Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

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pumpkin cheesecake cups pin If you’re looking for easy pumpkin desserts that are cozy and crowd-pleasing, you’re going to love these pumpkin cheesecake cups. They’re the perfect no bake fall desserts—layered with buttery graham cracker crumbs, creamy pumpkin-spiced cheesecake filling, and fluffy whipped cream. These cute individual cups are as beautiful as they are delicious and make the ideal treat for fall parties, Thanksgiving dessert tables, or just a cozy night in.

This is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes dessert ideas because it’s super simple, doesn’t require an oven, and looks fancy without any fuss. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and keep them chilled until you’re ready to serve!

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Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

For the Graham Cracker Layer:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10–12 full sheets)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks (or about 1 3/4 cups whipped topping like Cool Whip)

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnish: cinnamon, crushed graham crackers, or a drizzle of caramel sauce

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

These pumpkin cheesecake cups come together in a few simple steps. You just have to prepare the crust and filling, then layer them on top of each other and add a swirl of whipped cream!

1. Prepare the Graham Cracker Layer:

In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until the texture resembles wet sand.
Set aside. This will be your base and middle layer.

2. Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
If you didn’t already, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form (or use 1 3/4 Cool Whip and skip this step)
Gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until light and airy.
Put pumpkin cheesecake filling in a piping bag with no tip and set aside (optional)

3. Whip the Topping:

Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Put whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip (I like the Wilton 1M tip)

whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip

4. Assemble the Cups:

Spoon 2 tablespoons of graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a cup. I recommend working one cup at a time. It goes pretty quickly!
Pipe a swirl of 3–4 tablespoons of pumpkin cheesecake filling (or use a spoon)
Repeat the layers if your cups are tall enough: more crumbs, then more filling.
Top with whipped cream and optional garnish.

5. Chill and Serve:

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the layers can set.
These are best served chilled and can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

Pro Tips for Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

Make one at a time. It’s really hard to know just how many cups this recipe makes without knowing the actual size of the cup you’re using. I would recommend layering 1 cup at a time just to be safe. If you try to do 10 at once and then realize you don’t have enough filling to fill 10 cups, you’ll have half-made parfaits or you’ll have to make more filling.
Crush your graham crackers finely to help the crust hold together better. You can use a food processor or place them in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Also, you can buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs.
For pretty presentation points definite use the homemade whipped topping written above and put your whipped cream in a piping bag with star tip. I like the Wilton 1M tip for classic pretty swirls. It really ups the presentation level for this fun no-bake dessert with very minimal effort. Plus, this whipped cream will last in the fridge, whereas the whipped cream from a can deflates pretty quickly.
Pipe your pumpkin cream cheese filling. Speaking of piping bags, if you want those pretty, clean layers in your pumpkin cheesecake cup, definitely put your pumpkin cream cheese filling in a piping bag, too. This one doesn’t need any kind of tip, or you can use a plain round tip if you really want to. I found that it ended up prettiest if I first piped a circle around the edge of my cup, and then filled in the circle.
Give it a shake. Just one more quick thought on making pretty parfaits! To get your layers nice and flat, give the cup a little shake after you add each thing. This gives the layers a chance to even out before you add another one on top.

FAQs

How many does this recipe make?

That’s a tricky one! At the end of the day, it depends on the size of the glasses or jars you use. I used some glasses that (I’m estimating) hold about 1.25 cups. Using those, I was able to get almost 6 pumpkin cheesecake cups (like 5.75), but I will say they were pretty large! If I were serving these for a party, I would have made much smaller portions. These would look really cute in something about the size of a shot glass for a party. Also, I would recommend making them one at a time if you don’t know how many cups you’ll need so that you don’t have a bunch of half-full parfaits in cups that are too big.

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! These pumpkin cheesecake cups can be made 1–2 days ahead. Keep them refrigerated until ready to serve, and definitely use the homemade whipped cream with powdered sugar mentioned above. If you’re going to use store-bought whipped cream, add that right before serving.

Can I use gingersnap crumbs instead of graham crackers?
Absolutely! Gingersnap crumbs add a warm, spicy twist that works beautifully with the pumpkin filling.

Do I have to whip my own cream?
Nope! For the filling, you can definitely substitute with whipped topping like Cool Whip for an even quicker version—just note the flavor and texture will be a little different. For the topping, if you’re going to use a store-bought whipped cream from a can, just add that right before serving because it deflates quickly.

Can I freeze these?
They’re best enjoyed fresh or after a short chill in the fridge. Freezing may change the texture of the cheesecake filling.

Are these gluten-free?
You can make them gluten-free by using gluten-free graham crackers for the crust!

These no bake fall desserts are one of my go-to treats when I want something impressive but stress-free. If you’re collecting easy pumpkin desserts to make this season, these cheesecake cups definitely deserve a spot on your list!