No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Jar

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is an easy yet spectacular fall dessert. It’s perfect for anyone craving pumpkin flavors and works well as a make-ahead Thanksgiving treat. This creamy pumpkin dessert can be made in mason jars for individual servings or layered into a clear glass trifle bowl, making it ideal for family dinners or a single cozy dessert just for you.

I hope you love this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake made in mason jars. You can make small individual servings using half-pint jars or use pint jars for larger appetites.

+This pumpkin cheesecake has three simple layers, starting with a gingersnap (or speculaas) cookie crust, followed by a light and fluffy cream cheese mousse, and finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of extra cookie crumbs on top.

If you love this jar version, be sure to check out my full no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe, which uses the same creamy pumpkin filling in a classic cheesecake format. It’s perfect when you want a larger dessert for holidays or family gatherings, while this jar version is ideal for individual servings or casual entertaining.

Ingredients for No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Speculaas cookies are a Dutch spice cookie with lots of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, perfect for a pumpkin cheesecake recipe. If you’re unable to find speculaa,s you can use gingersnap cookies instead.

Speculaas (Gingersnap Crust)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

Whipped Cream

Step 1 – Speculaas or Gingersnap Crust

Begin by crushing the cookie crumbs. You may use a food processor, but a sealed bag means fewer dishes. Place about a dozen speculaas cookies into a sealed plastic bag and beat until crushed. Measure out two cups of cookie crumbs.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, stir, and cook over medium heat until bubbling.  It takes about two minutes.

Once the sugar mixture is bubbling, add the cookie crumbs and stir to coat. Remove from heat, pour onto a plate, and let cool.

Step 2 – No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for a couple of minutes so the sugar dissolves fully and the mixture stays smooth.

Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed, then add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add the pumpkin and pumpkin spice and blend on low until combined, then beat until very smooth.

If using a stand mixer transfer the pumpkin cheesecake filling to a second bowl, cover and let chill. Wash the bowl for whipping cream.

Step 3 – Whipped Cream Layer

In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream until fluffy,. Add the icing sugar and vanilla.  Whip until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling the Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe can be served three ways, in small half pint mason jars, larger pint sized mason jars, or in a clear glass trifle bowl.

Small Mason Jar Servings

The small mason jar servings are perfect Thanksgiving dessert.  Spreading out each layer so it fills the jar, start with a tbsp of speculaas crumbs, then half a cup of pumpkin cheesecake filling, then a dollop of whipped cream. Finish with a teaspoon of speculaas crumbs.

Pint Size Mason Jar Servings

The larger mason jar servings are for the bigger eaters in your family. I like to serve this to my family as a Fall dessert with a light dinner, such asa crockpot of soup.

Start with a tbsp of speculaas crunch, then half a cup of pumpkin, half a cup of whipped cream, then 1/4 cup of pumpkin 1/4 cup of whipped cream, and finally two teaspoons of speculaas crunch. You don’t have to be precise about the layers, you can do it by eye with a large spoon if you prefer.  Just make sure to do each layer in all the jars, to make sure you have enough for all your jars.

Serving Full Sized Trifle

Trifles look spectacular because of all the layers showing through the clear glass. To serve this trifle in a bowl, remove 3 tbsp of the speculaas crunch and set aside.

Then build the layers, half the speculaas crunch, half the pumpkin cream cheese mousse, half the whipping cream. Repeat with the second halves of each filling ending with the whipping cream. Sprinkle the 3 tbsp of speculaas crunch on top and place in the fridge.

Storing No-Bake Cheesecake

The mason jars are wonderful for storing individual servings. You can make the cheesecakes ahead of time, screw the lids on top and pop them in the fridge. They keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Jar

An easy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake made in jars. This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving since it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before serving.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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Speculaas (Gingersnap) Crust

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups crushed speculaas cookies Gingersnap cookies is you can’t find speculaas

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese I used Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ tsp pumpkin spice or substitute cinnamon

Whipped Cream

• 1 ½ cups whipping cream
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

 

1 – Speculaas (Gingersnap) Crust

• Crush the cookies into crumbs.
  
• Melt the butter in a small pan, add the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until it bubbles. About 2 min.
  
• Mix in crushed speculaas cookies and mix until coated. Pour out onto a plate and let cool.

2 – Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

• In a large bowl, or stand mixer with paddle. Place the cream cheese into the bowl. Beat on high speed until fluffy, then add the white granulated sugar. Continue beating the cream cheese for a couple of minutes. This allows the white sugar granules to melt into the cream cheese and makes the layer smooth instead of grainy.
• Add the vanilla and mix until just incorporated.
• Add the pumpkin and pumpkin spice to the cream cheese mixture, blend on low until mixed together well.
  
• If using a stand mixer transfer the pumpkin cheesecake filling to a second bowl, cover and let chill. Wash the bowl for whipping cream.

3 – Whipped Cream

• Mix chilled whipping cream, until fluffy. Add icing sugar and whip 1 minute on high, add vanilla. Mix until blended. Remove whipping cream from mixer into separate owl. Chill while making pumpkin mixture.
  

4 – Assembly

• Alternate the layers, speculaas crunch, pumpkin cream cheese mousse, whipping cream and repeat.
  

Don’t forget to save this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake in a jar for later. It’s a perfect make-ahead fall dessert for Thanksgiving, casual entertaining, or when you want an easy individual treat ready in the fridge.

Other Pumpkin Desserts to Try

Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Scones

Swirling these pumpkin cinnamon swirl scones works well because of the extra moist from the pumpkin. Lots of pumpkin spice flavour in this special Fall breakfast treat.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Maple Icing

A soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookie that is good on its own, but careful if you add the maple icing. The icing makes takes these to a whole different level of yummy.