There's so much to love about this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie recipe! From the rich pumpkin custard to the sweetened cream cheese swirl that fills the buttery, flaky pie crust. I'm getting hungry just thinking about grabbing a slice!
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 60 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 8
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Smooth, cozy, warmly spiced pumpkin with a creamy, tangy cheesecake swirl.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or alongside other fall pies like pecan or apple.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, prepare 1-2 days ahead and keep chilled.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I love that this isn't your average pumpkin pie. It has a lovely cheesecake twist that deserves a spot on your holiday table this year. Plus, it's pretty simple to make, even if you're not a seasoned baker. I promise that everyone will be lining up to get the recipe.
If you love the pumpkin and cream cheese combo, you'll enjoy pumpkin cheesecake bars and pumpkin dip with cream cheese.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a great flavor combination: The sweetness and spice of the pumpkin are perfectly balanced by the swirls of tangy cream cheese.
- It's inexpensive: This is a cheap dessert that shows you don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy amazing food.
- It's easy to make: It's simple, too. So, you can spend more time with your family this holiday season instead of on a complicated treat in the kitchen.
Ingredients
These are the key ingredients you'll need for a successful pumpkin pie with cream cheese. You can find these items anytime of the year, too!
- Pie crust: A store-bought crust would be perfectly fine for this cream cheese pumpkin pie. If you want to go homemade, try this 3-ingredient pie crust.
- Cream cheese: Ensure that your cream cheese is softened before you make your pie filling, so it's smooth and free of lumps. Take it out of the fridge like 30 minutes before you get started.
- Pumpkin Puree: It's important that you use canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. The canned pie filling includes seasoning and liquid that will mess with the consistency of the pumpkin and cream cheese pie.
- Milk: This helps to thin out the cream cheese mixture slightly so it can be swirled with the pumpkin filling. Whole or 2% milk both work fine.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Caramel swirl: Add some caramel sauce to the cream cheese mixture to add a buttery caramel flavor.
- Add streusel topping: Prepare a simple streusel topping with oats, flour, and brown sugar. Add it to the top before it bakes to make it brown and crunchy.
- White chocolate: Drizzle some melted white chocolate on top of the finished pumpkin cheese pie to make it even richer and decadent.
How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie
Here are the steps you'll need for this pumpkin pie recipe. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F for the crust and then drop it to 350 degrees F for the pie.
Step 1: Bake the crust. Start by placing a piece of parchment paper onto the pie crust and filling it with pie weights. Blind bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes or until the edges begin to look dry, and then remove the weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the bottom also looks dry.
Step 2: Make the cream cheese mixture. Now you can combine the cream cheese with the eggs, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Reserve a ½ cup and combine it with milk.
Step 3: Mix the pumpkin filling. Combine the pumpkin with the remaining eggs, sugar, and spices. Then, add the cream cheese mixture without milk and beat until smooth.
Step 4: Fill the pie crust. Next, pour the pumpkin filling into the pie, and add dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top.
Step 5: Swirl. Gently swirl it together with a knife or skewer.
Step 6: Bake. Pop it into the oven and bake it for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees or until only slightly jiggly in the center. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving!
Recipe Tips
- Don't skip the blind bake: Blind baking the crust is a crucial step to ensure that it completely bakes through and doesn't become soggy. Don't skip this step!
- Bake the pie long enough: To avoid a runny filling, ensure the pumpkin pie bakes long enough. When it's ready, it will be slightly jiggly in the middle but not super wet and liquidy.
- Cool it completely: Allow the pie to cool completely before you serve it, so that it is fully set when you slice it.
Another amazing pumpkin pie recipe is this pumpkin mousse pie.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store any leftover pie tightly covered or in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge or tightly covered for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Make Ahead: The flavors of this pumpkin pie only get better as it chills, so you can make it a day in advance if you like.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve a slice of this pumpkin pie recipe with cream cheese with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream or some pumpkin cold foam for the ultimate treat.
- I love a slice of pie with a warm beverage like a coffee or a McDonald's caramel mocha.
- Prepare a rich dinner of creamy garlic parmesan chicken, and serve this pumpkin pie for dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Overbaking the pie or a drastic temperature change can cause the top of the pie to crack. Allow it to cool to room temperature before you move it to the fridge.
Cover the edges of the pie loosely with foil to keep them from burning.
Don't overmix the cream cheese so it doesn't curdle, and don't overbake the pie. Both can cause the filling to be grainy.
More Delicious Pie Recipes
Do you like pie recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust store-bought or homemade
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk added only after dividing the mixture
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- About 3 tablespoons undiluted cream cheese filling taken before adding milk
Instructions
- Blind-bake the crust by preheating the oven to 375°F. Place the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Line it with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges begin to set, then remove the parchment and weights and continue baking briefly until the bottom looks dry. Let the crust cool completely before adding any filling.
- Prepare the cream cheese filling by beating the cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until creamy. Scoop out ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture and place it in a separate bowl. Save the remaining mixture to mix into the pumpkin filling. Add the milk a little at a time, only to the reserved ½ cup portion, stirring until it becomes smooth and can be easily swirled into the pumpkin filling.
- Make the pumpkin filling by whisking the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the undiluted remaining cream cheese mixture and whisk until the filling becomes extra creamy and fully combined.
- Assemble the pie by pouring the pumpkin filling into the cooled crust. Spoon the thinned cream cheese filling over the pumpkin layer and gently swirl it with a knife or skewer, creating decorative ribbons without overmixing.
- Bake the pie by lowering the oven temperature to 350°F and placing the pie inside. Bake until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. Allow the pie to cool at room temperature and then chill it until fully set for easy slicing.
Notes
- Tent the edges of the pie with foil if you notice that they are browning too quickly.
- Allow your pumpkin pie to cool for at least 30 minutes or until completely cooled for the cleanest slices.
- Blind bake the crust to prevent it from becoming soggy or underbaked.
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