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No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Are you craving a decadent dessert that embodies the spirit of the holidays without hours of slaving away in the kitchen? Meet your new go-to: the No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake.

In just 20 minutes of prep time and a little patience while it sets, you’ll have a dessert that combines the best of two worlds—cheesecake and pumpkin pie—all without turning on your oven. This creamy, smooth, and spice-infused treat is perfect for family gatherings, special occasions, or whenever you’re in the mood to spoil yourself a little.

A slice of no bake pumpkin cheesecake with a bite taken

This is pumpkin spice perfection right here and you don’t even have to turn the oven on for this dessert. But don’t think that a no-bake dessert is boring or bland. This is the creamiest, dreamiest, most luxurious pumpkin cheesecake ever.

Why You Will Love This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love to indulge in creamy, delicious cheesecake without having to spend all day baking it? Now you can with this easy no-bake Pumpkin Cheesecake! This ultra-creamy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe is so easy to make that it will be your favorite dessert this holiday season.

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dessert to impress your guests or family, this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is the perfect choice.

  • Incredibly easy to make. You don’t need any special skills or equipment to make this no-bake cheesecake.
  • Versatile. You can top this cheesecake with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or even nuts.
  • Perfect festive dessert. It’s perfect for any occasion, from Thanksgiving dinner to a casual potluck.

Ingredients Needed For This Cheesecake Recipe

Packed with real pumpkin puree, sweetened cream cheese, and a light crunchy graham cracker crust, this is the perfect recipe to wow your family or friends this season. It’s made with a simple graham cracker crust and a creamy pumpkin spice filling that is topped with whipped cream.

This cheesecake is so delicious that you will never know that it is not baked!

Graham Cracker Crust

The crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust is so good. It’s easy to make and only takes about 5 minutes.

  • Graham crackers – Turned into crumbs in your food processor. It takes about 14 graham crackers to make the crust.
  • Brown sugar – Light or dark, packed.
  • Melted butter – Unsalted butter.
  • Salt – Just a pinch of salt for depth of flavor.

No Bake Cheesecake Filling

  • Cold water – To ‘bloom’ the unflavored, powdered gelatin.
  • Gelatin – Use powdered, unflavored gelatin sold in individual packets or in a scoop-able jug.
  • Cream cheese – Softened blocks of cream cheese, not whipped cream cheese.
  • Sugar – Granulated.
  • Brown sugar – Light or dark, packed.
  • Heavy whipping cream – Look for at least 30% fat heavy whipping cream.
  • Pumpkin puree – Use pure solid pack pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – Ground.
  • Cinnamon – Ground.
  • Vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping

  • Heavy cream – Look for at least 30% fat heavy whipping cream.
  • Powdered sugar – Sifted, so it’s free of lumps
  • Vanilla extract

How To Make This No Bake Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

This cheesecake is the perfect way to celebrate the season. It’s light, fluffy, and packed with pumpkin flavor. It’s also incredibly easy to make, with no baking required. Simply whip together a few simple ingredients, pour them into a graham cracker crust, chill until set, and top with sweet whipped cream.

Make The Graham Cracker Crust

  1. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or wax paper.
  2. Place the graham crackers in a zipper seal bag and pound them with a rolling pin until you have fine, even crumbs. Dump the graham cracker crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the butter, sugar, and salt then stir until well combined.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly into the bottom of the springform pan and press it down firmly.Place in the fridge to chill and firm up.

PRO TIP: Here’s a neat trick to make it easier to serve the cheesecake. Normally, the bottom of a springform pan has a slight edge or lip.

If you press your crust into the pan this way, that edge can get in the way when you’re trying to slide a spatula under the cheesecake. To avoid this issue, simply flip the bottom of the pan upside down before you lock it into place and press in your crust. This will give you a flat surface without that bothersome edge.

Prepare The Pumpkin Filling

  1. To ‘bloom’ the gelatin, put the cold water in a microwavable bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water and give it a good stir. Set the gelatin aside to soften (or bloom) for at least 5 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
  2. Place the cream cheese granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape the bowl down a couple of times to get it all mixed. 
  3. Add the whipping cream and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes until well combined and smooth. Make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the bowl down once or twice. 
  4. Add the pumpkin, spices and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the filling is thick and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. By now the gelatin mixture should look firm. Stick the bowl of gelatin in the microwave for 20 two 30 seconds. Stop to stir it every 10 seconds until it is completely dissolved and liquid. If it gets too hot let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is comfortably warm.
  6. Add the dissolved gelatin to the cheesecake mixture and beat on medium speed.
  7. Spread the filling over the graham cracker crust and place it in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours to set up. 

Top With Sweet Whipped Cream

  1. Add the whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until combined then increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. 
  2. Spread or pipe on top of the cheesecake. 
  3. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
a slice of no-bake pumpkin cheesecake with a full cheesecake in the background

Tips Using Powdered Gelatin

It is actually quite easy to work with gelatin, but if you skip these 2 steps then the gelatin will not work and your cheesecake will not set.

  1. First, add the powdered gelatin to cold water and let it sit for a few minutes. The dry granules of gelatin will soak up the liquid, get soft and swell. This is the blooming step. The gelatin will look like a thick sponge when it softens in liquid.
  2. Next, dissolve the granules by heating them up. If you use the microwave, it only takes about 20 seconds to dissolve the gelatin. Check it after 10 seconds and give it another blast in the microwave if it isn’t completely dissolved. You will know it is dissolved when it turns into a liquid.

Serving Suggestions

Perfect for fall dessert tables or an afternoon snack, pumpkin cheesecake will surely become a family favorite. Get ready for the warm notes of pumpkin spice and cinnamon balanced with a hint of tanginess from the cream cheese. Enjoy this delicious twist on classic cheesecake for any fall or holiday occasion!

overhead view of a partially eaten no-bake pumpkin cheesecake

Substitutions and Variations for Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here are a few substitutions and variations when making this pumpkin spice cheesecake recipe:

  • If substituting purchased graham cracker crumbs, then you will need 2-1/3 cups of crumbs.
  • You can substitute Apple Pie spice blend for the Pumpkin Spice blend in this recipe.
  • For a pumpkin spice latte cheesecake, add 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder to the cheesecake filling.

Storage Options

  • You can store this cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • If you want to make this cheesecake recipe in advance it will store in the freezer for 3 months. To freeze the cheesecake, simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
  • When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

Helpful Tools

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Some pieces of equipment you may find helpful when making this no bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe:

Tips For Success

  • Make sure you use block cream cheese and NOT cream cheese spread. Cream cheese spread is sold in a tub and it is softer than blocks of cream cheese.
  • Let the blocks of cream cheese sit at room temperature to soften. If you use them straight out of the cold fridge, it will be lumpy when you whip it.
  • Keep the whipping cream in the fridge until it is time to use it. Cold whipping cream will aerate better than room temperature cream.
  • Pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin pie filling look very similar on the store shelves but they are not the same. Make sure you get the pumpkin puree.
  • Use a 9-inch springform cheesecake pan for this recipe. Flip the springform pan bottom over so the lip around the edge faces downward. This will make it much easier to transfer the cheesecake onto a platter or cake plate.

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A slice of no bake pumpkin cheesecake with a bite taken

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

This ultra-creamy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is easy to make and will be your favorite dessert this holiday season. You will love how this recipe comes together and how creamy, rich, and smooth the filling tastes.
4.50 from 10 votes
Print Pin Video Save
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 861kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Graham cracker crust:

  • 14 whole graham crackers about 2 cups crumbs
  • 12 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 tablespoon of powdered gelatin 1-1/2 packages
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream topping:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or wax paper. 

Make the graham cracker crust:

  • Place the graham crackers in a sealable bag and pound them with a rolling pin until you have fine, even crumbs. Dump the graham cracker crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the butter, sugar, and salt then stir until well combined. 
  • Spread the mixture evenly into the bottom of the springform pan and press it down firmly.
  • Place in the fridge to chill and firm up.

Make the No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake filling:

  • Put the cold water in a microwavable bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water and give it a good stir. Set the gelatin aside to soften (or bloom) for at least 5 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
  • Place the cream cheese granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape the bowl down a couple of times to get it all mixed. 
  • Add the whipping cream and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes until well combined and smooth. Make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the bowl down once or twice. 
  • Add the pumpkin, spices and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the filling is thick and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • By now the gelatin mixture should look firm. Stick the bowl of gelatin in the microwave for 20 two 30 seconds. Stop to stir it every 10 seconds until it is completely dissolved and liquid. If it gets too hot let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is comfortably warm.
  • Add the dissolved gelatin to the cheesecake mixture and beat on medium speed.
  • Spread the filling over the graham cracker crust and place it in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours to set up. 

Whipped cream topping:

  • Add the whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until combined then increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. 
  • Spread or pipe on top of the cheesecake. 
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.

Notes

  • Use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Pack the graham cracker crust down very firmly before adding the filling.  

Tips to make sure a no-bake cheesecake sets up and gets firm

  • Use full-fat cream cheese.
  • Get heavy whipping cream. Do not use half and half or non-dairy creamer. 
  • Make sure the cream is cold. 
  • Let the powdered gelatin soften (bloom) in water first then heat it up until it is liquid and completely dissolved.
  • Refridgerate for at least 6 hours.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 861kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 225mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 93g

Dahn Boquist

Dahn is a retired nurse, recipe creator, home cook, baker, and self-proclaimed foodie. She loves creating in the kitchen and cooking for family and friends. She lives in Washington State with her husband and dog. When she isn't cooking or baking, you can usually find her spending time with her grandchildren or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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Recipe Rating




Anca

Tuesday 21st of November 2023

Hi! I just made this cheesecake and I think it is way too sweet. 2 cups of sugar it is too much. Other than that it has great flavors and texture!

Dahn Boquist

Tuesday 21st of November 2023

Thanks for the comment. I appreciate the feedback. Have a great Thanksgiving!

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