and creamy. Fold in the whipped cream, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream, and mix gently with a rubber spatula, lifting and turning the cream, until the mousse is combined and creamy.
- Spread the white chocolate topping on top of the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to a day. Garnish with a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (based on this Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Recipe)
101 Comments on “Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake {Egg-Free, Easily Gluten Free}”
I’ve been making your pumpkin cheesecake every year for Thanksgiving I think since you first published it! It’s delicious and always a big hit with our family. And the leftovers are perfect with coffee the next morning.
I’m so happy this recipe has become a holiday staple, Susan! Thanks for letting me know!
My husband loved this, another fantastic recipe Mel! Thank you!
This was a huge hit at Thanksgiving. I found it was the people who really love pumpkin that really enjoyed it. People who just “like” pumpkin were a bit on the fence. Still worth the 5 stars, but know your audience. The second time I made it, I halved the recipe and used a 9″ pan and it work well!
Have made this several times and get RAVE reviews from everyone who eats it !! Made a couple of tweaks — Use Mi-Del gluten free Ginger Snaps crumbs for the crust, mixed with half a cup of chopped walnuts. Also reduced the butter for the crust to 3-4 Tbsp. (8 was way too oily). Dust the mousse on top with just a little Pumpkin Pie spice. Adds that little extra !
This recipe is always a hit! I’ve made it for a few holidays now and I prefer it to traditional pumpkin pie!
I’ve made it as-is and I’ve also made a couple swapping out one or two of the cream cheese packages for the reduced fat – can’t go wrong either way. I usually stick a shallow pan of water in the rack below so I can’t comment to what it would be like without that step…probably just fine, but old habits die hard.
Mel could this be made ahead of time, froze and then thawed before serving?
Yes!
I made this for Thanksgiving. It was very rich and delicious! I re-read the recipe several times, looking for the eggs (which it has none). I was dubious about how it would turn out of the oven , but it did okay. I only had a 9″ springform pan, so it actually took 16 minutes longer than the longest amount of time you recommended, so it had a dark brown layer on the top (which lifted off when cool). It sank a bit in the middle, so when it was completely cooled I took a knife and simply ran it flat all around the top to remove the taller “edge” of the cake (which made for great eating). That way, when I put on the whipped cream mousse layer, it went on a smooth, flat surface.
It was a hit!
Great recipe and love that it is eggless. Made it for Thanksgiving and it was by far the best dessert! I made a fresh whipped cream topping instead. Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I made this cheesecake twice this Thanksgiving! Ohmygosh, it is next level good! I served it to my immediate family and then for a Friendsgiving gathering. Thank you for posting it. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes, Mel!
Thanks so much, Amy! Glad this cheesecake was such a success at Thanksgiving celebrations!
Love this cheesecake, I make it every Thanksgiving!
OUTSTANDING! Light, creamy, seductive, delicious. Perfect start to the fall, pumpkin spice season. I added two eggs to the batter and used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch instead of 3. I also used 1 1/2 cups of graham crackers and 4 ounces of butter in the crust. Total Deliciousness! Thank You!!
Hello Melissa. May I get the gluten free recipe? Thank you!
Could I use 2 7-inch pans for this recipe? If so, how long should I bake for?
I haven’t tried that so I don’t know how the quantity of batter will transfer to those size of pans, but if the batter fits in the pan, it should be fine. I’d cut the baking time down by about 10-15 minutes.
How is it that no eggs are needed….I’ve never made a cheesecake without eggs?
Egg free cheesecake is delicious! It works; promise.
Could this be made in the Instant Pot?
I haven’t tried so I’m not sure, sorry!
Very good! The recipe makes generous portions so enough for everyone.