Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been to Starbucks a little too often since the Pumpkin Spice Latte has been back on the market. There’s something so lovely about spiced coffee… it makes you feel cozy and assures you that fall has truly arrived.  I’ve been so impressed with the many food bloggers who have tried their hand at a copycat recipe, and there are a few I can’t wait to try. (Like this one!)

Needless to say, this dessert was inspired by that same cozy drink, and it was an instant favorite at my house.  I’ll be bringing one (or two?) home for the Thanksgiving table this year.

This cheesecake is one of the easiest baked varieties I’ve ever tried.  I didn’t experience any surface cracking and I didn’t need to adjust the baking time at all.  I half expected something to go wrong due to the adaptations I made to the recipe – but no.  I didn’t even use a water bath! 

An easy way to dress up a cheesecake (or most any cake) is to cut strips of wax paper and lay them across the cake evenly before dusting generously with powdered sugar.  No special equipment necessary! Gotta love that.

It’s so nice when a dessert turns out exactly the way you hoped it would. I piped on a little freshly whipped creme and then sprinkled the entire cake with nutmeg and cinnamon.  Instant coziness on a plate!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake           [click for printable recipe]

Yield: 9″ cake, serves 8-10

Crust:

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup almond flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. sugar

4 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, blend ingredients until mixture resembles coarse sand.  Press into the bottom (not up sides) of a 9-inch spring-form pan.  Bake 10 minutes.  Cool completely.

Filling:

2- 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup white sugar divided

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup of canned pumpkin

2  tsp. ground allspice (substitute recipe here)

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

3 tsp. espresso powder, or Starbucks VIA instant coffee (for authenticity)

Using an electric hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Mix eggs in one at a time, blending well after each addition.

Remove one cup of the mixture and transfer to another bowl.  Add the espresso powder to the 1 cup of filling and mix until coffee has dissolved and is uniform in color.  Set aside.

Blend 1/4 cup of sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon and allspice into the remaining filling.  Pour the pumpkin mixture on top of the crust in the spring-form pan.  Top pumpkin mixture with the 1 cup coffee filling mixture.

Bake for 55 minutes or until filling is set. The cheesecake will puff up in the middle a little bit as it bakes and then relax back down as it cools. Run a knife around the edge of the pan for easy un-molding.  Allow the cheesecake to cool before removing rim of spring-form pan.  Chill until ready to serve.

Garnish:

Whipped cream (1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsp fine white sugar, beat together with electric mixer)

Cinnamon, nutmeg and powdered sugar for sprinkling

1 Cinnamon stick broken in half (decor only)

Top cake with whipped cream, sprinkle with spices and powdered sugar.  Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Follow:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
74 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Jessica @ How Sweet
Jessica @ How Sweet
13 years ago

I have been getting too many pumpkin spice lattes too.. and I'm not even a huge coffee fan! I think I would prefer to eat it in cheesecake form.

Gorgeous as always!

Heather (Heather's Dish)
Heather (Heather's Dish)
13 years ago

ok, this really couldn't be more gorgeous…i love the wax paper trick! i'll be utilizing that one for sure 🙂

The Blue-Eyed Bakers
The Blue-Eyed Bakers
13 years ago

Oh goodness…we are such suckers for any seasonal Starbucks drink…but we're even bigger suckers for seasonal cheesecakes!! This is GORGEOUS and we can only imagine how spicy, sweet and perfectly fall it tastes!

Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot
Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot
13 years ago

Beautiful cheesecake Heather! What a great idea! You know, I've never tried a Pumpkin Spice Latte. It's criminal, I know. I should try one or maybe this cheesecake! Yum!

Unknown
Unknown
13 years ago

This sounds so delicious. I'll have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.

amanda @ fake ginger
amanda @ fake ginger
13 years ago

Beautiful! I bet it was delicious!

O.
O.
13 years ago

oh my goodness this looks so wonderful

Unknown
Unknown
13 years ago

Adorable, and I love the decoration – I will be suing that for sure.

Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
13 years ago

Definitely going to be utilizing that wax paper trick as well at some point this fall! I also love the idea of including the cinnamon sticks in there as well. Love it!

The Urban Baker
The Urban Baker
13 years ago

this looks absolutely amazing! i found pumpkin last year (never craved it prior to that), so now, anything pumpkin, this cake included, is something i want to devour! love the wax paper tip! you have so many ideas up your sleeve!

Unknown
Unknown
13 years ago

I really love the way you decorated your cheesecake. I can't wait to do the same soon.

🙂
ButterYum

naomi
naomi
13 years ago

I LOVE this cheesecake, Pumpkin Spice Latte sounds divine.

Like you, I love Fall and I love how spice coffee signifies the beginning of Fall.

Cookbook Queen
Cookbook Queen
13 years ago

Gorgeous!!

I absolutely love it, and your pictures are beautiful like always.

Who doesn't love a pumpkin spice latte? Crazy people, that's who.

Which, I'm not. Therefor, I would love this cheesecake!!

katie [the bright life]
katie [the bright life]
13 years ago

Oh my, this is so pretty!!

Unknown
Unknown
13 years ago

Just wanted to let you know your cheesecake is going on my menu this weekend. Do you mind if I blog about it?

🙂
ButterYum

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
13 years ago

Hi ButterYum!

Sure, I would love that! Hope you love it as much as we do. 🙂

Kathleen
Kathleen
13 years ago

This sounds totally amazing!!!

oneordinaryday
oneordinaryday
13 years ago

This is incredible!

Unknown
Unknown
13 years ago

That looks heavenly.

NicoleD
NicoleD
13 years ago

So lovely! The stripes are perfect 🙂

Carol
Carol
13 years ago

Can the crust be done with just almond flour or is there a reason for needing to use regular flour? I was just thinking this may work as a nice desert for a family member with celiac disease… thanks for the great looking recipe!

linda
linda
13 years ago

this is great…& i have the starbucks via (from my too many trips to bucks!)…lovely presentation… super yum!
does your cheesecake top ever split?

Jennifer
Jennifer
13 years ago

I love the sounds of this cheesecake!!! Great job and lovely photos!!

Lauren
Lauren
13 years ago

Beautiful cheesecake! I love anything pumpkin, am a big latte fan, and cheesecake is an all-time favorite decadent dessert of mine :).

Sue
Sue
13 years ago

Sounds DELICIOUS and looks GORGEOUS!

Pretty. Good. Food.
Pretty. Good. Food.
13 years ago

Mmm, looks gorgeous and delicious :)!

Aisleen
Aisleen
13 years ago

I just bought all the stuff to make this 🙂 Im excited, but found a small confliction in the recipe. It calls for 3/4 cups sugar divided, but in the instructions it says to add 1/2 cup at one step and 1/2 cup later on. Which would total 1 cup. Was one of these supposed to be 1/3?

Anonymous
Anonymous
13 years ago

I feel like a total noob. I figure sugar divided just means that you don't add it all in at once, but doesn't 1/2+1/2=1 and not the 3/4 originally called for? (And for the record, 1/2+1/3 also does not equal 3/4)

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
13 years ago

To Carol,(hi!) I don't see why you couldn't make the crust with just almond flour, though you may not need the food processor. I found this recipe (below) on Celiac.com. The directions are a bit different than mine, but it may hold together better with the addition of melted butter. You could add the 1 tsp. of cinnamon called for in my crust recipe for similar flavor. 1 1/4 Cup almond meal (or very finely ground almonds, un-blanched) 1/3 Cup butter 3 Tablespoons sugar Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter and combine with almond meal and sugar, mix well… Read more »

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
13 years ago

Oh dear. To answer Aisleen and yojenkim I have a typo in my recipe. It's supposed to be 1/4 cup added in with the pumpkin – Sorry! I'm fixing it now! Thanks for catching my mistake and letting me know!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
13 years ago

Ok it is now fixed. Recovering from my mini panic attack. 🙂

Lili
Lili
13 years ago

That cheescake looks luscious, that wax paper tip is wonderful and your photography always blows me away. You have such an awesome blog. ~Lili

Cares and Mimi
Cares and Mimi
13 years ago

Holy goodness! I can't wait to try this! – Carrie

Lilianna Grace
Lilianna Grace
13 years ago

I don't eat cheesecake, but that is absolutely lovely! Thanks for sharing!

Gloria
Gloria
13 years ago

Oh goodness, Heather — EVERYTHING you make is just GORGEOUS!!! I know I've said it before, but I will say it again: you are the Master! And thanks for sharing the tip on decorating the cake like that with the powdered sugar. I never would have thought of that!
Best,
Gloria

Trisha
Trisha
13 years ago

This looks lovely … like all the other stuff u've made and generously posted on your blog … i've been following u'r blog for a while now … brilliant stuff !!!

Mary @Delightful Bitefuls
Mary @Delightful Bitefuls
13 years ago

New to your blog and I'm in loooovveee!!

This has been bookmarked, yum!

Beautiful photography! Happy I found you!

Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls

desy`s blog
desy`s blog
13 years ago

i like it . . .

Joyti
Joyti
13 years ago

Your cheesecake sounds exquisite! I love the flavors, and your presentation is gorgeous.

Bigarade
Bigarade
13 years ago

exscuse me please,whilst i pass out!!
This looks beautiful,sounds beautiful and i want it!!
I LOVE IT,the flavour and themention of starbux just makes me want to cry with joy!! MMMMM

(just incase you didnt notice….i love this recipe)

Amanda
Amanda
13 years ago

Do any changes need to be made for high altitudes? I can't wait to try this, it looks delish!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
13 years ago

Hi Amanda!

You may have to increase the baking time slightly. If the middle of the cheesecake is still very jiggly at 55 minutes, you'll need another 5-10 minutes at least. Other than that, I think you're good to go!

Thanks for your question!

katie [the bright life]
katie [the bright life]
13 years ago
Bethie
Bethie
13 years ago

Beautiful!

cookies and cups
cookies and cups
13 years ago

I am a pumpkin spice latte girl and this looks perfect!! you really can't go wrong with cheesecake.

Andrea
Andrea
13 years ago

Holy wow! This is BEAUTIFUL.

Simones Kitchen
Simones Kitchen
13 years ago

With those spices it has just got to be a winner as I looooovvee those flavors! Perfect call cake!

Megan
Megan
13 years ago

I love the way you decorated this fabulious cheesecake! Thumbs up for sure.

Thank you so much for the heart shaped pan. Needless to say, I love it! I cant seem to put it away just yet, It's too pretty just sitting on the stove. 🙂

CaSaundraLeigh
CaSaundraLeigh
13 years ago

This looks amazing! I bet the pumpkin/espresso combo is to-die-for!

Pattie
Pattie
13 years ago

This looks so good, so dense and delicious. So many pumpkin cheesecake recipes are more like a light chiffon fluff. Was this really as swoonably delicious as it appears?