With a name like Grandbaby Cakes, it kinda goes without saying I’m usually in charge of dessert when the holidays roll around. And I ain’t mad about it! I love when I get to make something like this sweet potato cheesecake for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving. It’s got the soul of a classic sweet potato pie, baked up into a sweet potato cheesecake with a gingersnap crust. Get into it boos.
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How to Make This Sweet Potato Cheesecake
These step-by-step photos show how to make a sweet potato pie cheesecake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
1. Press the gingersnap crust into your pan
Mix the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, press into the bottom of your prepared springform pan, and bake until set.
2. Mix the sweet potato cheesecake filling
Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and sugars until smooth, then mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the sweet potatoes, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
PRO TIP: Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs into an even layer, getting all the way to the edges so the crust holds together when sliced.
3. Pour the filling over the baked crust
Scrape the filling into your springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
4. Bake, chill, and garnish your cheesecake
Bake the cheesecake, then turn off the oven and let it sit inside with the door closed until mostly cooled. Transfer to the fridge and chill overnight. Once fully chilled, garnish with caramel sauce, nuts, and whipped cream!
Full Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups crushed biscoff cookies or gingersnaps
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
For the Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 3 blocks
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- ⅓-⅔ cup granulated sugar See tip below!
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes See tip below!
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon McCormick pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon McCormick ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon McCormick ground nutmeg
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with non-stick baking spray. Make sure it is completely secure.
- Whisk together gingersnaps, sugar, and butter.
- Press gingersnap crust into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes then set aside.
For the Cheesecake
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the mixing bowl and mix for about 4-5 minutes on high speed until well mixed.
- Mix in four eggs in one at a time until well incorporated then add in sweet potatoes and blend well.
- Slow mixer down to medium low and add flour, vanilla, ground cinnamon and nutmeg then add mixture into the springform pan.
- Bake for 1 hour then turn off oven and leave cheesecake in the oven with door closed for 4 hours. Remove cheesecake from oven and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve with melted Biscoff cookie butter or caramel sauce, nuts and whipped cream if desired.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Keep your cheesecake in the fridge, wrapped tight or stored in an airtight container. If you’re using plastic wrap, stick a few toothpicks on top to keep it from messing up the surface. Hold off on the caramel and pecans until the day you serve it so it stays looking fresh. It’ll last up to a week if stored right.
- Freezer: Let it chill on a parchment-lined sheet first (whole or sliced), then move it to an airtight container. It’ll keep for about a month. Just thaw in the fridge whenever you wanna enjoy it.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Start with room temp dairy. Let your cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream sit out so everything mixes smoothly.
- Bake your sweet potatoes, don’t boil them. You’ll get a deeper flavor and a natural sweetness that really sets off the whole cheesecake.
- Plan ahead and don’t rush it. This sweet potato cheesecake needs time to bake, cool, and chill overnight so it sets up right.
- Take your time with the springform pan. Once the cheesecake is fully chilled, run a knife around the edge gently before releasing the latch. Keep the bottom of the pan under the cheesecake to help you move it without any mess.
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Recipe Help
You can, but I prefer the flavor of freshly baked sweet potatoes. If you’re short on time, use thick, plain, unsweetened sweet potato puree. Drain any separated liquid and skip sweet potatoes packed in syrup.
The edges should be set, and the center should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan. It shouldn’t look liquid or slosh around. Start checking around the one-hour mark.
Cold cream cheese or chunky sweet potatoes can leave lumps in the filling. Let your cream cheese soften fully and mash the sweet potatoes until smooth before mixing.
Overmixing, overbaking, or cooling too quickly can cause cracks, boo. Mix on medium once the flour goes in, and stop baking when the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly. If your cheesecake is already cracked, cover it with the toppings!
It could be underbaked or have too much moisture from the sweet potatoes. Use thick, smooth mash and check that the edges are set before turning off the oven. More fridge time won’t fix an underbaked filling, y’all.
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My cheesecake is in the oven, here’s hoping it comes out as good as the batter taste before baking. Only tweet I did was I didn’t have 1/4 cup of cream so I doubled the sour cream. I’ll let you know the result.
Girl … You better Stop. Lord have mercy. I’m going to have to increase my speed-walking to 3.3 miles/day.
They look delicious. The Sweet Potato Cheesecake was the bomb dot com! It was my first time ever doing a pie. It was OK. But it started to fall apart on the top. There were craters on the top. My son said that it cooked too long. Is he right? (My wife took it out the pan after 4 hours, but she didn’t refrigerate it right away either.) We’ll get better.
Not bad. Can’t wait to slice.
What’s the oven temp for the cheesecake? Is it still 350 like the crust?
Yes the temperature stays at 350.
MY GOODNESS, THIS WAS DELICIOUS. i’M HONESTLY NOT THE BIGGEST CHEESECAKE FAN BECAUSE IT’S SO RICH. buT i HAD SOME SWEET POTATOES AND HAPPENED UP ON A BUNCH OF CREAMCHEESE SO I FIGURED I WOULD TRY IT. iT’S NOT TOO SWEET AND NOT TOO DENSE. I DIDN’T HAVE ANY GINGERSNAPS BUT I HAD SOME WAFFLE CONE MIX, OF ALL THINGS, THAT I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH I ADDED GINGER TO IT AND USED THAT FOR THE CRUST. I DIDN’T HAVE LIGHT BROWN SUGAR SO USED DARK. BUT OTHER WISE I STUCK WITH THE RECIPE. I DID ADD A LITTLE MORE WHITE SUGAR SINCE I WAS NOT GOING TO ADD THE WHIPPED CREAM OR CARAMEL. I ALSO MADE IT IN INDIVIDUAL CROCKS. I ONLY HAD 6 OF THEM SO I PUT THE REST IN A PIE PAN. I DID NOT ADJUST THE BAKING TIME BUT I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO LET IT SIT IN THE OVEN THE WHOLE 4 HOURS. I LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 1.5-2 HOURS BEFORE MOVING TO THE FRIDGE. i ADDED PECANS ON TOP BEFORE BAKING. FOR THE ONE IN THE PIE PAN I MIXED THE PECANS IN SOME INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM SIT ON TOP. EVEN WITH ALL MY HACKING THE BASIC RECIPE WAS GREAT FOR MY FIRST TIME EVER MAKING A CHEESECAKE.
So glad you liked it!!
Cake is so yummy and want to try it for my children. Thank you for the recipe.
Absolutely I hope its free.
This recipe is perfect! I am not a baker and they come out perfect every time! Quick question, I am pressed for time can I let it rest for a shorter time and set it in the freezer? If so, what would you recommend? My 3 year old had me frazzled lol
Just make sure that it is cooled to room temp for at least an hour. Then you can put in the freezer for a short time for about 30-60 minutes.
What size pan?
9 inch springform. Full instructions are in the recipe card.
When do you put the cream cheese topping on? And v what’s the recipe for that?
Hi Jennifer, the cheesecake is topped with whipped cream, caramel sauce and nuts.
Hi Jocelyn, Can I use canned pumpkin for this recipe? My family unfortunately are not great lovers of sweet potatoes. Only me (smile) so this recipe would be my guilty pleasure. Many thanks, Bonita
Yes! Canned pumpkin will work great in this recipe!