Sous vide pumpkin spice cheesecake

Sous vide pumpkin spice cheesecake

Celebrate the flavours of autumn with this irresistibly smooth pumpkin spice cheesecake, gently cooked sous vide for a velvety texture you can’t get in the oven. Featuring a crunchy gingersnap crust and warming seasonal spices, it’s a perfect dessert for Halloween gatherings or cosy evenings by candlelight.

The precise sous vide method ensures your cheesecake never cracks, overbakes, or turns rubbery,  just creamy perfection, every time.

Ingredients

For the crust

• 3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 1½ cups pumpkin purée (well-strained to remove excess liquid)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup cold buttermilk
• 3 blocks (approx. 675 g) cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Equipment

• Sous vide stick
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum bags
• Sousvide waterbowls

Preparation method

1. Preheat the water bath

Set your sous vide stick to 80°C and preheat the water in your sous vide container.

2. Make the crust

In a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies and brown sugar until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until evenly combined. The texture should resemble wet sand and hold together when pressed.

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a springform pan. Press the crust mixture evenly into the base until tightly packed. (Optional) Bake the crust at 160°C (325°F) for 10 minutes to set it, then let it cool completely.

3. Prepare the filling

Wipe down your food processor. Add the pumpkin purée, sugar, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and salt). Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

With the machine running, slowly add the buttermilk, followed by the cream cheese cubes and vanilla. Continue blending until smooth and fully combined.

Add the eggs and cornstarch and pulse just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing, this keeps the texture creamy.

4. Assemble and cook

Pour the filling over the crust in the springform pan. Cover the top tightly with foil to prevent water from getting in.

Place the pan on a wire rack inside the water bath. Use weights or clips if needed to keep it level and fully submerged up to just below the rim.

Cook sous vide at 80°C (175°F) for 3 hours.

5. Cool and rest

Remove the cheesecake from the bag and let it cool on the counter for 1 hour,  it should still have a slight jiggle in the center.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides, then refrigerate the cheesecake overnight to set fully.

6. Serving suggestion

Slice and serve chilled with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For extra flair, drizzle with caramel or add crushed gingersnaps on top.

This dessert holds beautifully, making it ideal for make-ahead holiday entertaining.

Celebrate the season with sous vide baking

Delicate desserts like cheesecake benefit enormously from sous vide, no cracks, no overbaking, just smooth results every time.

Explore more festive recipes in our SousvideKenner recipe collection

Need the right setup? Check out www.sousvidekenner.nl