There are times when I am prepared to spend days on a dessert. But more often than not I want something easy and delicious.
We’re talking high impact without necessarily needing to spend hours and hours or multiple days of prep. And that is exactly what this no-bake pumpkin pie recipe is—a classic made ultra easy.
That being said, if you want something a little bit more traditional I’d recommend you check out this Pumpkin Swirl Slab Pie because it’s a good one too!
Related: 15 Easy No-Bake Desserts and 15 Pumpkin Desserts to Bake This Fall
I love a no bake pie, one of my favorites being this no-bake chocolate silk pie. I would consider this no-bake pumpkin pie her autumn cousin.
And if I saw both them at the dessert table on Thanksgiving I’d go ahead and have a slice of each. A small slice, I swear!
This could not be easier to make. You simply blend the filling ingredients together before freezing. That’s it!
I love using a store-bought graham cracker crust for this recipe since part of the goal is ease. Most come in a pan with a lid you can add to the top so it’s easy to store in your freezer and if you are getting together with family this season you could easily travel in the car with this too.
But if you prefer to make your own crust, go for it! The crust on that chocolate silk pie I linked above would be a fun one to try with this.
I added homemade whipped cream to the top before serving (which you’ll see in the recipe card below) but you can also buy whipped cream if you don’t want to make your own.
This no-bake pumpkin pie is creamy, lightly sweet, and perfect for this season. I always find it handy to have small appetizer plates around for little bites and deserts, so these are a great serving option for pies.
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Ingredients
- 1 graham cracker crust
- 2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (softened)
- 1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Soften cream cheese ahead of time. This helps all ingredients to mix well together so your pie won't have flecks / chuncks of cream cheese.
- In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) cream together the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined and smooth.
- Spoon the filling into the crust shell. Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) beat the heavy whipping cream with the granulated white sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream over the pie before serving.
Can’t wait to make this pie again this year!
I usually love the easy recipes posted here, but I made this for Thanksgiving this year and was really disappointed. It had no flavor at all and the recommendation to put it in the freezer overnight made it hard as a rock–took 5 hours to thaw enough to cut. I will not be making this again.
Sorry to say this but this is not a good recipe. I TRIPLED the spices and vanilla and it was still lacking flavor. It needs more sugar, or something. It’s really just cream cheese spread in a pie shell. Disappointing.
I agree with other people that this recipe is off. The combo of the pumpkin and cream cheese is too tangy and bitter. I had to add a lot more sugar and spices to mask the taste, and it’s now on the too loose side. I hesitated to pour it in my crust and regret that I did because it occurred to me afterwards that whipped cream mixed in would have helped stiffen it up and alleviate some of the weird flavor. I will definitely not be making this again.
Waaaaayyy too much cream cheese. It was sour and not good. If you try this recipe just use one 8 oz package of cream cheese and taste it, maybe it will be okay with one
Love this! Thanks for introducing me to the technique… Kind of like pumpkin cheesecake.
I love reading recipe comments — the NYT cooking comments give me so many great tips — so in the spirit of helping others.. I added an additional can of pumpkin and WAY more cinnamon to give it a stronger flavor.
Goodie,no baking. I am sorely tempted to add a smidgen of glucomannan (yam powder) as a binder/thickener and would use dark brown sugar for a tinge of that hearty molasses flavor.
I haven’t made this yet, but hope to for Thanksgiving!
What is the purpose of freezing the pie, then thawing it before serving? Is it okay to just chill it overnight (or longer) in the refrigerator, rather than initially freezing it, then thawing?
Thank you.
I made this and it was sooo yummy! Thank you! Glad I read the comments about storing it in the fridge versus the freezer!
I made this and followed directions to the T, it taste a little bitter, what can I do? Thanks
You can add a little more sugar to the pumpkin filling, I would try 2 tablespoons at first but it could be up to 1/4 cup more. Also, I like the fresh whipped cream here BUT if you use a store-bought version with more sugar that will change the final taste as well. Hope these tips help! I do like this on the not-too-sweet side but a little more sugar is OK too. 🙂
Haven’t tried yet, but really looking forward to trying this. Is whipped cream cheese acceptable with this recipe?
Made this tonight and it was great! Came out perfect, I used agave nectar instead of honey as I did not have enough honey on hand so may have been a tad on the sweet side. First gluten free bread I have ever made… will be trying more recipes from you.
This looks so easy! I’m going to try this!
This pie looks amazing, and I will have it on my dinner table a lot this year. Thanks for sharing, and stay safe.
I absolutely love pumpkin pie. That being said I’m a 67 year-old guy with no baking experience at all. This recipe was extremely easy. And with fresh whipped cream no less. Now anytime is pumpkin pie time. Gotta keep a few cans handy……just in case.
Do you serve it frozen?
I can’t wait to try this! How much time in advance should I take it out of the freezer before serving? Thank you!
This sounds delicious! Does it freeze hard? Should it sit for anytime before serving? Can’t wait to try!
It can freeze hard if it’s left in the freezer for longer periods. If you do, just let it thaw enough to slice for serving.
This is a great pie i made it to try ,I make make many pumpkin pies during holidays and I tried this for a practice.ITS GEAT I USED FRESH COOKED PUMPKIN INSTEAD OF CANNED ITS GREAT BUT MUST REALLY REALLY DRAIN IT GOOD FIRST BUT WORKS GREAT!!
I make canned pumpkin puree..Can you use.this and if so how much?
Than you dear friends,
I give this recipe to my daughter online and I hope she will ring me up soon!! 🙂
Have a nice weekend!
Juergen from Loy (PJP as Blogger)
Does it stay frozen or are you supposed to thaw it to serve? What about leftover, fridge or freezer? Thanks!
You’ll want to thaw enough that you can slice it to serve. And leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator.
Do you use pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin purée?
Use pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
This recipe sounds to me like it would need more sugar! Canned pumpkin is kind of bitter, and cream cheese is salty. Then again, the fact that it is unbaked and doesn’t include any eggs may mean that only 1/3 cup of sugar may be enough?
Yes, correct you want pumpkin puree and not pie filling.
I like the sweetness level BUT you can add more sugar and make it a little sweeter if you prefer. It’s a personal preference as I don’t like overly sugary pumpkin pie myself. But by all means adapt to what you or your family may prefer!
Easy to make does it have stay in freezer can it go in fridge. After use