If you're craving pumpkin cheesecake but don't want to deal with the whole baking (and water bath!) situation, these quick and easy No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls are the move. They've got all the creamy, spiced goodness of the classic, rolled up into bite-sized pumpkin truffles with crushed graham crackers (gf or regular) and super smooth cream cheese. Without any white chocolate, they're perfectly tangy and sweet with a simple dusting of sparkly sugar or crushed grahams!
It's no surprise that come Thanksgiving, I'm in charge of all the desserts. Plural. I start with the regulars: gluten-free pear persimmon pie, gluten-free pumpkin pie (baked as a tart), and gluten-free pecan pie - but can never resist a bonus dessert. With limited time this year, that bonus is no-bake pumpkin cheesecake balls. And they deliver.
They're my answer to that "just one bite as I graze by the dessert table" impulse we all pretend we don't have. Soft and creamy with cozy pumpkin spices, these little truffles satisfy that pumpkin craving without committing to a full slice. They come together in just 10 minutes, need only a quick chill in the freezer to set the cheesecake mixture, and can be made ahead!
No White Chocolate = Pure Pumpkin Cheesecake Flavor
Unlike most no-bake pumpkin cheesecake truffles, there's no white chocolate or sweetened condensed milk here. They deliver nostalgic pumpkin cheesecake flavor with just classic cheesecake ingredients, held together as a truffle ball by crushed graham crackers; you can use store-bought or make my crisp and snappy gluten-free graham crackers. This keeps the sweetness balanced so the spiced pumpkin and tangy cream cheese can shine.
Keeping the Ingredients Simple
Without any white chocolate to firm up the cheesecake mixture, the balance of ingredients is key to make sure the truffles firm up while allowing the pumpkin and spices to pop. Some quick notes about these simple ingredients:
- Cream Cheese: Use a block-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature so it blends smoothly without clumps.
- Pumpkin Purée: Stick to non-organic canned pumpkin purée (and not pumpkin pie filling). Over the years, I've found that organic pumpkin purée tends to be thinner and more watery. If that's what you have, or you're using homemade purée, spread it on a clean towel and press out any excess moisture before measuring.
- Powdered Sugar: Sifted so it blends without clumps.
- Spices: I rarely have pumpkin pie spice on hand, so I use my own blend of spices. You can substitute 1.75 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for all the spices listed.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Regular or gluten-free graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs in a food processor or by hand. Note: not all graham crackers absorb moisture the same way. If your cheesecake balls feel too soft to roll after 30 minutes in the freezer, mix in up to ¼ cup more graham cracker crumbs.
Quickly Softening Cream Cheese
My baking confession is that I never remember to bring cream cheese to room temperature before I need to use it. To quickly soften cream cheese for these truffles, slice it into eight thin pieces and lay them in an even layer on a plate. Microwave for 5 seconds, flip, and repeat. Check that the cream cheese is no longer cold to the touch, repeating once more if needed. Start small because every microwave is different - the trick is not to overdo it!
Recipe
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
Ingredients
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese (block), softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin purée, see note if using organic
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon,, Or replace all spices with 1.75 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (4.6 oz) graham cracker crumbs (regular or gluten-free),, plus ½ cup for rolling (7oz total)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese over medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. This removes all the clumps! No mixer? Smash the softened cream cheese against the side of the bowl with a silicone spatula until creamy.
- Gently fold in the sifted powdered sugar, pumpkin purée, spices, salt, and vanilla, then mix over medium speed until completely smooth. Or mix and mash with a silicone spatula until smooth.
- Add 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs and fold with a silicone spatula until completely smooth and incorporated. Cover and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or the fridge for 2 hours (or up to 4 days before rolling into truffles).
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of cheesecake into a ball (I recommend a medium cookie scoop). Use your hands to roll each scoop into a ball. Your hands will get a little sticky as the warmth softens the cheesecake mixture, and that's exactly what you want. It helps the graham cracker crumbs cling to the outside.
- Roll each ball in graham cracker crumbs or sugar and serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to 12 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Make Ahead:
You can make the cheesecake mixture up to 4 days in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve. For best resuls, wait to scoop and roll the cheesecake balls until the day you plan to serve them. The graham cracker crumbs stick best when your hands slightly warm the mixture as you roll. If you scoop or roll them too far in advance, the graham crackers won't stick as well and will begin to soften from the cheesecake's moisture when stored overnight.Storage:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Note that over time, the graham crackers will begin to soften from the cheesecake's moisture.Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review and rating to let me and others know how you liked it!
Making the Perfect Creamy No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bite
These come together with 10 minutes of active time and a quick 30-minute chill!
In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese over medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. This removes all the clumps! You could also smash it against the side of the bowl with a silicone spatula until creamy.
Fold in the sifted powdered sugar, pumpkin purée, spices, salt, and vanilla, then mix over medium speed until completely smooth. Or mix and mash with a silicone spatula until smooth.
Add 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs.
And fold until completely smooth and incorporated. Cover and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or the fridge for 2 hours (or up to 4 days before rolling into truffles).
Scoop 2 tablespoons of cheesecake into a ball (I recommend a medium cookie scoop).
Use your hands to roll each scoop into a ball. Your hands will get a little sticky as the warmth softens the cheesecake mixture, and that's exactly what you want. It helps the graham cracker crumbs cling to the outside.
Roll each ball in graham cracker crumbs or sugar and serve immediately or chill for up to 12 hours before serving.
Hint: For the best results, wait to scoop and roll the cheesecake balls until the day you plan to serve them. The graham cracker crumbs stick best when your hands slightly warm the mixture as you roll. If you scoop or roll them too far in advance, the graham crackers won't stick as well and will begin to soften from the cheesecake's moisture when stored overnight.
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