📋 Light Pumpkin Cheesecake (with Oreo Crust) recipe

a piece of skinny pumpkin cheesecake being lifted off a plate

4 from 2 votes

📋 Light Pumpkin Cheesecake (with Oreo Crust) recipe

A light and delicious low-fat pumpkin cheesecake made with pumpkin puree and a chocolatey Oreo crust. This skinny pumpkin cheesecake is Weight Watchers friendly and the ideal Thanksgiving Cheesecake and pumpkin pie alternative!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword cheesecake, light, pumpkin, Thanksgiving

Special Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 5 10

Servings servings

Calories 244kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

CRUST:

1 ½ cups oreo baking crumbs
2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
4 tablespoon olive oil margarine

FILLING:

16 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
⅔ cup dark brown sugar
⅔ cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg whites
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh) Fresh pumpkin puree: https://foodmeanderings.com/how-to-cook-a-whole-pumpkin-and-make-pumpkin-puree/
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground dry ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon all spice

TOPPING:

2 cups fat- free sour cream
6 tablespoon white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:

about 2 Tblsp each of cinnamon and icing sugar for sprinkling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CRUST:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 176 degrees C. Stir together all crust ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Spray a 9" or 10" springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

FILLING:

In a large mixing bowl, cube the cheese and beat with an electric hand mixer or with the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Beat in the sugars. Add the eggs and egg whites and beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
Mix in the pumpkin, salt, flour and spices. Pour filling onto cooked crust.
Return to a 350 degrees F./176 degrees C oven and bake cheesecake for about 35 - 45 minutes or until puffed and set. It will still be a little jiggly when you shake/move it from side to side and the sides will have separated from the edges of the pan. But you will see it is puffed up a little around the center ** I advise you check it after 35 minutes, as that's what the original recipe called for. Although, it always took 45 minutes for me.

TOPPING:

Mix together the topping ingredients. Set aside.
Remove cake from oven and spread the topping over the cheesecake. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.
Cool on a rack.

GARNISH:

Sprinkle cinnamon and icing sugar over the top of the cheesecake, to your liking (you can use a little more or less, depending on what you like)
Chill in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, unhinge the sides of the pan, then smooth the cake with a hot knife

Notes

*I recommend you use a springform pan (preferably 9 or 10-inch) for this recipe because it will make your life easier. However, if you don't have that type of pan and/or don't want to purchase one, you can make a cheesecake without it. You can read about how to make a cheesecake without a springform pan HERE.

🌡️Storing

Make ahead and refrigeration

This healthy pumpkin cheesecake can be made a day or two in advance and you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing

You can freeze cheesecakes, so if you plan to, you'll want to check out Taste of Home's guide on how to freeze cheesecakes. However, if you do freeze it and plan to serve it, I do not recommend you freeze it for longer than 2 months. It's best if you do NOT put the icing sugar and cinnamon mixture on until it's completely defrosted, prior to serving.

TOP TIP:

Be careful when you are buying light cream cheese for this light pumpkin cheesecake, especially if you are following the Weight Watchers program, as the fat contents vary greatly between brands. I find most of the store/no-name brand fat content is substantially higher (almost the same as regular cream cheese) than the brand names. I generally stick to the brand names for light cream cheese.

Nutrition