Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake Copycat Recipe
Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake Copycat Recipe
This Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake is a rich and creamy fall dessert inspired by the seasonal restaurant favorite. It starts with a buttery, spiced gingersnap cookie crust, followed by a thick pumpkin cheesecake filling flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. Finish it with plenty of whipped cream for a gorgeous restaurant-style pumpkin cheesecake you can make right at home.
If you love pumpkin cheesecake but want something with a little more flavor than a traditional graham cracker crust, the gingersnap crust is what makes this recipe special. Those warm ginger and molasses flavors pair beautifully with pumpkin and cream cheese.
It’s the perfect cheesecake for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Halloween, Christmas, or any fall dinner when you want a dessert that looks impressive on the table.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake
There’s a lot to love about this copycat-style pumpkin cheesecake:
- Buttery gingersnap cookie crust
- Thick and creamy pumpkin cheesecake
- Made with real pumpkin
- Plenty of warm fall spices
- Restaurant-style presentation
- Perfect Thanksgiving dessert
- Easy to make ahead
- Delicious with whipped cream and caramel
The best part is that cheesecake actually benefits from being made ahead, so you can prepare it the day before a holiday dinner and have dessert waiting in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Garnishes
- Caramel sauce
- Crushed gingersnap cookies
- Ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
The Gingersnap Crust
The gingersnap crust is one of my favorite parts of this cheesecake.
Instead of a traditional graham cracker crust, we’re using crushed gingersnap cookies. Gingersnaps already have warm ginger, cinnamon, molasses, and spice flavors, which makes them a perfect match for pumpkin.
You’ll want about 2 cups of finely crushed cookies.
A food processor makes quick work of turning the cookies into fine crumbs, but you can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
How to Make the Gingersnap Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
Combine the crushed gingersnap cookies, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Pour in the melted butter and stir until all of the cookie crumbs are evenly coated.
The mixture should resemble wet sand and hold together when you press it between your fingers.
Transfer the crumbs to the prepared springform pan.
Press them firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
For a slightly deeper crust, bring some of the crumbs about an inch up the sides.
Bake for approximately 8–10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool while you prepare the pumpkin cheesecake filling.
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Add the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until completely smooth and creamy.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Beat again until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the pumpkin puree, sour cream, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and salt.
Mix on low speed until everything is evenly combined.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Mix on low speed after each addition just until the egg disappears into the batter.
Once you start adding eggs, don’t overmix the cheesecake.
Overmixing incorporates extra air, which can cause the cheesecake to rise too much while baking and then crack as it cools.
Use Pure Pumpkin Puree
Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree rather than canned pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and can alter both the sweetness and texture of the cheesecake.
Pure pumpkin gives you the pumpkin flavor while allowing you to control all the other ingredients.
Assemble the Cheesecake
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the baked gingersnap crust.
Smooth the top gently with a spatula.
Tap the springform pan lightly against the counter a couple of times to release any large air bubbles.
Place the cheesecake into the preheated oven.
How to Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Bake at 325°F for approximately 55–70 minutes.
The edges of the cheesecake should appear set, but the center should still have a slight wobble.
Don’t wait until the center is completely firm.
Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open.
Leave the cheesecake inside for approximately 30 minutes.
This allows it to begin cooling gradually and can help prevent cracks.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
For the best texture, refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.
Should I Use a Water Bath?
You can make this cheesecake with or without a water bath.
A water bath provides gentle, moist heat and can help cheesecake bake more evenly.
If you use one, wrap the bottom and outside of the springform pan very securely with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Place it inside a larger roasting pan and add hot water around the cheesecake pan.
If you don’t want to risk water getting into the crust, place a separate baking dish filled with hot water on the oven rack beneath the cheesecake instead.
It won’t work exactly like a traditional water bath, but the added moisture can still help create a gentler baking environment.
Make the Whipped Cream
Once the cheesecake is completely chilled, prepare the whipped cream.
Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a large chilled mixing bowl.
Beat until it begins to thicken.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Don’t overbeat the cream.
Decorate the Cheesecake
Carefully remove the sides of the springform pan.
You can spread whipped cream over the entire cheesecake or pipe large swirls around the outer edge.
For a restaurant-style presentation, I like piping generous whipped cream swirls around the cheesecake and leaving some of the pumpkin cheesecake visible in the center.
Sprinkle crushed gingersnap cookies over the whipped cream.
Finish with a light dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Add Caramel Sauce
For an extra-decadent pumpkin cheesecake, drizzle caramel sauce over the top just before serving.
Pumpkin, caramel, cream cheese, and gingersnap cookies are incredible together.
You could also serve caramel sauce on the side and let everyone add as much as they like to their individual slice.
Salted caramel would be especially good.
What Does Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecake Taste Like?
The filling is rich and creamy with plenty of real pumpkin and warm pumpkin pie spices.
Then you get the crust.
Gingersnaps have a much bolder flavor than graham crackers. They’re sweet, spicy, slightly caramelized, and have a deep molasses flavor.
That little bit of ginger cuts through the richness of the cheesecake and makes the pumpkin flavor stand out.
Add cold whipped cream on top and you have the perfect combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and spiced.
How to Keep Pumpkin Cheesecake Creamy
Start with room-temperature cream cheese.
This is one of the most important steps when making cheesecake.
Cold cream cheese doesn’t blend smoothly and can leave small lumps in the batter.
The sour cream also helps give the cheesecake a smooth, creamy texture.
And don’t overbake it.
The center should still have a gentle wobble when you turn off the oven. It will continue setting as it cools and chills.
How to Prevent Cheesecake From Cracking
A few simple tricks can help:
- Use room-temperature ingredients.
- Don’t overmix after adding the eggs.
- Bake at a relatively low temperature.
- Don’t overbake the cheesecake.
- Allow it to cool gradually.
- Refrigerate it completely before slicing.
And if your cheesecake does crack, don’t panic.
That’s what whipped cream is for.
Once you add those big whipped cream swirls and crushed gingersnap cookies, no one will ever know.
Make-Ahead Pumpkin Cheesecake
This is an excellent Thanksgiving dessert because you can make it ahead of time.
Bake the cheesecake the day before your holiday dinner.
Allow it to cool completely and refrigerate it overnight.
The next day, remove it from the springform pan and decorate it with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap cookies.
Then return it to the refrigerator until you’re ready for dessert.
How to Cut Perfect Cheesecake Slices
Use a large, sharp knife.
Dip the knife into hot water and wipe it completely dry.
Cut one slice.
Clean the knife, dip it into hot water again, dry it, and make another cut.
Repeat between every slice.
It’s an extra step, but you’ll get those beautiful clean cheesecake slices that look like they came from a restaurant.
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cheesecake
This cheesecake is a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
It still has all those familiar pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and fall spice flavors, but the creamy cheesecake filling and gingersnap crust make it feel a little more special.
You can also serve both.
Put pumpkin pie on one side of the Thanksgiving dessert table and this pumpkin cheesecake on the other and let everyone decide.
Or have a slice of each. It’s Thanksgiving.
How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake
Store leftover pumpkin cheesecake covered in the refrigerator.
For the best quality, enjoy it within about 4 days.
Because cheesecake contains cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and whipped cream, keep it refrigerated rather than storing it at room temperature.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Cheesecake?
Yes.
Pumpkin cheesecake freezes very well.
For best results, freeze it before adding the whipped cream.
Once the cheesecake is completely chilled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to about 1–2 months for the best quality.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Add fresh whipped cream, crushed gingersnaps, and any caramel sauce after thawing.
Recipe Notes
Use pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling.
Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before making the cheesecake batter.
After adding the eggs, mix only until they’re incorporated.
The cheesecake should still have a slight wobble in the center when it’s finished baking.
Chilling overnight gives the cheesecake the best texture and makes it easier to slice.
For an even stronger gingersnap flavor, sprinkle additional crushed gingersnap cookies over each slice before serving.
Caramel or salted caramel sauce is optional but especially delicious with the pumpkin and gingersnap flavors.
A Restaurant-Style Pumpkin Cheesecake at Home
There’s something about pumpkin cheesecake that feels a little more special than an everyday fall dessert, especially when you pair that creamy pumpkin filling with a spicy gingersnap crust.
This Olive Garden-inspired Pumpkin Cheesecake brings those restaurant-style fall flavors home with a buttery cookie crust, thick pumpkin cheesecake, warm spices, and plenty of fluffy whipped cream.
Make it the night before Thanksgiving, decorate it the next day, and you’ll have a gorgeous pumpkin dessert ready to bring to the holiday table.
And that gingersnap crust might just convince you never to make pumpkin cheesecake with plain graham crackers again.
