Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Pie season is here and this easy pumpkin cream cheese pie is a dessert mashup of dreams - rich and smooth pumpkin cheesecake mixed with traditional pumpkin pie. The Fall flavors in this foolproof pumpkin pie with cream cheese recipe are so delicious but the contrasting textures are what make it an extra special and indulgent Fall or winter dessert.

There’s something about the smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling with a flaky, buttery pie crust that just works so well, and I'm hooked!

Jump to:

• 📖 What does Pumpkin Cream cheese Pie taste like?
• 🌟 Why this is the best recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🥧 More Pie Recipes
• 🎃 More Pumpkin recipes
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

📖 What does Pumpkin Cream cheese Pie taste like?

This is just the best Pumpkin pie with cream cheese recipe, it's like pumpkin cream cheese cake, but in a pie with a lovely flaky, buttery crust. The contrasting textures work so well, there is the smooth and beautifully flavored spiced pumpkin filling with a marbled cream cheese layer and the added bite of the crispy pie crust.

This is fast becoming one of my favorite fall recipes to make during pumpkin season as an alternative to traditional pumpkin pie!

🌟 Why this is the best recipe

1. The insane flavor: The pumpkin flavor in this easy pumpkin cheesecake pie recipe is enhanced and complimented by the spices and is so delicious.
2. The smooth texture: It is also crazy smooth! The filling in this easy cream cheese pumpkin pie with cream cheese layer is super silky and is so simple to make, it's like biting into pumpkin cheesecake bars but with a crispy pie crust underneath.
3. It's so pretty to look at: This pie is also so irresistibly pretty! The swirled marble cream cheese layer on the surface makes it a visual feast as well as a culinary one.
4. The flaky, buttery crust: Who doesn’t love homemade pie crust that's as crisp as a cookie? My 3 ingredient pie crust uses simple ingredients that you will probably already have in your pantry or fridge, plus it’s also so simple to make and the taste is delicious.
5. And it’s so versatile! You can adapt the spice level in this pumpkin cheesecake pie recipe to suit you, or garnish your pie with whipped cream or chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for added crunch.

📝 Ingredient notes

1. For the Homemade All Butter Pie Crust

1. All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is a multifunctional, medium protein white flour that is used in all kinds of baking recipes. Check out my Baking 101 Flour Guide to learn more about this important ingredient.
2. Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter with at least 82% fat content and never use spreadable butter in baking, it can alter the balance of fat and water in the pie crust and affect the final outcome.
3. Chilled water: We need to use very cold water in this pie dough, so put it in the freezer to chill it right down first if necessary. Tap water is not cold enough.
4. Salt: Use finely ground, high-quality salt.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

2. For the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

This pumpkin cream cheese pie has a layered pumpkin cheesecake filling with cream cheese marble on top. It's a super easy filling to make with no special equipment needed!

1. Pumpkin puree: You can make your own homemade pumpkin puree or use store-bought canned pumpkin puree.
2. Whole egg: Eggs play multiple roles in baking, and the egg in this pie recipe helps to provide structure, lift, and texture and also helps to bind all the other filling ingredients together.
3. Egg yolk: The egg yolk in this easy pumpkin cream cheese pie recipe adds extra smooth richness and emulsifying properties to the pie filling. Read my guide on what do eggs do in baking here!
4. Corn starch: this helps to thicken the mix and absorb excess moisture.
5. Pumpkin spice: This is a mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and you can either make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice mix or buy it readymade from the store.
6. Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese in this pumpkin pie recipe with cream cheese because reduced-fat products are usually plumped out with sugar, salt, and water to maintain flavor and consistency and this will affect the bake. Philadelphia full-fat cream cheese is the best. Cream cheese will make the filling super smooth, there is no need to use evaporated milk.

3. For the Cream Cheese Marble

1. Full-fat cream cheese: Again, use full-fat quality cream cheese in this pumpkin cheesecake pie recipe, like Philadelphia. Check out some of my other cream cheese desserts as well!
2. Heavy cream: Make sure your heavy cream is at least 36% fat and chilled thoroughly before using it in this easy pumpkin recipe. To substitute, check out my heavy cream substitute article.
3. Powdered sugar: Sift the powdered sugar through a fine sieve to remove any lumps and get a super fine texture.

4. Egg Wash

1. Egg white: For the egg wash in this recipe we only use egg white. Check out my guide on egg wash.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. How to make all butter pie crust from scratch

1. Mix the salt thoroughly into the flour in a large bowl and add the butter chunks into it, rubbing the mixture between your fingers until you reach a sand-like consistency.
2. Slowly pour the cold water bit by bit into the dough whilst stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until it starts to come together naturally. Shape it into a ball before gently flattening it into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
3. Take the pie dough disk out of the fridge a few minutes before rolling to slightly bring up the temperature which will help you to roll it out without it breaking or tearing.
4. Roll it out into a circle, turning it with your hands frequently to maintain an even thickness. Avoid forcing it, as this is a common reason for pie crusts shrinking whilst baking. 
5. Place the dough into a greased pie dish and fold the extra dough underneath the edge before pressing your fingers into it to give the fluted effect. Put it in the freezer to rest and chill for half an hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 372 F / 200 C (no fan).
7. Remove the pie dish from the freezer, line it with baking parchment, and fill it with pie weights or check my pie weights substitute guide. Blind bake/pre-bake the pie crust for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the baking weights and baking parchment, and gently brush a thin layer of the egg wash all over the inside of the pie crust to form a barrier between the dough and the filling. Blind bake for a further 15 minutes.
9. Remove the baked pie crust from the oven and turn the temperature down to 350F / 177C (no fan).

💡 Top Tip: Scrunch the parchment paper up before lining the pie crust to loosen it and get right into the edges.

2. How to make the pumpkin cream cheese filling

1. Make your cream cheese pumpkin cheesecake filling. In one large bowl, mix the homemade or canned pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix, corn starch, whole eggs, and egg yolk together and beat cream cheese in vigorously with a hand whisk until smooth.
2. For the marble, in a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar with a hand whisk until smooth.
3. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Place the cream cheese layer filling into a piping bag and pipe spots all over the surface of the pumpkin pie layer.
4. Using a chopstick or the end of a teaspoon create the marble effect in the cream cheese topping by gently swirling the cream cheese mixture into the cream cheese pumpkin pie filling.

💡 Top Tip: You can fill and bake your pie crust straight away after blind-baking, or do this in advance to fill and bake it later.

3. How to bake

1. Use aluminum foil to cover the side of the pie crust and insulate it from the intense heat and prevent it from burning.
2. Bake the pumpkin pie with cream cheese topping marbled on the surface for 50 minutes at the lower temperature of 350 F / 177 C (no fan).
3. Let the pumpkin cream cheese pie cool completely and set it in the fridge before taking it out of the pie dish onto a pie plate, decorating, and serving.
4. Any leftover pie can be stored for 2-3 days in an air-tight container in the fridge or frozen to save for a later date.

You could serve this cream cheese pumpkin pie with whipped cream and a teaspoon ground cinnamon dusted over the top to make this delicious dessert even more luxurious. Or, why not pipe some cream cheese frosting around the pie or serve it with Pumpkin Ice Cream?

💡 Top Tip: The pie is ready when the side of the cream cheese pumpkin filling is well-baked but the middle still has some movement. Do not over bake the pie as that can result in cranks on the top of the pie.

🎓 Expert tips

1. Put the pie crust ingredients into the fridge, or even the freezer before using to ensure they are very cold.
2. Use room-temperature eggs in baking and not cold eggs from the fridge. This allows them to do their job properly in the bake and achieve the best pumpkin cream cheese pie possible!
3. The pie dough requires a minimum of two hours of resting time once it has been rolled out before baking it.
4. Do not begin trying to roll the pie dough when it is very cold, stiff, and straight out of the fridge, allow it to warm up slightly first.
5. For the best taste and texture of your cream cheese pumpkin pie, ensure that the pumpkin puree is not watery. Strain the homemade or canned pumpkin puree through cheesecloth or cook it on the stove to evaporate off some of the excess liquid if necessary.
6. Reducing the oven temperature before baking the pie crust with the pumpkin cream cheese mixture is vital. Always use an oven thermometer to make sure you are baking at the right temperature.
7. To make this easy pumpkin cream cheese pie even easier, you can use a premade pie crust or even store bought graham cracker crust. Although I always recommend baking your own for the best flavor!

🥣 Equipment notes

Always weigh ingredients by using a digital scale for the best results.

Oven temperatures vary so use an oven thermometer.

Roll out your pie dough using a large wooden rolling pin on a silicon baking mat and then use a 9-inch/23 cm pie dish.

A decent hand whisk can be used for so many recipes like this pumpkin spiced cream cheese pie as they create so much lightness and air as well as thoroughly combining ingredients.

I always keep a stock of piping bags in my pantry, and in this pumpkin cream cheese pie recipe, I use a piping bag to create a perfect marble effect on the top of the cream cheese layer.

❓Recipe FAQs

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🎃 More Pumpkin recipes