Go Back
–+ servings
Print
slice of chocolate pumpkin cheesecake on a plate with a fork taking a bite out of it

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Chocolate pumpkin cheesecake is the perfect dessert when you can't decide between chocolate and pumpkin. It makes a delicous end to a Thanksgiving dinner!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chilling time 8 hours
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 10
Author Kelsie

Ingredients

Oreo crumb crust

  • 24 Oreo cookies
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted*
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin cheesecake filling

  • 24 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips melted

Instructions

Oreo crumb crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set pan aside.
  2. Place the Oreos in the bowl of a food processor and process until they form fine crumbs. With processor running, stream in the melted butter.
  3. Stop the processor, add the salt, and continue processing until the crumbs are evenly coated in butter; stop to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
  4. (Alternatively, you can place the cookies in a couple large zip-top bags and crush them with a rolling pin, then transfer to a bowl to mix with the butter and salt.)
  5. Press the crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove crust from the freezer and bake for 10 minutes; cool the crust on a wire rack while you make the filling. Leave the oven at 350.

Filling

  1. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy—this will take several minutes; stop several times to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  2. Add the eggs and pumpkin and mix well to combine, then beat in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Continue beating until mixture is smooth.
  3. Transfer about half of the filling to a smaller bowl and mix in the melted chocolate.
  4. Pour the plain pumpkin filling into the Oreo crust. Dollop the chocolate mixture over it.
  5. If desired, use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl the chocolate and pumpkin together a couple of times. Don’t over-swirl and take care NOT to touch the crust with the spoon.
  6. Set the pan on a large baking sheet** and bake for 50 minutes to 65 minutes, until the center of the cheesecake barely jiggles when you tap the edge of the pan.
  7. Remove from the oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Cool completely on a wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  8. Slice and serve. Uneaten cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

  • *Salted butter is fine to use, just omit the 1/4-teaspoon salt.
  • **The baking sheet is optional but sometimes butter leaks out of the springform pan and a baking sheet will save you from having to clean your oven.
  • You can use either chopped baking chocolate or chocolate chips; they're both delicious here.
  • Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start your filling or you could end up with lumps of unmixed cream cheese in your final product. It will take about 30 to 60 minutes out of the fridge to come to room temp.