No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake (The Creamy 20-Minute Fall Dessert)
Silky, spiced, and impossibly creamy — this No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake tastes like the coziest bite of fall without ever turning on the oven. A buttery graham-cracker crust holds a fluffy pumpkin-and-cream-cheese filling, whipped light with real cream and warmed with pumpkin pie spice. Twenty minutes of hands-on work, then the fridge does the rest — which makes it the ultimate make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving tables and National Dessert Day spreads alike. If you loved our Moist Pumpkin Bread and Salted Caramel Apple Bars, this one joins the fall-dessert hall of fame — and it plays beautifully next to Spooky Caramel Apples for a full autumn dessert table.
What You Need
- Graham cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 cups (180 g)
- Unsalted butter, melted, 6 tbsp (85 g)
- Granulated sugar, 2 tbsp (25 g), for the crust
- Cream cheese, softened to room temperature, 16 oz (450 g / two 8-oz blocks)
- Pumpkin puree, 1 cup (245 g) — pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g)
- Pumpkin pie spice, 2 tsp (4 g)
- Vanilla extract, 2 tsp (10 ml)
- Heavy whipping cream, cold, 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
- Whipped cream + caramel sauce, for serving (optional)
How To Make It
- Make the crust. Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Beat the base. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until completely smooth, about 1 minute — no lumps. Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla; beat until silky and evenly orange.
- Whip the cream. In a separate cold bowl, beat the heavy cream to firm peaks (2–3 minutes). Do not overbeat.
- Fold. Add the whipped cream to the pumpkin mixture in two batches, folding gently with a spatula until no streaks remain. The filling should be light, fluffy, and hold soft peaks.
- Chill. Spread the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight, until fully set and sliceable.
- Serve. Run a thin knife around the edge, release the springform, and slice with a warm, dry knife. Top each slice with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Room-temp cream cheese is non-negotiable — cold cream cheese makes lumps no amount of beating fixes. Set it out 1 hour before starting.
- Pumpkin puree ≠ pie filling. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced; pure pumpkin puree keeps the sweetness and spice exactly where you want them.
- Make it ahead: This cheesecake keeps 3–4 days refrigerated, covered — it actually slices cleaner on day two. Freeze (uncut, well-wrapped) up to 1 month.
- Cookie crust swap: Use gingersnap or Biscoff crumbs instead of graham for a spiced crust that leans even harder into fall flavor.
- Individual jars: Press crust into 8–10 small jars, pipe in filling, and chill — no slicing, perfect party portions.
Estimated nutrition per serving (1 of 12 slices): ~380 cal | protein 5g | carbs 38g | fat 24g.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Silky, spiced, and impossibly creamy — this No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake tastes like the coziest bite of fall without ever turning on the oven. A buttery graham-cracker crust holds a fluffy pumpkin-and-cream-cheese filling, whipped light with real cream and warmed with pumpkin pie spice. Twenty minutes of hands-on work, then the fridge does the rest — the ultimate make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving tables and National Dessert Day spreads alike.
Ingredients
Graham cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 cups (180 g)
Unsalted butter, melted, 6 tbsp (85 g)
Granulated sugar, 2 tbsp (25 g), for the crust
Cream cheese, softened to room temperature, 16 oz (450 g / two 8-oz blocks)
Pumpkin puree, 1 cup (245 g) — pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling
Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g)
Pumpkin pie spice, 2 tsp (4 g)
Vanilla extract, 2 tsp (10 ml)
Heavy whipping cream, cold, 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
Whipped cream + caramel sauce, for serving (optional)
Directions
- Make the crust. Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Beat the base. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until completely smooth, about 1 minute — no lumps. Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla; beat until silky and evenly orange.
- Whip the cream. In a separate cold bowl, beat the heavy cream to firm peaks (2–3 minutes). Do not overbeat.
- Fold. Add the whipped cream to the pumpkin mixture in two batches, folding gently with a spatula until no streaks remain. The filling should be light, fluffy, and hold soft peaks.
- Chill. Spread the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight, until fully set and sliceable.
- Serve. Run a thin knife around the edge, release the springform, and slice with a warm, dry knife. Top each slice with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
What To Bake Next
Salted Caramel Apple Bars (The Easy 45-Minute Fall Dessert)
Moist Pumpkin Bread (The Easy One-Bowl Fall Recipe)
Bloody Red Velvet Cupcakes (The Spooky 35-Minute Halloween Cupcakes)
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