No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Reasons to Love This Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Rich, creamy, and comforting. I love how smooth and pumpkin-y this cheesecake is! It really is comfort food in cheesecake form.
• An easier way to make cheesecake. No-bake cheesecakes are about as easy as it gets when it comes to making impressive, fuss-free desserts. No water bath or baking required!
• Make-ahead-friendly. The best part is, a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is the perfect dessert to prepare ahead of Thanksgiving. It saves valuable oven space, and it’s ready to serve after a night in the fridge.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

This cheesecake is a little softer than my typical no-bake cheesecake, largely because of the pumpkin purée. If you want a firmer cheesecake, you could leave some out, but the flavor won’t be as strong. You could also try adding some gelatin, like I use for my no-bake strawberry cheesecake.

It all starts with simple ingredients, and I include some notes here. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable amounts and full recipe details.

• Graham cracker crust – This is the same homemade graham cracker crust that I use for my New York-style cheesecake and peanut butter pie recipes. It’s great baked or unbaked! All you need to make it is a sleeve of graham crackers, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
• Cream cheese – Full-fat cream cheese, brought to room temperature so it’ll combine smoothly without any lumps.
• Sugar – Since we aren’t baking this cheesecake, I like to use a combination of powdered sugar and brown sugar in the filling. Powdered sugar has a super-fine (not grainy) texture that keeps the pumpkin filling silky smooth.
• Pumpkin purée – Make sure to use pure canned pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. They aren’t the same ingredient!
• Spices – I use a cozy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. You can replace these individual spices with pumpkin pie spice if you’d like.
• Heavy whipping cream – This should be full-fat and cold from the fridge.
• Vanilla – You’ll find that pure vanilla extract has the best flavor.
• Whipped topping – I decorate this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake with a variation of my homemade whipped cream flavored with cinnamon for Fall. You could also try this whipped cream cheese frosting or stabilized mascarpone whipped cream.

How to Make No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin cheesecake is made in two steps. First, you’ll make the classic graham cracker crust, then you’ll make the pumpkin cheesecake filling. You don’t have to bake the crust or the cheesecake filling. It’s the best!

1. Prepare the graham cracker crust. First, crush the graham crackers into crumbs and combine them with the crust ingredients. Then, press the crust firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust in the fridge until it’s time to fill it.
2. Make the filling. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar and brown sugar. Next, add the pumpkin purée and spices and stir until smooth. Separately, you’ll prepare a batch of whipped cream, and then gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin batter.
3. Fill the crust. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into your prepared crust, smoothing it into an even layer.
4. Chill. Place the cheesecake into the fridge so it can set before you slice into it.

How Long Should No-Bake Cheesecake Be Refrigerated?

For this pumpkin cheesecake to set properly, it should chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours. I usually refrigerate mine overnight. A no-bake cheesecake is a great dessert to make a day or two in advance!

Tips for a Perfect No-Bake Cheesecake

• Use full-fat ingredients. Make sure you’re using full-fat cream cheese and heavy whipping cream to make your cheesecake. The high-fat content ensures that the pumpkin cheesecake batter turns out thick, rich, and creamy.
• Line the pan. If you’d like to completely remove your finished cheesecake from the springform pan after it sets, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. It makes it less likely to stick.
• Whip the cream into stiff peaks. Make sure that the whipped cream is thoroughly whipped into stiff peaks before you fold it into the pumpkin mixture. If it’s wilted or runny, the no-bake cheesecake filling won’t firm up properly.
• Chill the cheesecake for long enough. Allow this no-bake cheesecake to chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours so the pumpkin filling can firm up. If you slice into the cheesecake too soon, the filling will be too soft and you won’t get those neat, clean slices.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Topping

I like to decorate my pumpkin cheesecake with a simple homemade cinnamon whipped cream (the same topping that I use for my caramel apple cheesecake). You don’t have to add a topping, but I think it makes this no-bake cheesecake even more festive! Plus, whipped cream makes everything better.

1. Make the whipped cream. Combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. Whip the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form.
2. Decorate the cheesecake. Release the chilled cheesecake from the pan. Then, pipe swirls of whipped cream around the top edge of the cheesecake. Top it off with candy pumpkins, candied nuts, or sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate the cheesecake until you’re ready to serve it.

If you’d prefer to decorate with traditional buttercream frosting instead, you can top this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake with vanilla buttercream frosting or this pumpkin spice buttercream. See below for more helpful cheesecake decorating tips!

More Ways to Decorate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Decorating your cheesecake is always fun. There are so many options to choose from! Here are some simple ideas for topping this cheesecake, especially if you’re serving this for Thanksgiving dessert.

• Pipe the whipped cream. I like piping a whipped cream border around the top edge of the cheesecake. You can use a piping tip if you have one or a Ziploc bag with one corner cut off.
• Add a cinnamon garnish. For a finishing fall touch, add a dusting of cinnamon on top.
• Drizzle with caramel sauce. I love drizzling my cheesecake with this easy homemade caramel sauce or bourbon caramel sauce. You could also add a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
• Try different toppings. Top with chopped pecans, walnuts, candies, or more crushed graham crackers!

How to Store

Store this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best if eaten within 4-5 days. You can store this cheesecake with the whipped cream on top or add it later, if desired.

More Pumpkin Desserts

• Classic Pumpkin Pie
• Soft Pumpkin Cookies
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Cupcakes