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When I want pumpkin pie and cheesecake but don’t want to make both (or bake), this No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake checks all my boxes. It’s creamy, pumpkin-y, and the perfect fall dessert, imo! The graham cracker crust is buttery, homemade, and tastes just like the one from your favorite bakery. However, one of the best parts about this easy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is that it takes just 20 minutes to make.
While I love pumpkin pie, it’s not something I make all that often. This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake makes regular appearances, though. It doesn’t require turning on my oven, is make-ahead, and is still super delicious. It really does taste like a cross between a cheesecake and pumpkin pie! I like to serve it with whipped cream, but, honestly, it’s also great on its own.
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Recipe at a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: No-bake
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Creamy pumpkin with a hint of cinnamon and a graham cracker crust
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- It uses real pumpkin: This recipe uses real pumpkin puree, not the canned pumpkin pie filling that’s often cloyingly sweet and doesn’t taste all that much like pumpkin!
- The perfect fall dessert: This pumpkin pie cheesecake is perfect for any fall celebration. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, you name it! Whenever I take it to a party, someone asks for the recipe.
- Can be made ahead of time. This pumpkin no-bake cheesecake can be made a day or two in advance! Just make sure to keep it covered tightly in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Ingredients You’ll Need for No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
This recipe does have two parts: the buttery graham cracker crust and creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling. You can choose to modify where you need to. For example, I like to make my graham cracker crust from scratch, but if you want to skip that part and use a store-bought crust, that’s totally fine.
For the no-bake filling you’ll need:
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese has the best flavor.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to get 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!
- Sugar: This recipe uses white granulated sugar. You can use brown sugar if you like a stronger molasses flavor.
- Heavy cream: You’ll make your own whipped cream, then fold it into the pumpkin mixture so the filling is super creamy and light.
- Spices: A pinch of salt and cinnamon is really all you need.
For the graham cracker crust, you’ll need:
- Graham crackers: You can use regular or honey graham crackers for this recipe. Gluten-free crackers also work!
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt.
- Sugar: Brown sugar’s molasses notes go super well with the cinnamon-y, toasty flavors of graham crackers.
- Spices: A pinch of salt and ground ginger give the crust extra flavor.
Substitutions & Additions
- Swap out the graham crackers. You can use Biscoff cookies, ginger snap cookies, or even chocolate cookie crumbs.
- Make it dairy-free. Use dairy-free cream cheese and whipped topping.
- Swap the sweetener. Try maple syrup or honey to add a different taste to the filling.
- Use pumpkin pie spice in the filling. You can replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice!
- Topping choices. Garnish the no-bake pumpkin cheesecake with chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, caramel sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
How to Make No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
And that’s it! Just put the cheesecake in the fridge and let it set so the mixture holds well together when it’s sliced.
Tips for Making the Best No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Press in the crust. I like to use a flat-bottomed measuring cup or drinking glass to compact the sides and base of the crust.
- Don’t use pre-whipped cream cheese. It’s best to use a brick of cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese, which won’t hold its shape well. You can, however, soften the cream cheese so it’s easier to whip!
- Add gelatin for a firmer structure. Unfortunately, without gelatin or a very large amount of powdered sugar, no-bake cheesecake is not going to be stable out of the fridge for long. If you’d like to add gelatin for a firmer dessert, you’ll need 1 envelope (.25 oz each) of unflavored gelatin added in step 4 with the pumpkin puree.
- Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan gently. Go very slowly when removing the cheesecake, and rotate gently to keep the crust from crumbling. Remember, the cheesecake is not baked, so it’s more fragile!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ensure your whipped cream is beaten to stiff peaks, and avoid over-mixing when folding it into the cream cheese mixture. Also, chilling the cheesecake for at least 8 hours or overnight is crucial for it to set properly!
It’s best to use store-bought pumpkin puree for this cheesecake. Homemade pumpkin puree can often have too high a water content, so your cheesecake won’t be firm. Be sure to buy pure pumpkin puree, not one with spices or sugar added.
A springform pan is ideal for easy removal of the cheesecake, but if you don’t have one, you can use a regular pie dish lined with parchment paper.
Dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and then slice. Repeat this between cuts for cleaner slices.
This no-bake cheesecake recipe is best served the day after you make it, but if you do have leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Keep the cheesecake covered so that it doesn’t dry out. If you’re not planning on eating this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake pie straight away, freezing is a great option. Let it chill in the springform pan, covered with plastic wrap as per the recipe. Once solid, wrap again in foil and place in a freezer bag. It will keep well for up to 3 months and can be thawed in the fridge overnight before serving.
I think this No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is perfect for every fall holiday…or just any day when you want something creamy, pumpkin-y, and perfectly sweet. I might even make it for Thanksgiving this year. Having it pre-made and in the fridge will mean there’s one less thing to stress about!
More Dessert Recipes:
- Cranberry Almond Cake
- Cranberry Cheesecake
- Easy Pecan Pie
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Bread Pudding
- No Bake Cheesecake Cups
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- Vegan Pudding
- Easy Apple Pie
- Vegan Lemon Pudding
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Video
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 12 full graham cracker sheets or 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Line the base of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Place the open exterior ring around the base and close it so the parchment is sealed in the ring. Trim the excess from around the outside.
- In a food processor, combine all crust ingredients and blitz 2-3 times until crumbs are all moistened.
- Press the crumbs into the springform pan and up the sides about ¼-inch in thickness. Press the mixture along the base, thinning out the corners. Freeze the crust while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer on med-high speed until light and fluffy. Add ½ cup sugar, pumpkin puree, salt and cinnamon. Whip until smooth and there are no chunks of cream cheese. Beat on low until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks on medium speed. Add remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
- Fold whipped cream into cheese and pumpkin mixture gently so that you deflate as little of the air as possible.
- Remove the crust from the freezer. Scrape the pumpkin mixture into the crust and level.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to set. Remove from the springform pan and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Instead of cream cheese, you can substitute up to 4 ounces of it for full fat sour cream or Greek Yogurt.
- I don’t recommend using your own pumpkin puree because the water content is too high for the no-bake structure of this cheesecake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made this for our family Thanksgiving meal. Everyone loved it! I love that it’s so lite.
Yay, so happy it was a hit!! I love how light it is, too. Thanks, Jim!!
All I have is a 7″ spring form pan. Can I use that or would it not set up properly since it would be thicker?
Yes, I think that would work! I’d love to hear how it turns out!!
I followed this recipe carefully, and it came out too runny. 🙁
So sorry to hear this didn’t come out as expected. Was your whipped cream beaten to stiff peaks? Also, it’s important to avoid over-mixing when folding it into the cream cheese mixture. Also, chilling the cheesecake for at least 8 hours or overnight is crucial for it to set properly.
I make this WONDERFUL no bake cheescake every Thanksgiving. I just finished making 3 of them. It is the best recipe I have found. I do 1 tsp. Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice. Never needs the gelatin it sets up perfectly. My family raves about it. Thank you!!! Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving! So glad you love this recipe!
How much gelatin to add to make it remain stiff when not in the fridge?
If you’d like to add gelatin, you’ll need 1 envelope (.25 oz each) of unflavored gelatin added in step 4 with the pumpkin puree.
Hello! Just curious, do you have to mix the gelatin with water or do you just put it in as powder? I’ve seen other cheesecake recipes that involve mixing gelatin powder with water, and I was wondering if this was the case!
There is no need to add liquid here since we’re adding it to the pumpkin puree.