Low Fat Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Low-fat marbled pumpkin cheesecake swirls spiced pumpkin into a creamy vanilla filling over a gingersnap crust. Pureed cottage cheese keeps it light while a water bath gives a silky, crack-free top.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
26 minCOOK
50 minREADY
5½ hrsThis cheesecake pulls off a neat trick: pureed low-fat cottage cheese stands in for much of the cream cheese, so you get a tall, creamy slice without the usual richness weighing it down.
A gingersnap crust sets the tone, all warm spice and snap, before the two fillings go in.
One batter stays plain vanilla; the other gets folded with pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, and a full lineup of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You spoon them in alternating pools at the center so they spread into concentric rings, then drag a skewer through for that marbled swirl.
The water bath is what keeps the top smooth and free of cracks, and the slow cool-down in a turned-off oven stops the surface from splitting as it sets.
Chef Tips
- Puree the cottage cheese until completely smooth before adding anything else, or the filling stays grainy.
- Wrap the springform pan in a double layer of foil so no water sneaks into the crust during the bath.
- Don’t overbake; pull it when the edges are set but the center still jiggles, since it firms up as it chills.
- Chill uncovered overnight for the cleanest, sharpest slices.
Variations
- Swap gingersnaps for graham crackers if you want a milder, less spicy crust.
- Press a layer of toasted pecans over the crust for crunch.
- Finish each slice with a spoon of maple whipped cream.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath.
Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
Wrap the outside bottom of the pan with a double thickness of foil.
For the crust:
Mix crumbs and oil in a bowl.
Press into the bottom of the pan.
To prepare filling;
Bake cheesecake:
Purée cottage cheese in a food processor until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the workbowl once or twice.
Add cream cheese, sugar and 3 tablespoons cornstarch; process until smooth.
Add egg, egg whites, sour cream, vanilla and salt, blend well.
Measure 3½ cups of the batter into a separate bowl, stir in lemon juice.
To the remaining filling, stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mix well.
Pour about 1 cup of the vanilla filling into the center of the crust.
Then pour about 1 cup of the pumpkin filling into the center of the vanilla filling.
Alternate the remaining fillings in the same manner, concentric circles will form as they spread.
To create a marbled effect, gently swirl a knife or skewer through the fillings.
Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come ½ inch up the side of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles, about 50 minutes.
Turn off the oven.
Coat a knife with cooking spray and run it around the edge of the cake.
Let stand in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour.
Transfer from the water bath to a wire rack, remove foil.
Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled.
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