Baileys Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

November 26, 2013 by Irish American Mom 22 Comments

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Pumpkin cheesecake spiked with Irish cream liqueur is a perfect dessert for celebrating Thanksgiving, attending a holiday gathering or hosting a party.

The distinctive flavor of Baileys perfectly compliments a creamy, pumpkin cheesecake filling.

A slice of cheesecake on a blue plate — Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Baked Irish Cheesecake
Ingredients for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake
Directions for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipe Card for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake
More Pumpkin Recipes

Baked Irish Cheesecake

I created this Irish-American fusion pie especially for Thanksgiving. Bailey's cheesecake meets pumpkin pie, resulting in a hybrid Baileys pumpkin cheesecake. It boasts the requisite flavors of Thanksgiving, while it's light texture makes it a perfect dessert after a heavy turkey dinner.

This is a baked cheesecake. Technically, it probably should be called a cheese pie, but whether you call it cake or pie, cheese, pumpkin and Baileys are the perfect trio for scrumptiousness.

Ingredients for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here you’ll find a quick list of what you’ll need for this recipe. Check out the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for US and Metric equivalent versions of the recipe. There you can choose the measurement system that works best for you.

Ingredients for Baileys pumpkin chees pie — Ingredients for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecae

Pie Base

graham cracker crumbs
vanilla wafer crumbs
sugar
melted butter

Pie Filling

sugar
low-fat cottage cheese
⅓-less fat cream cheese (1 block)
pumpkin puree (canned works great, or here's my homemade pumpkin purée recipe)
Greek yogurt
Irish cream liqueur (Baileys or any other brand)
all-purpose flour
salt
eggs
egg yolks
egg whites
confectioners sugar

Pie Topping

low-fat sour cream
Baileys Irish cream
confectioners sugar
Whipped heavy cream to decorate if desired

Directions for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here you’ll find step-by-step photographic instructions to help you recreate this recipe successfully. There are plenty of tips included along the way.

Making cookie crumbs for pie base — Crushing crackers for a cookie base

The first step is to create the biscuit crumb base. In Ireland I use digestive biscuits for all my cheesecake bases. When I can't find my favorite McVite's biscuits in America I compromise by using a mixture of graham crackers and vanilla wafers.

Place the graham cracker cookie sheets and vanilla wafers in a large plastic bag and zip closed. Using a rolling pin crush the cookies to form crumbs. This step can be completed in a food processor.

Vanilla wafer and graham cracker crumbs in bowl — Cracker crumbs for a cheesecake base

Toss the cookie crumbs into a large mixing bowl.

Adding sugar to graham cracker crumbs — Adding sugar to a cookie crumb base for Irish cheesecake

Add ¼ cup of sugar and mix well.

Pouring melted butter into graham cracker crumbs — Adding melted butter to cookie crumbs for a cheesecake base

Pour the melted butter into the cookie crumb and sugar mixture and combine using a fork.

Mix well to moisten all of the crumbs. Just enough butter is used to hold the crumb base together. The mixture shouldn't be too wet.

Spring-form pan lined with graham cracker crumb base — Cookie crumb base in a round baking pan

Press the cookie crumb mixture into the base and up the sides of a 10-inch round spring form pan, coated in cooking spray. Place the pie base in the refrigerator while making the filling, allowing it to chill.

Next it's time to make the pie filling and a blender can do most of the work.

Baileys Pumpkin Cheese Pie Filling Ingredients in Blender — Using a blender to make cheesecake

Add the sugar, cottage cheese, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, Baileys, flour, salt, 2 eggs and egg yolks to a blender.

I don't add typical pumpkin pie spices to my filling, since I like how the Irish cream and pumpkin flavors blend. Too many spices overwhelm the creamy liqueur. But feel free to spice up the pie filling to satisfy your taste buds.

Toss in some cinnamon, nutmeg or all-spice into the blender with the cheese filling and blend away, if you can't handle pumpkin without a hint of cinnamon.

Blended Baileys Pumpkin Cheese Pie Filling — Blended pumpkin cheesecake filling

Look at the lovely fall colors in the blender.

Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

I'm hoping for a nice big food processor for Christmas this year. With my trusty twenty year old blender I've got to hold down the lid to make sure this mixture doesn't explode all over the walls when I flip that switch.

Adding sugar to beaten egg whites — Beating egg whites and sugar for cheesecake

Using a hand mixer beat the two egg whites in a separate bowl until the eggs form firm peaks. Add the powdered sugar.

Beat again until the eggs become glossy and form stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the eggs moving in the slightest.

Adding beaten egg whites to pumpkin cheese mixture — Adding beaten egg white to pumpkin cheesecake mixture

Combine the pumpkin cheese blend and the beaten egg whites.

Use a large spoon to gently blend the egg whites into the mixture. Do not beat them with the hand mixer.

Pumpkin cheese mixture with beaten egg whites folded in — Pumpkin Cheesecae Filling

A lovely light orange creamy mixture should be the result.

Baileys Pumpkin Cheese Pie Filling Poured Over Crumb Base — Pumpkin Cheesecake before baking

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 325 degrees F for 50 minutes. When the cheesecake is ready the surface will be a light golden color. The center will jiggle just slightly when the pan is moved. The center will firm up during the cooling time.

A typical cooked-cake test using a knife or tooth pick doesn't work for a cheesecake. A knife may crack the top of a cheesecake made with sour cream. The test will never be accurate since cheesecake is supposed to be a little moist and gooey. The knife will never come out clean. Cheesecakes, like this one, made with sour cream still jiggle when cooked and have a soft spot in the center.

Baileys Pumpkin Cheese Pie Just Out Of Oven — Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here is a photo of the cheesecake as it came out of the oven.

Sour cream, powdered sugar and Baileys for pie topping — Adding Baileys to pumpkin cheesecake topping

Next, add the ingredients for the pie topping (sour cream, powdered sugar and Baileys) to a small mixing bowl.

Sour cream pie topping — Cream cheese topping for pumpkin cheesecake

Whisk them together to form a glossy topping. Pour the topping over the cheesecake, spreading it evenly to cover the cooked filling.

Return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 325 degrees. Most of the alcohol will burn off at this temperature.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator to cool over night, or for a minimum of 4 hours.

The surface of my cheesecake is not as pretty as I wished. A little, wandering finger tested it as it was waiting to be photographed. I tried to smooth over the evidence, but I'm afraid the damage was done.

A full cheesecake with cream decorative swirls — Whipped cream swirls on a cheesecake

After chilling the pie overnight, I concealed some of the surface damage with whipped cream. I'm afraid my cream piping was not perfect either, but you get the idea.

To serve, remove the sides of the spring form pan and slice.

Slice of Baileys pumpkin cheesecake with cream — Slice of Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Hope you enjoy this delicious taste of fall.

A slice of pumpkin cheesecake — Pumpkin Cheesecae

Recipe Card for Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here's a short video outlining the steps for making this cheesecake.

Here's the printable recipe card for yor files.

Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin cheesecake spiked with Irish cream liqueur is a truly satisfying dessert.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: Baileys, Cheeecake, Irish Cream, Pumpkin Purée

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 45

Servings:

Calories: 388kcal

Ingredients

Pie Base

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs 8 cookie sheets crushed
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs 25 cookies crushed
¼ cup sugar
2 ounces butter () ½ stick melted

Pie Filling

1 cup sugar
1½ cups cottage cheese low-fat
8 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese 1 block
1 cup pumpkin purée
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup Irish cream liqueur Baileys or similar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Pie Topping

1½ cups low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons Irish cream Baileys or similar
¼ cup confectioners sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Make The Cheesecake Base

Make cookie crumbs from the graham crackers and vanilla wafers by pulsing in a food processor, or by placing them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a mixing bowl using a fork. Mix well to moisten the cookie crumbs with the melted butter.
Coat a 10-inch round quick-release baking pan with cooking spray. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Place in the refrigerator to chill, while making the pie filling.

Make The Cheesecake Filling

Add the sugar, cottage cheese, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, Baileys, flour, salt, 2 eggs and egg yolks to a blender. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
In a second large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and small peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the pumpkin cheese mixture. Do not beat.
Pour the pie filling into the prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees F for 50 minutes. When the pie is ready the surface will be a light golden brown. The center of the pie will jiggle just slightly when the pan is moved.

Make The Cheesecake Topping

Make the topping by whisking the sour cream, powdered sugar and Baileys in a bowl. Pour over the cheesecake and spread evenly over the top. Return the pie to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 325 degrees.
Let the pie cool in the pan on a rack until it reaches room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight or for a minimum of four hours. Remove the side of the pan to slice and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving (100 g)

Calories 388 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 97mg32%

Sodium 402mg17%

Potassium 237mg7%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 35g39%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 3620IU72%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 120mg12%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

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