No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

This no bake pumpkin cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and filled with fall spices, made with mascarpone cheese and whipped cream set in a sweet and crunchy Graham cracker crust.

If you love festive baked fall desserts like my pumpkin cheesecake bars and mini pumpkin cheesecakes, you’re going to love this EASY no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe!

Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you’ve never made a mascarpone-style pumpkin cheesecake before, prepare to be AMAZED. The texture of this no-bake cheesecake is incredible: ultra-light and fluffy, a lot like mousse. Real pumpkin and cozy fall spices mingle throughout the whole thing. It’s all wrapped up in a sugary, crunchy Graham cracker crust. Heaven. The best part? No oven! This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is a breeze to make and keeps well, but I guarantee it won’t last long once you slice into it.

Why You’ll Love This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

• No-bake. No-bake desserts are perfect for the holiday season. You can make this cheesecake ahead of time, taking the pressure off of last-minute preparations at Thanksgiving!
• Easy ingredients. Don’t you just love a pantry-friendly dessert? This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is easy to make using just a handful of ingredients. You probably have them on hand already.
• Mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is milder than cream cheese, but still deliciously tangy, paving the way for the flavors of the spices and pumpkin to really shine through.

Key Ingredients

Below are a few notes on the key ingredients you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full amounts and recipe instructions.

• Crust – We’ll add a dash of cinnamon to my Graham cracker crust recipe to really play into the fall flavors in this cheesecake. You’ll need Graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
• Mascarpone Cheese – This is a soft Italian cheese (see below). You’ll find mascarpone in most major grocery stores. Make sure that your mascarpone is chilled from the fridge.
• Heavy Cream – The creamiest cheesecakes, baked or not, call for full-fat heavy whipping cream.
• Powdered Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – This pumpkin cheesecake gets a boost of fall flavor from pumpkin pie spice. This is a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice that you can make yourself, or buy pre-mixed at the store.
• Pumpkin Puree – Make sure to use real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• Whipped Cream – It’s easy to make your own whipped topping from heavy cream and powdered sugar, or you can use store-bought whipped cream.

Is Mascarpone the Same as Cream Cheese?

Mascarpone is classified as cream cheese, but it’s a bit different from American cream cheese, made from whole cream instead of milk. It’s fresh and buttery, with a mild, sweet, slightly nutty flavor that’s less tangy than American cream cheese and other similar cheeses, like ricotta.

How to Make No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

The method used is in this recipe is basically like making a mascarpone whipped cream, and then add the pumpkin in at the end. It’s important that the cream is beaten until stiff peaks form so that you don’t have a soupy cheesecake.

Make The Crust

Line and grease a 9″ springform pan (catch my full tutorial for details), and let’s get started on the Graham cracker crust:

• Combine the ingredients. Grind the graham crackers into a fine crumb in the food processor. Afterward, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, and finally, add melted butter and stir until there are no dry crumbs.
• Press the crust into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of your prepared springform pan. Refrigerate the crust while you ready the filling.

Make the Cheesecake Filling

Next, you’ll whip together the quick no-bake cheesecake filling:

• Beat the mascarpone and heavy cream. Since this filling is a bit like whipped cream, you’ll want to chill the bowl in the freezer before you start. Afterward, beat the mascarpone with ½ cup of heavy whipping cream until it’s smooth and liquidy, then beat in the remaining heavy cream until thickened.
• Add the dry ingredients. Next, beat in powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice and continue to beat the filling into stiff peaks.
• Add the pumpkin. Finally, mix in the pumpkin puree. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
• Chill: Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, until the filling has completely set.

Add the Whipped Topping

Once your no-bake pumpkin cheesecake has chilled and set completely, release it from the pan and add your whipped topping! Here’s how to make my favorite easy whipped cream:

• Chill the bowl to keep the cream nice and cold.
• Beat the heavy cream at high speed until soft peaks form.
• Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Decorate your cheesecake however you’d like.

Recipe Tips and Variations

If you’re new to making cheesecakes, this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe is perfect for beginners! No-bake recipes are a low-effort alternative to classic cheesecake. Here are some final tips and possible variations:

• Use full-fat ingredients. The high-fat content in the mascarpone and heavy cream does all sorts of favors for this no-bake cheesecake. Don’t skimp on the fat!
• Chill the cheesecake well. Make sure that you budget enough time for the cheesecake to set up completely in the fridge before serving. 4-6 hours at minimum, and this is also a great dessert to make a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.
• Different toppings. You can’t go wrong with fresh whipped cream and a garnish of chopped pecans. In place of regular whipped cream, you can also top your cheesecake with swirls of cinnamon maple whipped cream.

Ways to Serve No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake is a lush Thanksgiving dessert. It’s the perfect light finish to a holiday feast! Try these easy serving suggestions:

• Topped with nuts. Pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts compliment the flavors of this cheesecake and give it extra crunch.
• Chocolate sauce. Kick the indulgence up a notch with a drizzle of chocolate ganache or caramel sauce.
• Ice cream. Serve a slice of cool and creamy cheesecake with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream.

How To Store No Bake Cheesecake

• Fridge: This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake must stored in the fridge. Wrap the pan well with plastic wrap or store the cheesecake in an airtight container, like a cake carrier, and refrigerate it for up to 3-5 days.
• Freezer: Once the cheesecake is fully set, I recommend freezing it while it’s still in the pan. Double-wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the cheesecake overnight in the fridge and add the toppings just before serving. You can also freeze individual slices in an airtight container.

More Pumpkin Desserts You’ll Love

• Pumpkin Poke Cake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Pie
• Pumpkin Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
• Homemade Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread 
• Pumpkin Donuts

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Ohio Dairy Adventure

While the ADA Mideast team invited me and covered my expenses for the trip, writing this post was not required. I really just wanted to share my adventure with you. A special thanks to the ADA Mideast team, the Indoe family of Richmond Farms and Frank Burkett of Clardale Farms & the Cleveland Browns for hosting us.

I wanted to tell you guys a little bit about a recent trip I took to Ohio with the American Dairy Association Mideast. We were wined and dined and stuffed full of delicious cheese, but more importantly, we had an opportunity to visit two different farming operations.

I could have spent all day at the farms learning about farming. They are just so passionate about their work and let’s face it, farmers never take a day off. The cows have to be milked 2-3 times a day and there’s always plenty of work to be done. One thing that was made very clear to me is how much the farmers truly care about the health of their animals. So much goes into every part of the process from the feed, to animal care to the processing of the milk. It was incredible.

I also thought it would be helpful for you to have some  Dairy Nutrition information from the American Dairy Association that might answer some of your questions.