Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
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No baking is required with this Frozen Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie! The buttery homemade graham cracker crust has a hint of cinnamon, and the pumpkin cheesecake filling is creamy and delicious — just perfect for the fall and holiday season!
Frozen Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is an excellent make-ahead or go-to for the busy upcoming holiday season. I love to create this dreamy frozen dessert right at the start of the fall season when the weather begins to chill, but there is still some warmth in the air.
And for all my friends who live in the southern states, this frozen pumpkin cheesecake pie is the perfect seasonal dessert for cooling off on those hot autumn days.
Craving more easy no-bake recipes for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? Check out my delicious No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake, creamy and smooth Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie, or this classic No Bake Banana Pudding recipe.
Key ingredients & substitutions for Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Crust
The full instructions and recipe are all spelled out for you on my Homemade Graham Cracker Crust Recipe — just click the link!
In the meantime, be sure you have these ingredients on hand:
- Graham crackers — You can purchase the crackers already crushed into crumbs or crush two sleeves of plain graham crackers inside a Ziplock bag. Either method will work just as well for this recipe.
- Light brown sugar — Substituting light brown sugar for granulated sugar in my regular recipe gives the crust notes of molasses flavor, but you can always use granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon — Just a pinch of cinnamon is all this graham cracker crust needs to taste a little more like fall.
- Butter — Softened butter will act like the glue holding the other crust ingredients together. It also creates a buttery flavor that many store-bought graham cracker crusts lack.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Pumpkin — Use canned pumpkin to create the pumpkin flavor for this cheesecake pie filling. Do not confuse canned pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling—the two are very different!
- Cream cheese — Cream cheese helps to create the cheesecake texture and taste. You can use mascarpone cheese in its place. However, mascarpone will produce a denser consistency.
- Cool whip — Cool whip gives this cheesecake filling the perfect airy consistency. You can make the cool whip from scratch, if you prefer.
- Sweetened condensed milk — This ingredient adds most of the sweetness to this recipe. It is also sticky and syrupy, which helps to combine the other ingredients and adds to the creaminess.
- Pumpkin pie spice — Grab a bottle of pumpkin pie spice from the seasoning section of your local grocery store. This spice combines warm autumn flavors, like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger.
How to make Frozen Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
STEP 1 | Create the graham cracker crust
Complete instructions and tips for making my graham cracker crust are in this post. However, I do like to substitute brown sugar for the white sugar and add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
For the best results, use a springform pan. This unique pan is often used when making a cheesecake or another dessert that isn’t inverted or flipped over to remove it from the pan, like a typical sheet cake.
Press the crust onto the bottom and sides of the pan using your fingers. Using a spoon or small measuring cup can also help to firmly press the crust into the pan.
tips
- You’ll want a firm graham cracker crust that holds its shape when sliced. Here are a couple of tips to ensure your crust stays together:
- Be sure to press the crust into the pan with gentle and even pressure so the crumbs are really packed together.
- Make the inside bottom edges rounded, rather than at a sharp right angle that may easily break apart. Use a spoon around the bottom edges to achieve the rounded shape.
STEP 2 | Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, and spices
Begin by beating the cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. Next, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until they are smooth and creamy.
tip
- Pumpkin pie spice combines warm autumn flavors, like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. If you have all these spices on hand, you can skip buying a bottle of pumpkin pie spice and use equal amounts of the spices instead.
STEP 3 | Add remaining ingredients
Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk and beat until the mixture is smooth. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, fold in the cool whip until the ingredients are combined.
It’s important to fold in the cool whip rather than mix it. Additionally, be careful not to over-mix the pumpkin cheesecake filling to attain the desired texture in your final result.
STEP 4 | Pour, cover, and freeze
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into the graham cracker crust you prepared earlier. Then, cover the pie with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or for at least 6-8 hours.
STEP 5 | Soften and serve!
Once the pumpkin cheesecake pie has had enough time to freeze, remove it from the freezer and set it out to soften. After about 10 minutes, you’re ready to slice into this incredible fall dessert!
Frequently asked questions
Can you use fresh pumpkin for this cheesecake recipe?
Absolutely! The complete instructions are available in this post by House of Nash Eats. Be sure to let the pumpkin puree cool completely before proceeding with the frozen pumpkin pie recipe. And don’t forget to save the pumpkin seeds to toast in the oven and have a delicious seasonal snack for later.
How long can this pumpkin cheesecake pie last in the freezer?
This dessert is an excellent recipe to prepare ahead of time for an upcoming fall party or Thanksgiving dinner. As long as you cover the dessert tightly and place it on a middle shelf in the freezer, it should be good for a week or possibly longer.
Serving suggestions
I love to top this frozen treat with rich Hershey’s caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream! However, the possibilities are endless — try out some of the following toppings and let me know which are your favorites:
- Salted caramel syrup
- Caramel magic shell
- Chocolate syrup
- Candied pecans
- Melted white chocolate drizzle
Behind the recipe: Frozen Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
The perfect day to serve this cool and creamy pumpkin dessert is right around the corner! October 21st is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Since 2011, Americans have celebrated this traditional fall dessert.
Cheesecake has a rich history, and it only makes sense that eventually, it would be flavored with pumpkin for a fitting autumn treat. Since the very first experimentation of pumpkin added to a cheesecake, the dessert has been a hit!
Frozen Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 graham cracker crust recipe
- 1 cup pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces cool whip
- 1 15-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Optional
- Hershey's caramel sauce
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare the graham cracker crust recipe and press into a 10-inch springform pan. Put the crust in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined.
- Slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the cool whip – do not over mix.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or for 6-8 hours.
- Let soften for about 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with caramel sauce and whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the graham cracker crust recipe and add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon for more fall flavor
- Be sure to press the crust into the pan with gentle and even pressure so the crumbs are really packed together.
- Make the inside bottom edges rounded, rather than at a sharp right angle that may easily break apart. Use a spoon around the bottom edges to achieve the rounded shape.
- Pumpkin pie spice combines warm autumn flavors, like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. If you have all these spices on hand, you can skip buying a bottle of pumpkin pie spice and use equal amounts of the spices instead.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
Can I use a regular pie plate?
Hi, Mary Ellen! You can use a regular pie plate, but you will have some leftover filling. You could always put that in small dessert bowls and top with a little whipped cream and a ginger snap cookie for a fun dessert, too!
I loved this pie! Cool and refreshing. I used heavy whipped cream instead of the fake whip and it worked fine. I also used freshly baked pumpkin to add fresh taste and authentic color. My new favorite for Thanksgiving.
You call for 1 can of pumpkin not pie filling so what size can of pumpkin puree
Gladys, I use a 15-oz. can of pure pumpkin. Thanks!
Made this pie and it was amazing!!!
Mai glad you liked it!
OMG! Can’t wait till tomorrow to taste the finished product! After tasting the filling, it is delish. It is a great choice for a quick dessert on a busy day. My family will love this! Thank You for a great recipe that will be used again. Happy Thanksgiving!
For my tastes it was bland, so I added nutmeg, vanilla, more pie spice & cinnamon. Then the batter tasted better. Tomorrow on Thanksgiving we get to taste the real thing, if it doesn’t work out I’ve made 2 other deserts.
Does the cool whip need to be thawed
Nicole, thawing the Cool Whip in the refrigerator will make mixing the filling much easier and will result in a smoother pie. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi – do you beat the filling with an electric mixer or do you do it by hand? Thanks!
Hi, Dede. Use either an electric mixer or stand mixer to combine the filling. Enjoy!
Thanks! Going to make it today.
This looks amazing! Is there a reason why it has to be “real” pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling? Would it be ok if I did use pumpkin pie filling?
Hi, Emma! Pumpkin purée is best as the pumpkin pie filling may not set up as firmly and usually has other ingredients added. Happy Thanksgiving!
after the initial freeze time, can it be kept in fridge or should it stay in freezer?
Hi, Andrea! You’ll want to store this pie in the freezer and just take it out for a few minutes before cutting to serve. Store any leftover pie in the freezer – Happy Thanksgiving!
what size pans did you use and what size was the original pan.
Toni, my pans were 6-inch springform pans and the original was a 9- or 10-inch pan. With the larger pan the crust will not go all the way up the sides. Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I just double the crust ingredients for the 9 inch pan?
Ilona, absolutely, but you may have extra crumbs. Enjoy!