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

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.
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.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous as always!
ok, this really couldn't be more gorgeous...i love the wax paper trick! i'll be utilizing that one for sure :)
ReplyDeleteOh 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!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful 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!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so delicious. I'll have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I bet it was delicious!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness this looks so wonderful
ReplyDeleteAdorable, and I love the decoration - I will be suing that for sure.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely 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!
ReplyDeletethis 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!
ReplyDeleteI really love the way you decorated your cheesecake. I can't wait to do the same soon.
ReplyDelete:)
ButterYum
I LOVE this cheesecake, Pumpkin Spice Latte sounds divine.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I love Fall and I love how spice coffee signifies the beginning of Fall.
Gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI 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!!
Oh my, this is so pretty!!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know your cheesecake is going on my menu this weekend. Do you mind if I blog about it?
ReplyDelete:)
ButterYum
Hi ButterYum!
ReplyDeleteSure, I would love that! Hope you love it as much as we do. :)
This sounds totally amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible!
ReplyDeleteThat looks heavenly.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! The stripes are perfect :)
ReplyDeleteCan 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!
ReplyDeletethis is great…& i have the starbucks via (from my too many trips to bucks!)…lovely presentation… super yum!
ReplyDeletedoes your cheesecake top ever split?
I love the sounds of this cheesecake!!! Great job and lovely photos!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cheesecake! I love anything pumpkin, am a big latte fan, and cheesecake is an all-time favorite decadent dessert of mine :).
ReplyDeleteSounds DELICIOUS and looks GORGEOUS!
ReplyDeleteMmm, looks gorgeous and delicious :)!
ReplyDeleteI 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?
ReplyDeleteI 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)
ReplyDeleteTo 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.
ReplyDelete1 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 until all butter is absorbed.
Spread into an 8 or 9" round pie pan.
Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.
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!
ReplyDeleteOk it is now fixed. Recovering from my mini panic attack. :)
ReplyDeleteThat cheescake looks luscious, that wax paper tip is wonderful and your photography always blows me away. You have such an awesome blog. ~Lili
ReplyDeleteHoly goodness! I can't wait to try this! - Carrie
ReplyDeleteI don't eat cheesecake, but that is absolutely lovely! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh 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!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Gloria
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 !!!
ReplyDeleteNew to your blog and I'm in loooovveee!!
ReplyDeleteThis has been bookmarked, yum!
Beautiful photography! Happy I found you!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
i like it . . .
ReplyDeleteYour cheesecake sounds exquisite! I love the flavors, and your presentation is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteexscuse me please,whilst i pass out!!
ReplyDeleteThis 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)
Do any changes need to be made for high altitudes? I can't wait to try this, it looks delish!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda!
ReplyDeleteYou 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!
Totally made this today! Oh my YUM. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://katiebright.blogspot.com/2010/10/made-it-pumpkin-spice-latte-cheesecake.html
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am a pumpkin spice latte girl and this looks perfect!! you really can't go wrong with cheesecake.
ReplyDeleteHoly wow! This is BEAUTIFUL.
ReplyDeleteWith those spices it has just got to be a winner as I looooovvee those flavors! Perfect call cake!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you decorated this fabulious cheesecake! Thumbs up for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank 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. :)
This looks amazing! I bet the pumpkin/espresso combo is to-die-for!
ReplyDeleteThis 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?
ReplyDeleteI was bound and determined to make something else with my pumpkin now I just don't know.
ReplyDelete~ingrid
This cheesecake is gorgeous - those powdered sugar stripes are awesome & so great for presentation. Anyone you visit with this cake for Thanksgiving will LOVE you!
ReplyDeleteJust giving you a follow up- I made the cheesecake that same night, and luckily you had answered my question before I had even started! Thanks so much for the quick reply. It came out delicious, I love it so much more than pumpkin pie. The spices were perfect, and the coffee was a great touch. I only had a 8 1/2 " pan, but I baked it for 1 hour and it was perfect. Great recipe, it's my new holiday pie :)!
ReplyDeleteI can not wait to try this! This has got to be the most perfect cheesecake ever!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe won rave reviews from my husband and family! Everyone seems to enjoy it more than regular pumpkin pie or plain cheesecake. It was delish!
ReplyDeleteSo indulging! I love the way you make this one and idea of putting the chocolate stick on the top of the pie. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteOh MAN!!! This looks sinfully delicious!!! I am so wanting to lick my computer screen RIGHT NOW!! Thanks for sharing...I'll have to somehow find a can of pumpkin (in Prague??) or figure out how to used the 100lbs of pumpkin that grew in my garden so I can make this recipe!! Mmmmmm!!! You're the best!! Cat
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing, I am drooling! I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this :) I have just one question though...is there any way I can omit the almond flour? I can't find any at my store! Aaaaarrrghhh....thank you for the delicious looking recipe!!!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I find your blog! Beautiful photos and great recipes!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! Please stop me from looking at this post. I am sure that I can't resist to try this one but I am on a diet. My hubby will surely get angry. Lol. I should bake this one before he gets home. Lol.
ReplyDeleteDrive by comment, but to Nicole, I made this recipe again with a graham cracker crust (following the directions on the box of graham cracker crumbs), and it came out just fine. This recipe will always be delicious!
ReplyDeleteI made this recipe yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI made the crust with just all-purpose flour and it was awful. Is the recipe correct, or do I have to use almond flour?
Also, your division of sugar does not equal 3/4 cup.
I rely on blogs to be somewhat accurate, and I was sadly disappointed.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteThe crust needs the almond flour (which is just ground almonds)to provide flavor and texture to the crust. You could substitute a standard graham cracker crust that is commonly used in cheesecakes if you prefer.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with this recipe. There were readers who pointed out my typo early on, and I corrected the recipe the same day (info in earlier comments). I do the best I can, but this blog is run by a human and not a robot. I do make mistakes but try to remedy them as swiftly as possible.
Please accept my apologies and thank you for your comment.
Loved this recipe! It was my first attempt at cheesecake and it came out beautifully. I can't wait to try more recipes from your blog. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do with the cinnamon sticks after you take photos of it? I always wonder...
ReplyDeleteGirl, all of your pumpkin baked treats look amazing!
ReplyDeleteI would love if you added this and any other links to my pumpkin themed "Happy Post" today. http://su.pr/1rMDg2
Feel better! Love this post- beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeletehttp://cookingwithnettie.blogspot.com
Moore or Less Cooking
I was searching for a Pumpkin Spice Latte dessert to make and found this cheesecake. It looks amazing, and I am definitely trying it out this weekend for Thanksgiving! So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI will have to try this one soon. So glad I ran across your blog.
ReplyDeleteOh me-Oh my! This recipe is going to be a must have at Thanksgiving! Yum!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a local Starbucks, but do have instant coffee (not espresso) granules I keep available for making mocha buttercream. Can these somehow be used in place of the VIA or powder?
ReplyDeleteYes! Instant coffee is granulated, so I'd grind it to a powder in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
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