Sweet Potato Cheesecake

This Sweet Potato Cheesecake is a cross between a sweet potato pie and a cheesecake. It’s a wonderful dessert for autumn gatherings with friends and family!

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I’ve really been having fun lately using sweet potatoes in recipes where you wouldn’t normally think about sweet potatoes. These Sweet Potato Biscuits turned out amazingly well – soft and fluffy with a slightly sweet flavor. Then there was the Sweet Potato Pound Cake that my wife claimed was the best pound cake she’s ever eaten. And now? Sweet Potato Cheesecake!

This Sweet Potato Cheesecake is a cross between a classic sweet potato pie and a tangy cheesecake. The rich, buttery flavor of sweet potatoes is a perfect match for the slightly tart cream cheese. Galatoire’s, the famed New Orleans restaurant, has been making a Sweet Potato Cheesecake for years. As soon as I heard those words together, I knew I needed to hit the kitchen and put a sweet potato spin on my cheesecake recipe.

This dessert is perfect for autumn. Sweet potatoes pair well with the traditional fall baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. You end up with the classic seasonal flavors…just in cheesecake form. This would make an excellent Thanksgiving dessert. Pass me a slice!

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

To make this Sweet Potato Cheesecake, I simply reduced the amount of cream cheese in the cheesecake recipe by one brick. Add in 1½ cups of mashed sweet potatoes, and *boom* cheesecake with a sweet potato twist! It really is that simple. (Of course, it does take a bit more time as you have to roast the sweet potatoes and then let the whole thing chill overnight…but it’s worth it when the end result is a delicious cheesecake, amiright?)

In keeping with Galatoire’s Sweet Potato Cheesecake recipe, I added a sour cream topping on this cheesecake. If you’ve never tried a baked sour cream topping on a cheesecake, then you’re in for a treat! I know sour cream might sound a bit odd, but it gets sweetened with a bit of sugar and then baked for a few minutes at the very end. It adds a wonderful tangy flavor that pairs well with the sweet cheesecake. Plus, that sour cream topping hides any pesky cracks that might show up in the cheesecake while it bakes!

So we’ve got a creamy cheesecake filling over a baked graham cracker crust. And we’ve got a tangy sour cream topping over that. But we’re not quite done yet! Galatoire’s serves their version with a praline topping. Pralines are a sugary, nutty candy that are famous throughout New Orleans. I decided to make a batch of these Bourbon Pecan Pralines and crumble them on top of the Sweet Potato Cheesecake before serving.

Talk about flavor! This dessert truly is company worthy – which is perfect since we often entertain friends and family during the fall months. Pecans, a tiny hint of bourbon, sweet potatoes, cinnamon – talk about the best autumn flavors all in one!

How to Store Leftovers

Cheesecake stores well in leftover form – perhaps more than any other dessert. If you plan on eating more within 3-4 days, then just wrap the entire cheesecake with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

This cheesecake can be baked in advance, too. Just wrap the entire cheesecake in plastic wrap and then again in heavy duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. You can also wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then store them in a freezer bag – that way you can have just one slice on a Friday night when you need a special treat!

Tips for Baking Cheesecake

• Make sure the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature. Pull the eggs and cream cheese out and let them sit on the counter for ~2-3 hours before you make the cheesecake. This will ensure that the filling is smooth and creamy.
• Use a water bath. I know this sounds fussy and complicated, but it’s not! Just wrap the bottom of the springform pan in foil and set it on a rimmed baking sheet. Once you slide the baking sheet into the oven, just use a measuring cup to pour ~2 cups of water onto the baking sheet. The water slowly evaporates and creates a humid environment in the oven – this ensures that the cheesecake bakes evenly.
• Run a table knife around edge of the cheesecake before releasing the springform pan. This simple tip makes sure the pan releases cleanly and your cheesecake stays intact.
• Dip knife in hot water when slicing. When slicing the cheesecake, dip your knife in hot water in between slices. This helps create smooth, clean slices that look amazing on a dessert plate!

If you’re looking for a unique (and delicious!) fall dessert, then put this Sweet Potato Cheesecake on the baking list. I hope you love this cheesecake as much as we do here in our house – Happy Baking!

Did you bake this Sweet Potato Cheesecake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

This Sweet Potato Cheesecake is a cross between a sweet potato pie and a cheesecake. It's a wonderful dessert for autumn gatherings with friends and family!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 11 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 548kcal

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Ingredients

For the Crust

• 2¼ cups graham cracker crumbs ~11 full-sized graham crackers
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 7 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

For the Sweet Potato Cheesecake

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 24 oz. cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Sour Cream Topping

• 2 cups sour cream
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Pralines

• ½ cup chopped pecan halves lightly toasted
• 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1½ Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ Tbsp bourbon

Instructions

For the Crust

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour a 9” springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; set pan aside.
• Using a medium mixing bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter; stir until well combined.
• Transfer mixture into prepared pan; press crumbs into bottom and sides of pan. (Tip: A flat bottomed glass is helpful for this step.)
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and let cool.

For the Sweet Potato Cheesecake

• Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and place in a baking dish.
• Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until a knife can be inserted easily into the center of the potatoes.
• Let potatoes cool for 15-20 minutes, or until they can be handled.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Slice potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh. Use a food processor or electric mixer to puree until smooth. Set pureed sweet potatoes aside.
• Using a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth (~3 minutes).
• Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and flour; mix on medium speed until well combined.
• Using a separate bowl, whisk eggs and additional egg yolks together. Add this egg mixture to the mixing bowl in 2 additions, mixing fully after each addition.
• Add the sour cream, vanilla and 1½ cups of sweet potato puree; mix on medium speed until well combined. (Note: Any extra sweet potato puree can be eaten or saved for another use.)
• Pour cheesecake batter on top of the cooled crust.
• Wrap the bottom of the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and place in a large baking pan. Fill pan with ~½” of water. Bake at 325°F until center of cake is just barely set (~80-85 minutes). (Tip: Pull the cheesecake out of the oven when there is about 1" ring of "looser" filling left in the center of the cake.)
• Increase oven temperature to 450°F.

For the Sour Cream Topping

• Using a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
• Spread this mixture evenly on top of the baked cheesecake.
• Return cheesecake to oven and continue baking for 7-8 minutes, or until topping is set.
• Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 1 hour.
• Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, release pan and slice cheesecake.

For the Pralines

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or silicone liner; set aside.
• Place all ingredients except for bourbon into a large saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring often, until mixture begins to boil. Let boil for 3 minutes, or until temperature reaches 238-240°.
• Remove pan from heat, add bourbon and continue stirring until mixture begins to thicken slightly.
• Working quickly, use 2 large spoons to drop spoonfuls of praline mixture onto lined sheet pan. Let cool completely.
• Sprinkle chopped pralines on top of cheesecake before serving.

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