No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is made with a spiced gingerbread cookie crust and creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling. Whipped cream is piped on top for an elegant finishing touch!
Do you have neither the time nor patience to make a classic pumpkin cheesecake? When I’m in that situation, I prepare this easy no-bake version instead!
This cheesecake recipe might not require heating up your oven, but that doesn’t mean it’s short on pumpkin flavor! I made sure every layer of the dessert is well spiced, from the gingersnap crust to the creamy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake filling.
As a finishing touch, I like to pipe some whipped cream around the edges, then dust the cheesecake with ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Both toppings are optional, but they make for a beautiful presentation!
What You’ll Need
This recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients, so it’s important that you use exactly what the recipe lists. Below are the key ingredients you’ll need:
- Gingersnap Cookies: I used Nabisco gingersnap cookies for this recipe, but feel free to use any brand that you prefer.
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling by accident. The only ingredient on the back of the can should be pumpkin.
- Brown Sugar & Powdered Sugar: I love using a combination of the two for this cheesecake! The brown sugar adds more flavor and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin, while the powdered sugar adds more sweetness and helps to create a thicker filling.
- Spices: There’s a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in this cheesecake. If you only have pumpkin pie spice on hand, feel free to substitute all of the spices with 2 to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of it.
- Cream Cheese: You’ll need to use full-fat cream cheese that’s sold in a brick. Spreadable or whipped cream cheese will not work well in this recipe.
How to Make A No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
This is an easy dessert, but you’ll need to plan accordingly so the cheesecake has enough time to chill in the fridge before serving. Here’s an overview of how it’s made:
Make the Gingersnap Crust
- Add the gingersnap cookie crumbs and brown sugar to a mixing bowl, then stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and stir until all of the cookie crumbs are moistened.
- Transfer the crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan lined with a parchment paper circle. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom of the pan and up the sides. (Using the back of a measuring cup makes quick work of this!)
- Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.
Blot The Pumpkin Puree
- Line a large plate with a few paper towels, then scoop the pumpkin puree on top. Use additional paper towels to blot as much moisture from the puree as possible. This will prevent your cheesecake from turning out too soft, so don’t skip this step!
Mix Together The Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. I like to use my stand mixer for this, but you may use a hand mixer if desired. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar, then mix to combine.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the blotted pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and spices.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In other words, when you lift your beaters up out of the bowl, the peaks of the whipped cream stand straight up.
- Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture in two batches. Be gentle when folding in the cream, as you don’t want to knock too much air out of it!
- Turn the filling into the chilled pie crust and spread it out into one even layer. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge to chill for at least 7 hours.
- When ready to serve, release the cheesecake from the springform pan. I like to top mine with a sprinkle of cinnamon and either whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade pumpkin puree typically contains more moisture than canned pumpkin puree and that extra moisture can make for a runnier filling.
It would likely work in this recipe, but make sure to blot out as much moisture as possible before mixing together the filling.
I recommend full-fat cream cheese for best results, but lite cream cheese would be fine. I do not recommend using fat-free cream cheese though.
If your filling hasn’t set up fully after 7 to 8 hours in the fridge, it could be because you didn’t blot enough of the moisture out of the pumpkin puree or your whipped cream was not mixed long enough.
Absolutely! This recipe will probably make a little over two dozen mini cheesecakes, but you can cut the recipe in half to make less.
I recommend lining a muffin pan with cupcake liners before adding the crust and filling too, otherwise you’d never get the mini cheesecakes out cleanly.
Recipe Tips
- If you can’t find crispy ginger snap cookies at your local grocery store or you don’t want to make a special trip to pick them up, you may also use graham cracker crumbs to make a graham cracker crust. Just note that graham cracker crumbs aren’t spiced like gingersnap cookies!
- You need to use heavy whipping cream to make the filling. The whipped cream adds structure to the filling and is what helps it set up. If you use half and half or another lower fat alternative, your cheesecake filling won’t firm up.
- Don’t shortchange the chill time for this recipe. If you try to slice the cheesecake before it’s had time to set up, the filling won’t be firm enough to cut and you’ll end up with a mess on your hands.
Video Tutorial
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 ¼ cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (290 grams)
- ¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (50 grams)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (85 grams)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (425 grams before blotting; 220 grams after blotting)
- 24 ounces brick-style cream cheese softened (3 blocks; 680 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (65 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
Optional Topping
Instructions
- To make the gingersnap crust: Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment paper circle. Set aside.
- Add the gingersnap cookie crumbs and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Add the melted butter and mix until all of the crumbs are moistened.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Press the crust down firmly into one even layer on the bottom and up the sides. If needed, use the bottom and side of a measuring cup to help pack the crust into the pan.
- Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
- To make the pumpkin cheesecake filling: Line a large plate with several paper towels. Scoop the pumpkin puree on top of the paper towels and spread it out. Add several more paper towels on top and blot the pumpkin to remove as much excess moisture as possible. You may need to use several more paper towels for this step. You won’t be able to remove all of the moisture, but the more moisture that you remove from the pumpkin, the firmer your cheesecake will be. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar and mix until fully combined.
- Add the blotted pumpkin, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves and continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
- Add the heavy whipping cream to a separate mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix on low to medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the pumpkin cream cheese mixture until just combined, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully combined.
- Remove the springform pan with the crust from the refrigerator and scoop the pumpkin filling on top of the crust. Spread the filling into one even layer and smooth it out with the back of a spoon or an angled spatula.
- Cover tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 7 to 8 hours or overnight. Carefully release from the springform pan (slide a knife around the outside if needed). Top with homemade whipped cream, then slice, and enjoy!
Is there any reason I couldn’t squeeze the pumpkin in some cheese cloth instead of the paper towel blotting?
I’ve always used paper towels, but I think it would be fine.