These Mini No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes are the sweetest little desserts to make for Thanksgiving or any fall time special occasion. They’re so easy to put together that you can even make them with kids!
They’re true to their name, meaning there is no oven time at all…not even for the crust! All you need are some ginger snap cookies!
I would say the texture of these perfectly pumpkin spiced cuties would be a cross somewhere between a mousse and a cheesecake, but they also have a hint of pumpkin pie-ness to them too!
The gingersnap crust complements all the flavors in the cheesecakes so well. If you have a hard time finding gingersnap cookies, you can use shortbread cookies, such as Keebler Sandies…I know because I tried it. However, taste tests with my husband proved that the gingersnaps are better.
They add that little hint of molasses spice that brings this whole dessert together. That’s why the crumbles on top are important too.
I love that they’re mini, meaning bite-sized. You make them in a standard 12-cup muffin tin and then peel away the wrappers. The wrappers may cling to the cheesecakes a bit, but that’s okay…they will come off as long as the mixture is set.
Although this is easy enough to make with kids, because all you have to do is mix and dump, I would say that there is one tricky part which involves gelatin. You just have to make sure it’s well-dissolved so you don’t end up with lumps in your mixture like I did the first time I made these. But that’s why I made a video where I show you how to tackle it correctly. Look for it below!
Make sure you get 100% pure canned pumpkin with nothing added to it, and then add pumpkin pie spice separately. It’s essentially the taste of a regular pumpkin pie, but with the addition of the creamy almost tart cream cheese.
Don’t forget to top your little cuties with whipped cream and crumbled gingersnap cookies. But I would highly recommend only doing this right before serving them as the whipped cream tends to melt like a snowman.
You can either go at it by picking it up and taking a big bite, but I find it easier to manage with a spoon!
This is the PERFECT after-dinner, “just want that little morsel of sweet decadence with your decaf coffee” type of treat. Because the mixture is whipped well, it doesn’t feel as heavy and dense like a traditional cheesecake.
If you choose to make these guys in advance, keep in mind that the crust will get softer. If you enjoy that, by all means, make them ahead of time and let them sit overnight in your fridge. Otherwise, if you enjoy the pleasant snap of the cookie crust, then make them the same day. Just give yourself a few hours to allow them to get firm.
I did say you can make these Mini No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes with kids, and that’s exactly what I did. I whipped them up together with our 4 year old and had a great time. He even did an excellent job manning the electric hand mixer! WATCH OUR VIDEO BELOW and get all my tips for making these treats a success, and then go make them yourself today:
Mini No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 12 gingersnap cookies, plus crushed gingersnaps for topping
- 1 (¼ ounce) pack unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- ⅔ cup pure pumpkin puree
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Line a standard sized 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and put a gingersnap cookie in each cup.
- Stir the gelatin into the warm water in a microwave-safe bowl until nearly all dissolved; let stand 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, lightly beat cream cheese first to soften. Then add confectioners' sugar, pumpkin puree, pie spice, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat together.
- Microwave gelatin in 10-second intervals until melted and completely dissolved and quickly add to the mixture and beat until well incorporated. This will ensure you don't have gelatin chunks. Then add heavy cream and beat until mixture is fluffy.
- Spread or scoop in the muffin cups over the gingersnaps. Lightly spread and smooth the tops of the mixture evenly with a butter knife. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or more.
- Remove the cheesecakes from the muffin tins. Remove the liners and top with whipped cream and crushed gingersnaps only when ready to serve, or whipped cream can melt
