This sweet potato cheesecake recipe has a spiced graham cracker crust and a creamy roasted sweet potato filling sweetened with brown sugar.
It’s delicious all on its own, but you can also dress it up with toasted Swiss meringue, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. Choose your favorite or enjoy it as is!
I’ll walk you through every step with photos, a video, and my best tips for a creamy, crack-free cheesecake.
Sweet potatoes make this the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving dinner!
The creamy texture of this sweet potato cheesecake really gets people talking. Like my chocolate sweet potato cake, it surprises everyone who finds out what’s in it! 🍠
what is sweet potato cheesecake
Sweet potato cheesecake is a baked cheesecake made with roasted sweet potatoes. It has three parts:
- Crust: A buttery graham cracker crust with warm spices.
- Filling: A creamy, brown sugar sweet potato cheesecake filling.
- Topping (optional): We tried this cheesecake with and without a topping, and everyone loved it both ways, so it’s totally up to you! The one in my photos has torched Swiss meringue (the same showstopping meringue as in my recipe for lemon meringue cheesecake). It’d also be delicious served with whipped cream, a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, and/or some toasted pecans!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet potato flavor: Everyone loves sweet potato desserts especially when you roast the sweet potatoes! Roasting adds natural sweetness and a deeper, caramelized flavor to the filling.
- No Foil Needed: Skip the traditional water bath. Set a roasting pan of hot water on the lower rack and bake the cheesecake above it, just like my caramelized pecan cheesecake.
- Customizable topping: Swiss meringue, whipped cream, my homemade salted caramel sauce. It’s also perfectly delicious without a topping!
- Make ahead: Roast and puree the sweet potatoes one day, then bake and chill the cheesecake the day before serving. When you’re ready, just take it out of the fridge. Make the optional Swiss meringue or whipped cream before serving.
- Main ingredients: Sweet potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, eggs.
Jump to:
- what is sweet potato cheesecake
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for the Cheesecake
- Substitutions and Variations
- how to make sweet potato cheesecake
- Step by step instructions
- How do you keep a cheesecake from cracking in the oven
- Top Tips for making Sweet potato Cheesecake Pie
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients for the Cheesecake
These are the ingredients for the cheesecake only. The Swiss meringue is optional, so I’ve listed the topping ingredients separately in the recipe card.
- Sweet potatoes: You’ll need 350 g (1½ cups) of pureed sweet potato, which is approximately 2 medium sweet potatoes (500 g/1 lb raw). Roast until a knife slides easily into the center with no resistance. Scoop out the flesh and puree until completely smooth. After roasting and pureeing, weigh the puree to ensure you have 350 g (1½ cups). I like to roast and puree mine ahead of time to break up the work. Allow the puree to cool completely before mixing it into the batter.
- Unsalted butter: Melted unsalted butter holds the graham cracker crust together.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese, not the tub kind. I prefer Philadelphia cream cheese for best taste and texture. Let it sit on the counter for at least 2 hours so it’s room temperature. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the filling.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat, room temperature sour cream. If you have leftover, try my popular chocolate chip cookies with sour cream!
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: Light brown sugar sweetens the cheesecake filling. Make sure it’s fresh and free of lumps. You’ll also need granulated sugar for the crust.
- Eggs: Use 3 large, room temperature eggs and 2 egg yolks.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger: These add warm flavor to the filling. I like to add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to the crust too, but that’s optional.
- Graham crackers: Crush them in a food processor, or save a step with the pre-crushed crumbs sold at most grocery stores. I find these to be a big time saver!
- Swiss meringue (optional): The topping ingredients are not pictured above and are listed separately in the recipe card below. Use room temperature egg whites, and add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg if you want it to match the spiced cheesecake. Cream of tartar helps the meringue hold its shape, but you can leave it out.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar for a richer, more molasses-like filling.
- Top the cheesecake with my salted caramel sauce (or store-bought if you’re short on time) for a sweeter finish.
- Whipped cream – skip the Swiss meringue and top slices with whipped cream.
- Toasted pecans – sprinkle chopped toasted pecans on top for extra crunch.
- Want to make it gluten free? The only ingredients you need to swap in are gluten free graham crackers in the crust and gluten free flour in the filling!
how to make sweet potato cheesecake
quick video recap
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Roast the sweet potato. Roast sweet potatoes in a 400°F oven for about 60 minutes, until very soft when pierced with a knife.
Step 2: Puree the sweet potatoes. Cool for at least 15 minutes then peel and puree in a food processor until completely smooth. Measure out 1½ cups (350 grams) of puree. Set aside.
Step 3:Make the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, spices, and butter. Spread on the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan sprayed with baking spray and lined with parchment. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 Fahrenheit.
Step 4: Mix the brown sugar and cream cheese. Make sure all the ingredients for the filling (including the sweet potato puree) are room temperature before beginning. Mix until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle.
Step 5: Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Mix in the flour and spices. Add the sweet potato puree, vanilla extract and sour cream, until combined. Scrape down the bowl again. Mix in the eggs and yolks one at a time until just combined. Don’t overmix!
Step 6: Bake the cheesecake. Pour filling into the crust. Place the roasting pan on the bottom rack in the oven. Pour hot water in the roasting pan. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack. Bake 60-65 minutes. The cake is done when the center has only a very slight jiggle.
Step 7: Allow cheesecake to set: Turn off the oven. Crack the oven door open slightly. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Cool on a rack at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Step 8: Add optional topping, slice and enjoy: This cheesecake is delicious as is and doesn’t need a topping. For best results, add topping of choice closer to serving time. Top with toasted Swiss meringue (pictured), whipped cream, salted caramel sauce, toasted or candied nuts! Slice with a long, sharp knife. Wipe the knife clean and run it under hot water in between slicing.
How do you keep a cheesecake from cracking in the oven
- Use room temperature ingredients: Take the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the fridge at least 2 hours before mixing. They blend together more easily, so you don’t have to beat as long.
- Don’t overmix: Always mix on low speed and mix just until the ingredients are combined. Stop mixing as soon as the last egg is mixed in. Overbeating creates air bubbles that can cause cracks as it bakes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so everything is incorporated without extra mixing.
- Add steam: Set a roasting pan of hot water on the lower rack and close the oven door quickly so the steam stays in. The moist environment keeps the cheesecake from drying out and cracking.
- Check for the jiggle: Bake until the sides are set and the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan.
- Cool slowly: Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Then let it cool completely at room temperature before chilling.
- Line pan with parchment paper: Cheesecake usually sticks to the sides of the pan and it shrinks as it cools. If it sticks to the sides of the pan, it can create tension in the middle and cause a crack to form. Line your pan with a couple strips of parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking. If you forget to line it with parchment, run a small spatula around the edge of the cooled cheesecake so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Top Tips for making Sweet potato Cheesecake Pie
- Plan ahead and allow time for both preparation and refrigeration of the cheesecake.
- Take the ingredients out of the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Room temperature ingredients make it possible to for ingredients to get fully incorporated and makes your cheesecake nice and creamy.
- Cook the sweet potatoes all the way through. Underdone sweet potato makes the filling grainy and stringy. If you’re unsure, give them another 10 minutes.
- Press the graham cracker crumbs into the pan just enough to give the crust shape. The crust should be compact but not packed too tight. This could make the crust hard when it bakes.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl as you make the filling. This will make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Don’t remove the springform collar until the cake has chilled for the full time.
- Make sure the cake is fully cooled and properly chilled before slicing.
- Use a long, sharp knife to cut the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean and run it under hot water in between slicing for extra neat slices.
Recipe FAQs
What type of pan should I use for cheesecake?
Use a 9 inch spring form pan. Spray the bottom lightly with non stick baking spray and place a round of parchment paper on top. This will prevent the cheesecake from sticking to the pan.
Do I have to include the Swiss meringue?
No, the cheesecake is just as delicious with or without it! In fact, it’s delicious with or without a topping. You can also just serve some homemade or store-bought whipped cream on the side. That way, people can choose if they want some or not.
Can this sweet potato cheesecake pie be made gluten free?
Yes. Swap in gluten free graham crackers in the crust and gluten free flour in the filling to make this recipe gluten free.
Storage
Storing cheesecake without a Topping
Store leftover cheesecake without a topping in an airtight container, such as a cake carrier, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you plan to add a topping, wait until the day of serving. Whipped cream or meringue is best prepared just before serving.
Storing Cheesecake with a topping
Serve whipped cream on the side rather than spreading it over the cheesecake, as it can wilt during storage. If you top the cheesecake with meringue, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
Sweet Potato Cheesecake is the perfect showstopping dessert recipe! It's made with a creamy sweet potato cheesecake filling baked over a buttery graham cracker crust. It's delicious all on its own, but you can also dress it up with toasted Swiss meringue, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. Choose your favorite or enjoy it as is!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups (168 g) graham cracker crumbs from about 16 full sheets of honey graham crackers
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Filling
- 1½ cups (350 g) sweet potato puree from about 1 lb (500 g) raw sweet potatoes (2-3 medium) measure after pureeing
- 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese brick style, full fat, room temperature
- 1½ cups (330 g) light brown sugar packed
- 3 (150 g) large eggs room temperature
- 2 (40 g) large egg yolks room temperature
- ¼ cup (31 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Spiced Swiss Meringue (Optional)
- 4 (120 g) large egg whites room temperature, see notes below
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
Sweet Potato Puree
- Important: Read through the recipe before you start to make sure you have everything you'll need. You can also plan ahead and break up some of the steps over a few days to make it much easier. See recipe notes below for more make-ahead tips.
- Start the recipe by roasting and pureeing the sweet potatoes. The puree needs to cool completely before using. You can make also roast them up to 3 days ahead and store the puree in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes, pat dry, and pierce them several times with a fork. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for about 60 minutes, until very soft when pierced with a knife.
- Cool for at least 15 minutes then peel and puree in a food processor until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the food processor. Measure out 1½ cups (350 grams) of puree and cool completely before using. You can roast the sweet potatoes up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before making the filling.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Set one oven rack in the center position and place one rack at the lowest rack position for the roasting pan (to be used while baking the cheesecake). Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Lightly spray the sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with baking non stick spray. Place a round of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the parchment paper. Optional, but recommended, press two strips of parchment paper against the sides all around the pan. They should peak up over top the pan just a little. It will keep the cheesecake from sticking to the sides.
- Melt the butter.
- Use store-bought graham cracker crumbs or finely crush your own graham cracker sheets. To crush the graham cracker crumbs, pulse the graham crackers in a food processor to finely ground crumbs. Break up any remaining pieces of graham crackers. Pour the crumbs into a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using). Pour in the melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Pour the graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hands to spread it evenly on the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Pat mixture down with medium pressure with your hands or using a small flat bottom measuring cup. Be sure to press crumbs into place until compact and not loose or crumbly but avoid pressing too hard.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Crust should be golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325 Fahrenheit.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Filling
- Important: Remember your cold ingredients need to come to room temperature before you begin or it won't turn out.
- Fill a kettle with water and heat the water to boil. You'll need enough water to add about an inch of water to your roasting pan, so you'll probably need a full kettle. Take out a 9 by 13 inch rectangular pan or a roasting pan. Set aside. This will be for the hot water bath.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Next, combine the brown sugar and the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle attachment to then mix again to incorporate any bits.
- Mix in the flour and spices until combined. Add the sweet potato puree, vanilla extract and sour cream, mixing until combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle attachment again. Mix again until everything scraped off the sides is fully combined.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat only to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after mixing in the first two eggs and again after adding all the eggs and yolks. Stop mixing as soon as the last egg has been mixed into the batter. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust. Smooth the top of the cheesecake with an offset spatula or regular spatula.
- Place the roasting pan on the bottom rack in the oven. Pour about an inch or a little more than an inch of hot water in the roasting pan or 9 by 13 inch rectangular pan. Next, set the cheesecake on the middle rack. Quickly close the oven door to keep the steam from the hot water in the oven.
- Bake for 60 to 65 minutes until the center is almost set. The center of the cheesecake should jiggle slightly when, with an oven mitt on, you gently shake the pan but the sides should be set. Turn off the oven. Crack the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, take the cheesecake out of the oven. Set the pan on a rack and allow cheesecake to cool uncovered until it's room temperature. Cover with aluminum foil or place in an airtight container such as a cake carrier and refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight. Keep cheesecake in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.
Spiced Swiss Meringue (Optional)
- Make the meringue just before serving. Make sure to allow time for the egg whites to come to room temperature. See notes section below for tips. When ready to make meringue, set the cheesecake on cake stand. Take out your kitchen blow torch and set it aside. Take out a large metal mixing bowl, a metal whisk and your whisk attachment. (I use my stand mixer and the metal bowl from the stand mixer to make meringue but you can also use a handheld mixer and a metal bowl). Wash the bowl, whisk attachment and a whisk (even if they are clean). Next, wipe them with vinegar or lemon juice and rinse with hot water. Dry with a clean kitchen towel. This will wash away any traces of grease or fat that may be in the bowl. Even a small amount of fat or yolk residue can prevent egg whites from forming stiff peaks.
- Combine the room temperature egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan with 1" simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the mixing bowl is not touching the water. Set heat to low. Whisk constantly for about 8-9 minutes, until an instant thermometer registers 175℉ (be sure the thermometer isn't touching the bottom of your bowl). Remove from heat.
- Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg then mix with the whisk attachment on high speed in stand mixer for about 5 minutes until mixture is thick and balled up inside the whisk attachment. Remove the whisk attachment and flip it so that the bottom is pointing up. The meringue should be stiff and only the very top strand should flip over.
Decorating and Serving
- Once chilled, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Peel off the paper. When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake, make the Swiss meringue or whipped cream (see notes section below for more topping suggestions). Toasted Meringue: Plop the meringue on top of the cheesecake. Leave it as is or gently spread with an offset spatula or swirl it with the back of a spoon. Torch the meringue with a kitchen blow torch just before serving. (Torch the sides of the meringue in addition to the peaks). Whipped Cream: Use homemade or store bought. Serve it alongside the cheesecake to dollop on individual slices. Caramel Sauce: Use homemade or store bought. Drizzle over the entire cheesecake or serve alongside cheesecake to drizzle over individual slices.
- Use a long, sharp knife to cut the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean and run it under hot water in between slicing for extra neat slices.
Video
Notes
Cream cheese and sour cream: Use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. They add the best flavor and texture. Use brick style cream cheese, not the tubs.
Room temperature ingredients: Take cream cheese, sour cream, sweet potato puree and eggs out of the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Room temperature ingredients make it possible for ingredients to get fully incorporated and makes your cheesecake creamy.
Avoid overmixing: Beat the cheesecake mixture until the ingredients are just incorporated. Over beating creates air bubbles which can result in cracks in the baked cheesecake.
Scrape down your bowl several times while mixing: Bits of the batter can stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl and to the paddle attachment. Make sure to scrape them several times while mixing.
Use a stand mixer: The filling has several elements incorporated and a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment makes mixing it easier. A hand mixer will also work, but stand mixer is preferred.
Oven door: If your oven door opens too wide, place a wooden spoon in the oven door. This will keep the door propped open slightly while preventing it from opening too wide.
Topping options: As mentioned, this cheesecake is gorgeous and delicious as is without a topping. You can also top it with homemade or store bought whipped cream, toasted Swiss meringue, salted caramel sauce, toasted nuts, or halva!
Storage: Store leftover cheesecake without a topping in an airtight container, such as a cake carrier, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you plan to add a topping, wait until the day of serving. Whipped cream or meringue is best prepared just before serving.
Serve whipped cream on the side rather than spreading it over the cheesecake, as it can wilt during storage. If you top the cheesecake with meringue, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 442kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 270mgPotassium: 264mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 5916IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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