If you’re bored with pumpkin pie, our sweet potato cheesecake sings with the same fall flavors but features a creamy filling and lovely graham cracker crust.
Holiday Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

This sweet potato cheesecake is one of our favorite sweet potato recipes. From the buttery graham cracker crust to the layers of sweet potato and cheesecake to the tangy sour cream topping with crunchy pecans, every bite is a symphony of dreamy autumn flavors. It’s the southern sweet potato pie and sour cream-topped pumpkin cheesecake crossover you didn’t know you needed this season.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Cheesecake

  • Graham cracker crumbs: A graham cracker base adds a lovely texture contrast against the smooth filling.
  • Cream cheese: Soften cream cheese before beating with the sugar to ensure a lump-free cheesecake filling.
  • Eggs: Mixing a room-temperature fat with cold eggs can cause your batter to curdle—not a good thing. To prevent this, we always recommend baking with room-temperature eggs.
  • Mashed sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes provide a lovely velvety texture in desserts. It’s why we love this cake—and many other sweet potato dessert ideas—so much!
  • Evaporated milk: Evaporated milk creates an amazing silky texture in fillings because it’s denser and creamier than regular milk.
  • Spices: This cheesecake is an autumnal treat thanks to the sweet cinnamon, spicy cloves and aromatic nutmeg. Make these spices bolder by grinding them fresh instead of using pre-ground spices.
  • Sour cream: Sour cream adds that rich depth of flavor cheesecakes are known for.
  • Pecans: We finish this cake with a crunchy topping of glazed pecans for an added nutty flavor and crunchy texture.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare your pan

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, and place it on a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about an 18-inch square). Securely wrap the foil around the pan.

Step 2: Create the crust

In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Step 3: Mix the cheesecake filling

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs, and beat on low speed just until combined. Pour the batter into the crust.

Editor’s Tip: To avoid a cracked and dense cheesecake, do not over-beat the eggs. Beat the eggs just until they’re combined. It’s one of the many tips in our cheesecake baking guide.

Step 4: Make the sweet potato filling

In a large bowl, beat the sweet potatoes with the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg, vanilla, spices and salt until just combined. Spoon over the cheesecake batter.

Step 5: Bake in a hot water bath

Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch. Place the roasting pan to the oven, and bake until the center of the cheesecake is just set and the top appears dull, 50 to 55 minutes.

Step 6: Whip up the sour cream topping

In a small bowl, beat the sour cream, sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Spread over baked cheesecake. Bake just until set, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, and cool at room temperature on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Chill the cheesecake

Carefully run a small knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Cool at room temperature for one hour longer. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight. When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake, remove the sides of the springform pan, and sprinkle the cheesecake with the pecans.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Variations

Sweet Potato Cheesecake piece served in plateTMB Studio

  • Use a different crust: If you don’t have graham crackers, there are other ingredients you can turn into a crumb crust, like gingersnaps or Nilla wafers.
  • Add different fall spices: Instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves called for in this recipe, opt for pumpkin pie spice for a more complex combination of fall spices.
  • Top with caramel: A little drizzle of salted caramel sauce on each slice of cheesecake will make this a truly decadent dessert experience.

How to Store Sweet Potato Cheesecake

To store this cheesecake, keep it in the springform pan with the ring on, and wrap it loosely. You can also cut the cheesecake into slices and store them in an airtight container. Sweet potato cheesecake can last up to five days in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze sweet potato cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze sweet potato cheesecake. Wrap it with aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to one month.

To thaw the cheesecake from frozen, set it out at room temperature for one hour, or move the cheesecake to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Tips

Sweet Potato Cheesecake served in platesTMB Studio

Can you make sweet potato cheesecake ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this cheesecake ahead of time. It can stay in the fridge for five days, but it will lose its freshness after two days.

Is it better to peel sweet potatoes before baking?

No, there’s no need to peel sweet potatoes before baking them. In fact, we like to roast our sweet potatoes whole with the skin on, then peel the skin off once they’re done roasting. This technique makes the sweet potato easier to mash and concentrates the sweet potato flavor.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Family and friends can't seem to get enough of this deliciously different cheesecake that combines my two favorite desserts—sweet potato pie and cheesecake. I think the dessert tastes best if made 24 to 48 hours prior to serving. —Melanie Bauder, Manlius, New York
Holiday Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep: 40 min. Bake: 55 min. + chilling

Makes

12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • FILLING:
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
  • SWEET POTATO FILLING:
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (about 3/4 pound)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • TOPPING:
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Glazed chopped pecans, optional

Directions

  1. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up side of the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust.
  4. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes with sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg, vanilla, spices and salt. Spoon over cheesecake batter. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° until center is just set and top appears dull, 50-55 minutes.
  5. Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over cheesecake. Bake just until set, 5-10 minutes longer. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  6. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Sprinkle cheesecake with pecans if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 489 calories, 31g fat (17g saturated fat), 131mg cholesterol, 350mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate (34g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.