Pumpkin Spice Cheese Pie
With a pumpkin spice crust, creamy filling, and topped with a tangy sweet sour cream, this pumpkin spice cheese pie is fall at its best.
Let me start by saying, if you love fall spices, and the subtleties of pumpkin, but don’t want to be hit over the head with those flavors, this dessert is for you. It is delightfully understated, but still tastes like fall in the best way.
My family has enjoyed the base recipe for this cream cheese pie as long as I can remember. In fact, at family gatherings, often two or three families coincidentally bring this dessert, as it’s such a nostalgic staple. I’ve made various adaptions of this recipe over the years, but recently dreamed up a variation that is my favorite yet— a pumpkin spice crust instead of graham cracker, and a doctored up sour cream topping, with quintessential fall spices.
This idea came to fruition when I had the awesome opportunity to work with Diamond Nuts of California, and create a few recipes featuring a few products—one of them being this adapted Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Pie. Dare I say it’s even better than my original family recipe? I mean honestly, it might just be.
What makes this pie special?
This cheese pie is special for a few reasons, but arguably the top is its delicious simplicity. It has a pre-made crust (doesn’t get easier than that) a four ingredient base, and is adorned with a sweet tangy sour cream topping with pumpkin spices. I love a homemade graham cracker crust, but the pre-made pumpkin spice crust held up well, had lovely spiced flavor with warm nutty undertones, and was a welcomed addition to a traditional crust. I wouldn’t say this lightly, I will be using this crust option time and time again. The crust can be purchased here, and I’m sure at select local grocery stores—this is not an affiliate link, just my honest review and opinion. As far as the filling, it is smooth, light and creamy—all the things a proper cream cheese dessert should be—and the reason my family has cherished this recipe for years.
Another perk, is the recipe is pretty fail proof. The kind of dessert that looks like it took hours in the kitchen, but is really whipped up in a flash. As with any cream cheese dessert, the longest step is letting the pie set up in the fridge, but make ahead desserts are often an asset. Simply, ensemble and bake the pie the night before, and then pull it out of the fridge the next day to enjoy.
Is a stand mixer required for this recipe?
For most of my recipes I strongly encourage using a stand mixer, but this recipe can be made by hand. In fact, my dad, who asks for this dessert every birthday, always makes it by hand when he has a hankering. A couple things are important if making it by hand. Firstly, make sure to cream the cheese and sugar well, getting out any lumps—the end result should be nice and smooth. Next, the eggs should be beaten into the cream cheese, and sugar, for at least a minute. It’s a bit of an arm workout, but the end product is well worth the effort. For the sour cream topping, if not using a mixer, just place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth. Easy peasy.
Final Tip
When making this recipe, use full fat cream cheese that comes in a block. Low fat or whipped cream cheese won’t work well, as it will make the cheese pie less creamy, decadent and effect the smooth texture. Further, make sure to use quality large eggs, as they provide lift and richness to the pie.
Pumpkin Spice Cheese Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9” Diamond Pumpkin Pie Spice Nut Pie Crust
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon clove
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon all spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed for about 1 minute, until nice and smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat on medium low for another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour filling into prepared crust and bake for 40 minutes or until the center has risen and the cheese pie is firm—little to no jiggle. Take pie out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While the pie is resting, prepare the sour cream topping. Add the sour cream, sugar and spices into a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix until smooth, about 15-30 seconds.
- After the cheese pie has rested for 10 minutes, gently spoon the sour cream topping onto the cheese pie, and evenly distribute it across the top with an offset spatula. Place back into the 300 degree F oven for 5 minutes. Let cool and then place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before enjoying. Pie can also be made the night before and enjoyed the next day.
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