📋 Light Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

a piece of skinny pumpkin cheesecake being lifted off a plate

5 from 1 vote

📋 Light Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

A light and delicious low-fat pumpkin cheesecake made with pumpkin puree, no artificial sweeteners, and a chocolate 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, weight watchers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

refrigeration 6

Total Time 7

Servings servings

Calories 244kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

CRUST:

1 ½ cups Oreo baking crumbs or chocolate baking crumbs
2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
4 tablespoon light butter melted

FILLING:

16 oz reduced-fat cream cheese 2 - 8 oz packages *Name brand, such as Philadelphia brand works better!
⅔ cup 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 mixed together for sprinkling

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

CRUST:

PREP:
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.
1 ½ cups Oreo baking crumbs or chocolate baking crumbs, 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar, 4 tablespoon light butter
Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F/176 degrees C for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

FILLING:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric hand mixer or with the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer.
16 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
Beat in the sugars (⅔ cup white sugar and brown sugar). Add the eggs and egg whites and beat at the lowest setting until mixture is smooth and fluffy- about 30 seconds.
⅔ cup brown sugar, ⅔ cup white granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 3 large egg whites
Mix in the pumpkin, salt, flour and spices.
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh), ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground dry ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon all spice
Pour filling onto cooked and cooled crust.
Return to a 350 degrees F./176 degrees C oven and bake cheesecake for about 35 - 50 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 to check it after 35 minutes.
*The best way to ensure cheesecake is done is by internal temperature. When inserted into the centre of the cheesecake, it should read 150 degrees F

TOPPING:

Mix together the topping ingredients. Set aside.
2 cups fat- free sour cream, 6 tablespoon white granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Remove cake from oven and spread the topping over the cheesecake. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.
Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
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 and I usually add more after the refrigeration). To protect my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I place it in a container with a lid, but you can simply cover it with plastic wrap.
about 2 Tblsp each of cinnamon and icing sugar mixed together for sprinkling
Chill in fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, gently unhinge the sides of the pan. Then smooth the sides of the cake with a hot offset spatula or butter knife. If the top is dimpled (like mine was) smooth the top with the hot knife or spatula. *You can repair pretty much anything- my light cover fell into this cheesecake while I was photographing it and I fixed it. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar again.

Notes

Equipment:

*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.

Expert Recipe Tips:

Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature- room temperature cream cheese and eggs ensure that your cheesecake batter will be smooth and lump-free!
Use a water bath- a water bath will prevent cracking and help your cheesecake to cook evenly.
Use a springform pan- springform pans are ideal for cheesecakes because the texture is more custard-like than a cake. Although you can bake a cheesecake in a different pan, you can't display it in the same way and it may not cook as evenly.
Spray your pan thoroughly - if you don't want your cheesecake to stick to the pan, make sure it's sprayed well. Otherwise, it will be a mess.
Don't overmix -overmixed cheesecake can rise, then fall and crack from excess air.
Don't open the oven while it's baking- any sudden temperature changes could shock the cheesecake and cause it to crack.
Use an instant-read thermometer- your cheesecake is ready when the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. At higher temperatures, the texture will suffer. If possible, insert the thermometer into the side of the cheesecake where it rises above the pan (otherwise, insert it into the center of the cake).
Don't skimp on chilling time- if you try to remove your cheesecake from the springform pan before it's properly chilled, it won't firm up and cut as cleanly as a properly chilled cheesecake.

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