Disneyland's Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

A rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake - a popular item during the Halloween season at The Disneyland Resort!

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Course Dessert

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan
• Large roasting pan
• Aluminum foil
• Cooking spray

Ingredients

  

Crust

• 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ⅓ cup butter melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 3 blocks cream cheese (8 oz.) softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 5 ounces evaporated milk canned
• Chocolate syrup for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

 

For Crust

• In a bowl combine the crushed graham cracker, sugar and ginger. 
  
• Melt the butter and stir into mixture.
• Spray bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan using your hands.
• Place pan on a large piece of foil and wrap foil tightly up sides and around pan (this will be to keep the water out of the pan, later on).
  

For Cheesecake Filling

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scrape down sides of bowl
  
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl
• Whisk together pumpkin purée, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until well combined
• Add pumpkin mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl
• Add evaporated milk, mixing well
• Slowly pour cheesecake filling onto crust mixture in prepared pan. If you want, drizzle with chocolate syrup.
• Place foil-wrapped pan inside a larger roasting pan. Place on oven rack and carefully add enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake 1 hour, or until center moves only slightly when shaken.
• Turn oven off. Crack open oven door, and allow cheesecake to cool inside oven 1 hour (this prevents cracking in the surface of the cheesecake).
• Remove pan from water bath and set on a wire rack to cool completely (if you cover too early, moisture will collect on the foil and drip onto your cheesecake).
• Cover top of pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight
• Remove the side of your springform pan. Slice, and enjoy!

Notes

Cheesecake bath

• Many of the baking notes I added into the instruction, and bolded them – I found that they were all pretty need-to-know… (in case you’re like me you don’t always read through all of the instructions before beginning the recipe.)
• I used my food processor to crush up the graham crackers – a full sleeve was just exactly 1 1/2 cups. 
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl a lot – to prevent the cream cheese from forming lumps in your cake.
• Start baking early in the day – this cheesecake takes a lot of time, at least 8 hours, before it’s ready. {1/2 hour to make, 1 hour to bake, 1 hour to rest, 1.5 hours to cool, 4 hours in the fridge}
• Really get that foil on the pan tight, even double it up – if any water can get through the foil it will seep up into the cheesecake through the bottom, and ruin it.
• I omitted the chocolate syrup in favor of going with a more traditional whipped cream topping.
• I had to keep adding another 5 minutes, and another because the center was still too jiggly – so make sure you test it before you pull it out of the oven.

 

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin

My fall table is ready!

Outcome & Opinion

Of all the Disney recipes I’ve tried, this one was maybe the most difficult… but only like a 3 out of 5 – so generally a not-too-tricky recipe. Putting together the crust and cheesecake is simple, but a little time consuming, and certainly the entire process is very time-consuming. Don’t be like me – and start making it at 10:00 P.M. The water bath thing was easy, but I was worried about the water getting in through the foil to the cake. All in all – it is a very delicious (like pumpkin pie, but more decadent), very fancy (how many people make homemade cheesecake?) holiday dessert that will definitely impress your family and friends!