Pumpkin Cheesecake With Chocolate Oreo Crust

This Pumpkin Cheesecake is so rich, perfectly sweet with just the right amount of pumpkin spice. The Oreo crust adds that deliciously sweet, chocolatey flavor and crunch in every bite. The recipe for this Pumpkin Cheesecake With Chocolate Oreo Crust is easy to follow, the baking and cooling process is worth the wait, and the end result is absolutely breathtaking.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Key Ingredients

• Cream Cheese – It’s no surprise that cream cheese is the star of the show in this pumpkin cheesecake. Not only does cream cheese give this delicious dessert its name but it’s also responsible for the texture, structure, and flavor of this dessert. Cream cheese has a high fat content which when combined with other ingredients, helps to bind everything together and provide structure during the cooling process. The creaminess of cream cheese enhances the overall smooth, richness in every bite.
• Pumpkin Puree – Without Pumpkin Puree and Pumpkin Pie Spice, this Cheesecake would be awfully lonely. Pumpkin puree adds moisture to our cake and contributes to the smooth and creamy texture. Pumpkin puree has a naturally earthy flavor and color that gives this cheesecake it’s signature look and taste.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – Pumpkin pie spice consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Cinnamon is that familiar, warm, and comforting taste and aroma that is so special this time of year. Nutmeg is slightly nutty and has an earth, slightly sweet flavor. Ginger is spicy, zesty and helps to combat some of the sweetness. Lastly, cloves are strong, intense, and helps to add deep, complex flavor to any mixture it’s added too.
• Granulated & Brown Sugar – Both sugars provide that sweet, delicious flavor to out Pumpkin Cheesecake. They both help to balance out the natural earthy, spicy flavors from the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Brown sugar in particular adds a deep, caramel-like flavor. Brown sugar contains molasses which adds to the complexity of flavors in this Pumpkin Cheesecake.
• Flour – A small amount of flour in cheesecake adds structure. The flour helps to prevent our cake from cracking during the baking process. The flour absorbs the excess moisture and can prevent the filling from expanding too much as it sets. It’s important to mix our batter evenly to ensure that all of our ingredients, especially our flour is uniformly mixed.
• Eggs – The biggest role eggs play in our Pumpkin Cheesecake is binding and adding structure. As the eggs bake in our cheesecake batter, they set nice and firm to help create a solid, creamy, sliceable texture. The protein in eggs helps to give our cheesecake that delicious, characteristic silky texture.
• Lemon Juice – The small amount of lemon juice helps prevent the cheesecake from ending up too dense or heavy. This is because the acidity in lemon juice can help break down some of the heavy proteins in the cream cheese and eggs to create a smoother and creamier texture. The flavor of the lemon juice does not come through enough to effect the flavor of our Pumpkin Cheesecake. A little bit works like a charm.

Chocolate Oreo Crust

I used the Halloween Oreos to create this Chocolate Oreo Crust. The Halloween Oreos are exactly the same as the original Oreos just that they have a festive, orange cream filling. Whichever Oreo you decide to go with, the flavor and appearance of them will yield the same result. You can use whichever ones you wish – in my opinion the Halloween ones are just too cute to not use.

The best part about this Oreo crust is how simple and easy it is to make. The two ingredients needed are Oreos and melted, unsalted butter. The butter is used as the a binding agent and helps the crust to hold its shape and give your crust a nice texture once it’s set. To crush the Oreos to make the crust you can either use a food processor or crush them in a large ziplock baggie with a mallet. I used the mallet method but that’s just because I didn’t want the extra dishes…both options will yield a delicious crust. If you do go with using the mallet method, just be sure really crush those Oreos up nice and fine to ensure that you don’t have large chunks of cookie leftover – otherwise the mixture combined with the melted butter won’t combine as nicely and the crust won’t have a uniformed texture when placed in the pan.

To customize the crust to your liking you can get creative with the type of Oreo you use. They have a Pumpkin Pie Oreo that would pair so perfectly with this Cheesecake but between you and me, you can’t go wrong with almost any of the Oreo flavors. Except maybe the lemon…or birthday cake…so maybe be a bit mindful if you decide to go with a different Oreo flavor to pair with this Pumpkin Cheesecake 🙂

What Is Pumpkin Puree?

Pumpkin puree is so smooth and creamy. It is a deliciously earthy flavored mixture made from cooked pumpkin, mashed until it is completely luscious and smooth. Pumpkin puree is used in so many recipes and is extremely versatile for both sweet and savory recipes. The natural sweetness in pumpkin puree with its mild and unique flavor makes it a widely loved and used ingredient.

Not only is Pumpkin puree a delicious addition to so many recipes but its also a great source of vitamins and minerals. This includes vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber!

Cheesecake Water Bath

A water bath helps to keep the inside of the oven a moist and gentle environment for our delicate little cheesecakes. It helps to evenly distribute heat throughout the oven and prevent the cheesecake from overcooking or cracking.

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