This 15-Minute Pumpkin Cheesecake Is A No-Bake Slice Of Heaven (Thanks, Philadelphia)
It feels like cheating to make a cheesecake with so little work and no baking. Over on Philadelphia's website, you can find a no-bake recipe for cheesecake that takes only 15 minutes of prep. The instructions only have four steps, one of which is letting it sit in the fridge. It can't get any easier.
The method calls for a softened 8 ounce package of cream cheese to be mixed with sugar, canned pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spices in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Afterward, stir in most of the whipped cream. Pour the results into a premade graham cracker crust, set it in the fridge for three hours, then top with whipped cream. Without any eggs or baking, the texture will be more pudding or mousse-like than a typical cheesecake, but the results will still be delicious. Don't worry, once it's fully chilled it's still sliceable! The simplicity in the ingredients will let the cream cheese shine, making the flavor a rich and creamy delight. If you want something more traditional, you can always make our classic baked cheesecake!
Variations on this recipe
If you have a few extra minutes you can always make a cookie crumb pie crust. Speculoos cookies, such as Biscoff, ground up and pressed with melted butter into a pie tin will make a decadent version of this pumpkin cheesecake.
You can also skip the pie crust and layer the filling in smaller cups alternating with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and oat crumble for more of a pumpkin cheesecake parfait vibe. Add granola and there's no reason this can't be a delicious breakfast. Or make pumpkin cheesecake bars by pouring the mixture into a rectangular or square baking pan.
There's room to play with the whipped cream on top as well if you make your own. Sweeten it with maple syrup and add some salt to add some extra Autumnal taste to the topping. Or whip in espresso powder for an even more indulgent take on a classic pumpkin spice latte. When a recipe is this simple there's lots of room to play, so feel free to make it your own!