No Bake Pumpkin Delight is a dreamy, layered dessert that captures everything we love about fall in one chilled, spoonable bite! With a buttery ginger snap crust, creamy cheesecake layer, spiced pumpkin filling, and clouds of homemade whipped cream on top, this no-fuss dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or any time you’re craving pumpkin pie without turning on the oven.
Love More Desserts Recipes? Try My No Bake Peppermint Pie or this Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is the dessert I make when I want all the cozy autumn vibes without any of the fuss. There’s no baking, no pie crust rolling, and no stress—just layer, chill, and devour. The ginger snap crust adds the most incredible spiced crunch, while the cream cheese layer brings that cheesecake tang we all crave.
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No Bake Pumpkin Delight
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: One 8×8-inch pan
Description
No Bake Pumpkin Delight features layers of buttery ginger snap crust, smooth cream cheese filling, spiced pumpkin pudding, and homemade whipped cream. This easy make-ahead dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or any time you’re craving pumpkin pie without the baking. Ready in just 20 minutes of active time, plus chilling!
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 cups ginger snap cookies, crumbled
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Layer
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whipped topping, thawed
Pumpkin Layer
- 1 (5.1-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 1 cup cold milk
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup whipped topping, thawed
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
To Serve / Garnish
- Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Substitution Notes:
- Can’t find ginger snaps? Graham crackers work in a pinch, though you’ll lose that warm spice flavor.
- Feel free to use light whipped topping if you want to lighten things up a bit.
- For a dairy-free version, try coconut cream and dairy-free cream cheese (texture may vary slightly).
Instructions
Grease your pan. Crush the cookies. I use my food processor but last week I used a wine bottle because the processor was dirty and I didn’t feel like washing it. Mix cookies with butter. Press into pan like you’re trying to flatten a spider. Fridge 20 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. This takes actual time, don’t rush. Fold in Cool Whip without beating it to death. Spread on crust. Fridge one hour. If you skip this the layers mix together and look like a toddler made it.
Whisk pudding and milk hard for 2 minutes. Your arm will hurt. That’s life. Stir in pumpkin and spice. Fold in Cool Whip soft. Spread on cream cheese layer. Fridge another hour.
Beat cream and powdered sugar until thick. Stop when you see peaks or you’ll have butter and regret. Dump on top and spread it around.
Cover. Fridge minimum 4 hours but overnight is smarter. Cinnamon on top right before serving. Cut squares.
Notes
- Crust perfection: Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to really pack down that crust. The firmer it is, the cleaner your slices will be.
- Prevent mixing: Make sure each layer is properly chilled before adding the next one. I know it’s tempting to rush, but patience pays off here!
- Folding technique: When folding in whipped topping, use a gentle swooping motion from the bottom up. Don’t stir—you’ll deflate all that air.
- Clean cuts: Wipe your knife clean between each slice for those picture-perfect servings.
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree! Pie filling already has sugar and spices, which will throw off the whole balance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: Chill Time: 5 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
Crust
- 3 cups ginger snap cookies, crumbled
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Layer
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whipped topping, thawed
Pumpkin Layer
- 1 (5.1-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 1 cup cold milk
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup whipped topping, thawed
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
To Serve / Garnish
- Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Substitution Notes:
- Graham crackers work but they’re boring compared to ginger snaps.
- Light Cool Whip is whatever, use it if you want.
- Everyone asks about dairy-free and I’m gonna be honest, I have no idea if that works.
Why These Ingredients Work
Ginger snaps don’t get soggy sitting in the fridge. Pie crust turns into a wet napkin after a day. I will fight anyone who tries to use cold cream cheese because you’ll get lumps and spend 20 minutes picking them out with a spoon asking yourself why you didn’t just wait. Instant pudding holds the pumpkin together otherwise it’s just orange soup. Cool Whip goes in the middle layers because I’m not fancy, but I make real whipped cream for the top because that’s the part people photograph.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking dish
- Something to crush cookies with
- Bowls
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Plastic wrap
How To Make No Bake Pumpkin Delight
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Make the Crust
Grease your pan. Crush the cookies. I use my food processor but last week I used a wine bottle because the processor was dirty and I didn’t feel like washing it. Mix cookies with butter. Press into pan like you’re trying to flatten a spider. Fridge 20 minutes.
Step 2: Create the Cream Cheese Layer
Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. This takes actual time, don’t rush. Fold in Cool Whip without beating it to death. Spread on crust. Fridge one hour. If you skip this the layers mix together and look like a toddler made it.
Step 3: Make the Pumpkin Layer
Whisk pudding and milk hard for 2 minutes. Your arm will hurt. That’s life. Stir in pumpkin and spice. Fold in Cool Whip soft. Spread on cream cheese layer. Fridge another hour.
Step 4: Whip Up the Topping
Beat cream and powdered sugar until thick. Stop when you see peaks or you’ll have butter and regret. Dump on top and spread it around.
Step 5: Final Chill and Serve
Cover. Fridge minimum 4 hours but overnight is smarter. Cinnamon on top right before serving. Cut squares.
You Must Know
Critical advice: Room temp cream cheese or don’t even start. Cold cream cheese gives you lumps. I’ve thrown out entire batches because I got impatient. Don’t microwave it to speed things up, that makes it weird and oily.
Personal Secret: Freeze your bowl and beaters before whipping cream. Mom showed me this in 2003 and it’s the only useful thing I remember from her trying to teach me to cook.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Smash that crust flat with a glass bottom. Harder = prettier cuts.
- Actually wait between layers. I tried rushing once and it looked like I’d never seen a recipe before.
- Fold means scoop and flip. Not stir. Not mix. Scoop and flip.
- Clean knife between cuts if Instagram matters to you.
- Read the can. Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are different. One will ruin everything.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Chocolate Lover’s Version: Chocolate chips between layers or drizzled on top.
Extra Spice: More pumpkin spice. Or cardamom if you’re showing off.
Maple Twist: Maple syrup instead of sugar. Put it in the cream cheese and the whipped cream.
Nutty Crunch: Pecans on top.
Gingersnap Garnish: Crush more cookies on top.
Make-Ahead Options
Make it tomorrow for the next day. Or make it two days ahead, even better. Don’t sprinkle cinnamon until serving time or it looks wet.
Make the bottom two layers up to three days early. Add pumpkin and cream the day before your thing.
Don’t freeze this. Doesn’t work. Gets watery. Trust me.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Need the instant pudding. Can’t skip it.
- Thaw Cool Whip in the fridge not the microwave.
- Gets shorter as it sits. Normal.
- Cold milk for pudding layer or it stays liquid.
Serving Suggestions
I make this every Thanksgiving because I can do it Wednesday and forget about it. Everyone asks for the recipe and I wonder why they don’t just Google it like normal people. Good for potlucks, travels in the pan.
Extra whipped cream on servings if you care. Ginger snap on the side for photos. Caramel drizzle if you’re feeling wild.
Coffee. Chai. Whatever hot drink you like.
How to Store Your No Bake Pumpkin Delight
Refrigerator: Covered, 4 days. Whipped cream looks tired after day 3 but tastes fine.
Room Temperature: Two hours then back to fridge or you’ll get food poisoning.
Freezer: No.
Serving from cold: Cold is how it’s supposed to be. Five minute sit if you must.
Allergy Information
Contains:
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Eggs probably
Substitutions:
- Gluten-free: Gluten-free cookies exist somewhere.
- Dairy-free: Need dairy-free everything and I haven’t done this.
- Lower sugar: Cut some but not all.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip in the layers?
Need to stabilize it with gelatin or it turns to liquid. Cool Whip stays put which is why I only do real cream on top where it matters.
My pumpkin layer looks curdled—what happened?
Didn’t whisk the pudding enough before adding pumpkin. Whisk pudding and milk together hard for full 2 minutes first. Also milk has to be cold.
Do I have to use vanilla pudding, or can I use another flavor?
Vanilla doesn’t mess with the pumpkin. Butterscotch works too. Chocolate is weird, don’t.
My cream cheese layer has lumps—how do I fix it?
Can’t. Start over. Use room temp cream cheese next time. Learned this the expensive way.
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