Ultra-creamy Philadelphia pumpkin cheesecake - a simple no-bake cheesecake recipe that you can prepare in about 20 minutes.
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Why you should make this recipe
Are you looking for an easy dessert for Thanksgiving? Look no further: this no-bake Philadelphia pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust is creamy, delicious, and ready in no time.
Pumpkin desserts are the thing for us this autumn; I’ve made so many and can't seem to have enough of them. For instance, these Moist Pumpkin Puree Muffins are a delight!
Pumpkin desserts can be tricky; you can have a winner or something you will stare at and not want to eat further. I've been there... There is something about pumpkin in a sweet version; sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
But this pumpkin cheesecake with Philadelphia cream cheese is delicious. Enough pumpkin flavor, but not so much as to overpower everything else, intensely creamy and smooth.
Recipe ingredients
- For the crust: Gingersnap cookies are perfect; I like to use Stauffer’s brand. Otherwise, you will only need unsalted butter. I never add sugar to any cookie crust; the cookies are always perfectly sweet without adding extra sugar.
- Canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Dairy: Heavy cream and full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese. A block of Philadelphia cream cheese works best in a recipe for a no-bake cheesecake. I’ve tried similar, cheaper products, but I let that be lately; Philadelphia yields superior results.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice.
- Substitution: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon all-spice, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Also, some fine sea salt and pure vanilla extract.
- Icing (powdered) sugar for the cheesecake filling.
How to make pumpkin cheesecake with Philadelphia?
Make the pumpkin cheesecake one day in advance, as it will need to set in the refrigerator overnight.
Gingersnap crust
- Crush the gingersnaps in the food processor and mix them with the melted butter. Press the mixture on the bottom of a small springform lined with parchment paper (1).
- Place the form in the freezer until you prepare the filling.
Pumpkin cheesecake filling
- Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks and set it aside (2).
- Beat the Philadelphia cream cheese in a large bowl until it’s fluffy and lighter in color.
- Add the pumpkin puree, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and all the spices. Beat well (3).
- Gently fold in the whipped cream (4).
- Pour the filling into the springform and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Decorate to your liking just before serving. I used orange sprinkles, but you can decorate the cheesecake with more whipped cream if you wish.
Expert Tips
- Plan ahead: The cheesecake needs to set overnight in the fridge. Otherwise, you can make this pumpkin in about 20-30 minutes.
- Cream cheese: As mentioned above, I recommend making any no-bake cheesecake with Philadelphia cream cheese. Experience has taught me that it works better than other brands.
- Pack the crust tightly to reduce the risk of cracking when you cut the cheesecake. You can press it down with a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Don’t skip freezing the crust shortly to help it set firmly.
- Fold the whipped cream very gently into the pumpkin cream cheese mixture, so the filling remains airy.
- Keep the pumpkin cheesecake in the refrigerator all the time. The filling is soft and smooth and will become even softer if left outside the fridge.
Recipe FAQ
Sure, you can.
I don’t recommend it for making cheesecake; homemade puree is usually moister than canned puree, and that would affect the cheesecake’s consistency.
Halve the recipe. Line the cups of a muffin tin with paper liners. Divide the gingersnap-butter mixture between the cups and pack it down tightly into the cups. Fill the cups with the pumpkin cream cheese filling. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
You can make the cheesecake 1-2 days in advance.
You can also prepare it, let it sit in the fridge overnight, wrap it well with plastic and foil and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
The no-bake Philadelphia pumpkin cheesecake keeps well for about 4 days; it becomes even better after a while as the flavors develop and the consistency becomes even creamier.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Philadelphia Pumpkin Cheesecake (No-Bake)
Equipment
- Springform 9 in/22 cm diameter
- Food processor optional Note 1
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gingersnaps crushed, 150 g/ 5.5 oz, Note 2
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter 75 g/ 2.5 oz
- 1 cup heavy cream 230 ml
- 2 8-ounce blocks full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese softened to room temperature, 450 g
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned, 225 g/ 8 oz, Note 3
- 1 cup icing sugar 100 g/ 3.5 oz
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix Note 4
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- sprinkles or more whipped cream to decorate optional
Instructions
Gingersnap crust:
- Grease and line the bottom of a springform with parchment paper.
- Crush gingersnaps: Place the cookies in a food processor and crush them finely (Note 1).
- Make the crust: Melt the butter. Mix the butter and the cookie crumbs until they hold together. Pack them tightly into the prepared springform, and place the form in the freezer while you make the filling.
Filling:
- Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks and set it aside.
- Combine filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and lighter in color. Add the canned pumpkin, icing sugar, vanilla extract, spices, and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl’s walls as needed (use a rubber spatula).
- Carefully fold in the whipped cream using the rubber spatula. Do it gently, and don’t stir too much, as you want the filling to be airy.
- Refrigerate cheesecake: Pour the filling over the crust. Cover the springform with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pumpkin cheesecake overnight. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Decorate to your liking, either with sprinkles or whipped cream.
Notes
- If you don’t have a food processor, place the cookies in a Ziplock bag. Close the bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin or another heavy object.
- Substitute with graham crackers.
- Canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Substitute pumpkin spice mix with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon all-spice, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.
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