Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake, Bullseye Style

This easy pumpkin swirl cheesecake recipe uses an easy technique to make a delicious and magical-looking bullseye cheesecake pattern. This looks like a lot of directions, but it's not hard. I just wanted to be specific so you get it right.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Chilling Time5

Total Time7

Servings: 1 8"or 9" cheesecake

Calories: 4344kcal

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Crust

▢ 1 1/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs, from about 6 1/2 ounces chocolate wafers (I use Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
▢ 4 tablespoons melted butter
▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I recommend Diamond Crystal)

Instructions

For the Chocolate Crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafers with the sugar and salt to crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix until combined.
Press the chocolate crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased, parchment-lined 8" or 9" cake pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
PRO TIP: I use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to get a flat, even surface of crumbs.

For the Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Batters

When the cookie crust is done, lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar, zest, salt, vanilla extract, sour cream, and two tablespoons of flour. Beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. The batter should be smooth and ribbony.
Divide the batter roughly in half into a separate mixing bowl. To one of the cheesecake batter bowls, add the pumpkin purée, the additional tablespoon of flour, and the baking spices. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.

Do the Bullseye Swirl, Bake, and Finish

Now for the fun! Use a 1 cup measuring cup or liquid measure to spoon a cup of pumpkin cheesecake batter into the center of the cake pan. Now, using a different cup, add a cup of the plain cheesecake into the center, right on top of the first cup of batter. Alternate that way until you use all the cheesecake batters. See the concentric rings forming?
PRO TIP: Now's a good time to heat a kettle full of water to a simmer.
Nestle the filled cheesecake cake pan in a standard, high-walled casserole pan wide enough for the cake pan to not touch the sides. Place the casserole into the oven. Now pour hot water into the casserole pan so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan. That's your water bath.
Bake for one hour, give or take 5 minutes, until fully set in the middle.
Let fully cool at room temperature, then place, uncovered, in the fridge until fully chilled, at least 3 hours.

To Unmold the Cheesecake

Tightly wrap a flat surface (a little wider than the cake pan) in plastic wrap. I use a cardboard cake round or cake pan that's 1 inch larger than the cheesecake.
Run a knife or small offset spatula around the cheesecake sides. Place the bottom of the cheesecake cake pan over a low burner for about 20 seconds, swirling it constantly on the burner, to release the cold butter in the crust.
TIP: Placing the cake pan on the burner is my super quick pro-tip way to release the cold bottom of a cake or cheesecake. Alternatively, set the bottom in warm water for a minute or two.
Have your serving platter ready. With gusto and purpose, invert the cheesecake onto your plastic-wrapped surface. De-parchment the bottom as necessary. Then, place the serving plate over the upside-down cheesecake and immediately flip the cheesecake right-side up onto the serving platter.
Serve plain or topped with fresh whipped cream.

Notes

Ta-da! Look at that magic. This bullseye cheesecake technique makes a pumpkin swirl cheesecake that will impress everyone and tastes great. This can be made several days in advance. Refrigerate uncovered.

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.