No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups: Easy Single-Serve Fall Dessert

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups are a no bake fall dessert that comes together fast with a crunchy cinnamon crust and a creamy spiced filling.

Each one is built in its own jar or cup, so the layers stay neat and every serving gets the same generous ratio of crust to filling.

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I started making them for Friendsgiving a few years ago, and now they show up at every cozy gathering my family hosts in October and November.

There is no oven involved, just 25 minutes of hands on work and 1 hour of chilling. That makes them realistic for a busy weeknight dinner and for a party table where the oven is already taken. They sit nicely beside a fall appetizer charcuterie board and cranberry turkey pinwheels when you are planning a full spread.

How to Make No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

This dessert has two parts, a quick graham crust and a whipped pumpkin cheesecake filling, and both come together in minutes. The crust goes into the cups first, the filling goes on top, and the refrigerator does the rest of the work.

Before you start, set the cream cheese on the counter so it can soften, and clear a shelf in the refrigerator for the cups.

You will need a food processor or blender for the crumbs, a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for the filling, and jars or cups for serving. A small measuring cup or the back of a spoon is handy for pressing the crust into an even layer.

Ingredients you’ll need for the crust

The crust is made from one sleeve of cinnamon graham crackers, which comes to 9 crackers, combined with melted unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Melted butter is the key here, because it coats the crumbs and helps them press into a firm base.

• 9 cinnamon graham crackers (1 sleeve)
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Ingredients you’ll need for pumpkin cheesecake

The filling uses a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, an 8 oz package of room temperature cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, a 3.4 oz box of cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix, a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk, and an 8 oz tub of whipped topping. Whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs are optional garnishes.

• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (3.4 oz) package cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
• Whipped cream, optional topping
• Graham cracker crumbs, optional topping

The pudding mix and the condensed milk are what give the filling its body without any baking, so keep both in the bowl until the mixture looks thick and glossy.

Step by Step Guide

Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until they are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, both sugars, and the cinnamon, then pulse a few more times until the mixture looks like damp sand and holds together when you squeeze a handful.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crust mixture into the bottom of each jar or cup and press it down gently. If you want a little crunch on top of the finished cups, set some of the crumb mixture aside before you start pressing.

For the filling, beat the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes, then scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, pudding mix, and condensed milk, and mix until the filling is smooth and creamy. A smooth base now means a smooth cup later, so let the mixer run until you see no streaks of cream cheese.

Finish by folding in the whipped topping with a spatula until it is just combined. This is the step where a heavy hand works against you, so stop as soon as the streaks disappear.

Divide the filling evenly over the crusts, cover the cups, and chill for 1 hour. The recipe makes 10 cups and the prep takes about 25 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

For immediate serving, finish each cup with a swirl of whipped cream and a scattering of the reserved graham cracker crumbs. If you are making them ahead, refrigerate the cups plain and add both toppings just before they go to the table, so the whipped cream stays high and the crumbs stay crisp.

On a dessert table, I set the cups on a tray with a small bowl of extra crumbs and a spoon, and let people add their own finish. It keeps the last few cups looking fresh even after the first round has been eaten.

Important Recipe Notes

These cups can be prepped the night before, which is my favorite way to handle dessert for a party. Assemble the crust and the filling, cover the cups, and refrigerate. Hold the whipped cream and the graham cracker topping until serving time.

Room temperature cream cheese is essential. Cold cream cheese stays lumpy no matter how long you beat it, and those lumps never fully smooth out once the pumpkin and the condensed milk go in. Give it time on the counter before you begin.

Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The cans look almost identical on the shelf, but pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it will change both the texture and the flavor of the filling.

The pumpkin pie spice amount is flexible. If you like a warmer, more spiced dessert, add a little more, and a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg on top of that is a nice touch. Taste the filling before it goes into the cups, because there is no cooking step later that will change the flavor.

Jar size changes the portion count. The recipe card lists a yield of 10 cups. If you use smaller 4 oz jars or mini dessert cups instead of larger 8 oz jars, you will end up with more, smaller servings, which is handy when the dessert table has several sweets on it.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, and add fresh whipped cream before serving them again.

Do not overmix once the whipped topping goes in. A few gentle folds are all the filling needs to stay light and creamy.

Check Out More Pumpkin Recipe Ideas!

If you are building a pumpkin dessert table, these are the recipes I point people to next: mini pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin fudge truffles, pumpkin cream cheese bars, and mini pumpkin cakes with caramel buttercream frosting. They share the warm spiced flavor of these cups, but each one brings a different texture to the plate.

The mini cheesecakes are the closest match if you love this filling, while the truffles and the bars are easy to make in a big batch for a crowd. The mini pumpkin cakes with caramel buttercream are the ones I save for the holidays, when a little extra frosting feels right.

Ingredients

The list splits into three groups, so shopping and prepping stay simple. Here is the full ingredient list as it appears on the recipe card.

For the crust: graham cracker crumbs from 9 cinnamon graham crackers, 4 Tbsp melted unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, 2 Tbsp sugar, and ½ tsp cinnamon.

For the pumpkin cheesecake filling: 1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese, 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 (3.4 oz) package cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix, and 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk.

For the finish: 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping folded into the filling, plus optional whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs for the top.

Prep time is 25 minutes, chill time is 1 hour, total time is 1 hour 25 minutes, and the recipe card lists a yield of 10 cups. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of crust mixture into each jar or cup and press gently, and reserve a little for sprinkling later if you like.

Instructions

1. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until they are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, both sugars, and the cinnamon, and pulse a few more times until combined.
2. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each jar or cup and press it down gently. Reserve a little of the mixture to sprinkle on top later if you want.
3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese for 2 minutes, then scrape the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, pudding mix, and condensed milk. Mix until the filling is smooth and creamy.
5. Fold in the whipped topping with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Divide the filling evenly among the jars, on top of the crust layer. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

To serve right away, add a swirl of whipped cream and a sprinkle of the reserved graham crumbs. To make them ahead, refrigerate the assembled cups and add the toppings just before serving.

Recipe details

Everything about this dessert is built for a relaxed schedule. You can make the cups in the morning or the night before and pull them out when the guests arrive.

The recipe card lists a yield of 10 cups, and it also notes 380 calories per serving. If you use smaller jars, you will get more portions from the same batch, so plan your jar count around the number of people you are serving.

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No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

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No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups are a no bake fall dessert that comes together fast with a crunchy cinnamon crust and a creamy spiced filling. Each one is built in its own jar or cup, so the layers stay neat and every serving gets the same generous ratio of crust to filling.

• Total Time: 85 min
• Yield: 10 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Crust
9 cinnamon-flavored graham crackers (1 sleeve)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp cinnamon

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temp
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (3.4 oz) package cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
Whipped Cream Topping
Graham Cracker Crumbs

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Instructions

1-Toss the graham crackers into a food: Toss the graham crackers into a food processor or blender and pulse until they’re fine crumbs. Add melted butter, sugars, and cinnamon. Give it a few more pulses until everything is combined.
2-Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crust: Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each jar or cup. Press it down gently. You can set a little aside if you want to sprinkle some on top later.
3-In a stand mixer with the paddle: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, pudding mix, and condensed milk. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4-Use a spatula to gently fold in: Use a spatula to gently fold in the whipped topping until just combined. Don’t overmix.
5-Divide the filling evenly between your jars: Divide the filling evenly between your jars on top of the crust.
6-If you’re serving right away, add a: If you’re serving right away, add a swirl of whipped cream and a sprinkle of those extra graham crumbs. If you’re making them ahead, just pop them in the fridge and add the toppings right before serving.

Notes

Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (60 min).

• Prep Time: 25 min
• Method: no_cook

Nutrition

• Calories: 380kcal