This quick and easy No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake assembles in 15 minutes! It features a silky pumpkin pie layer, and a creamy, molasses-laced, robustly spiced, cheesecake layer, both piled high. This No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake is an irresistible mashup of your favorite fall and holiday flavors.
Pumpkin meets gingerbread. A marriage between our favorite fall/Thanksgiving ingredient –> pumpkin, and a favorite holiday/Christmas ingredient –> gingerbread.
Plus it’s a cheesecake.
I actually made a Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake last year in the form of a traditional, baked cheesecake, using this classic Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe. I didn’t love how it turned out in the baked format… something about the molasses threw off the texture.
It left a bit to be desired, so I scrapped that recipe, and went for this no bake version instead. This No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake is so much better, and it gets bonus points for being easier and quicker too. It doesn’t require an oven, and it’s not nearly the time commitment as traditional cheesecake.
Since holiday gatherings are necessarily smaller and quieter this year, this No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake is an especially attractive dessert option. It gets you all the seasonal flavors you want, but it’s fast and simple.
I do opt for a store-bought crust more often than not with no bake pies and cheesecakes. Guilty! If I’m going for ease in the first place, I usually go ALL IN. You can certainly make any number of homemade options to give this some pep — Biscoff cookies, gingersnap, shortbread, or even a cinnamon roll crust. Whatever your pleasure!
The bottom layer of this dessert features a creamy, quick-prep cheesecake. In this case, punched up with molasses and spices to give us a gingerbread effect. And effective it is.
Only a few tablespoons of molasses is all it takes to cross this into gingerbread territory, combined with a good dose of ginger. They may seem like small amounts and contributions in the ingredient list, but they are highly impactful ones.
What follows the gingerbread cheesecake layer is a toppling layer of no bake pumpkin pie. A can of pumpkin, a heap of spices, and the help of pudding mix give us a quick and simple version of pumpkin pie. It’s authentic and satisfying.
If you want a pumpkin pie fix in a jiffy, this gets the job done, and then some. I should make a whole entire pie out of this sometime.
Looking to make swaps, substitutions, and variations of this Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake recipe:
To make this No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake with a gingersnap crust:
Combine 16 oz. gingersnap cookie crumbs — very fine crumbs (must not be coarse) — with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 4-5 tablespoons melted butter (start with 4 tbsp., and add additional as needed until crumbs are lightly saturated and begin to stick together). Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Voila!
Want to give it a coffee jolt? For a Pumpkin Gingerbread Latte Cheesecake, in the cheesecake layer, swap the 1 tbsp. milk for a shot of espresso or 2 oz. strongly-brewed coffee, cooled.
Other variations on the original No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe include –>
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Nutella Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Biscoff Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Coconut Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Chai Cheesecake
Easy no bake pies are one of my favorite things, and this holiday calls for simple recipes like none before. Some other awesome picks –>
- My Gma’s No Bake Peanut Butter Pie recipe: comes together in 10 minutes, and is rich, but light & mousse-y.
- No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust: combining two classic holidays flavors!
- No Bake Coconut Cream Pie: this is so popular and very highly reviewed. Coconut doesn’t have to be just for summertime. Also made it with lemon!
- My #1 personal favorite, even though it doesn’t get that much love on the blog — this No Bake Amaretto Almond Cream Pie. It is so luscious and luxurious, no one would ever guess it assembles in minutes. And it could convincingly be from a gourmet bakery.
- No Bake Pecan Cream Pie: Toasted pecans meet fluffy, mousse-y vanilla goodness.
How are you modifying your menu and baking list for what will be a unique holiday season?? Share what you’ve got in store!
No Bake Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened (reduced-fat is fine)
- 1 tbsp. cold milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. molasses
- 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 8 oz. container Cool Whip or whipped topping thawed, divided
- 9 oz. prepared shortbread or graham cracker crust 9 oz. is preferred, but you can cram this into a smaller 6 oz. crust if that's the only size you can find!
- 2 3.4 oz. boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk
- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. clove
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, vanilla, sugar, and molasses until smooth.
- Beat in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 teaspoon ginger.
- Fold in 2/3 tub of Cool Whip or whipped topping (just eyeball it!) until combined. Reserve remaining for garnish.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly into the bottom of the pie crust.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix, 1 cup milk, pumpkin puree, and remaining spices until smooth. Mixture will be very thick.
- Spread the pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake layer.
- Using a star tip, pipe the remaining Cool Whip around the edges.
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or until firm. Cut and serve. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Great work !! Thank a lot Buddy!!
Currently I am on diet but after reading this i am taking a cheat day today
Loved it
Great idea you have shared here..
Thanks a lot for sharing this blog
Wow! I love this Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake, I will make this today.