No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Recipe

'Tis the season for all things pumpkin all the time. And let's face it, there's absolutely no shame in that. Pumpkin spice lattes are on the menu at your favorite coffee shop, and pumpkin pies are piled high on the grocery store bakery displays. It's the most beautiful time of the year.

If you need a pie in a pinch, a grocery store-bought pumpkin pie is certainly a welcome addition to any festive fall meal. But nothing beats homemade pumpkin pie. What if we told you that you could be digging into a homemade pumpkin pie without ever having to turn on the oven? It's definitely doable, and this just might become your new favorite holiday season tradition.

This no-bake pumpkin pie comes together with simple ingredients, and it can be prepared in under 20 minutes. It takes some time for the pie to set, but once it's ready and you're able to dive right in, it's sure to be worth every minute.

The ingredients for a no-bake pumpkin pie are slightly different from your traditional baked pumpkin pie. But have no fear, those beautiful fall flavors that come from plenty of sugar and spice are certainly still involved.

First, you'll need a crust for your no-bake pie. You can opt to utilize a store-bought graham cracker crust, or you can make your own graham cracker crust with crushed graham crackers and melted butter.

To make your no-bake pumpkin pie filling, you'll need cream cheese, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and whipped cream. You can choose to purchase a whipped cream topping such as Cool Whip if needed, or you can opt to make your own whipped cream by using heavy whipping cream. The whipped cream will play a role in making your pie fluffy and creamy — it's much more than just a topping for your pie with this no-bake pumpkin pie recipe.

If you choose to make your own graham cracker crust for your no-bake pumpkin pie, have no fear. You can put together a simple and easy graham cracker crust in no time using two ingredients.

Start by crushing your graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can do this by either pulsing graham crackers in a food processor, or you can crush them by hand. To crush graham crackers by hand, add them to a large plastic storage bag with a zipper. Use a rolling pin, or even a wine bottle, to crush the graham crackers.

Once your graham crackers are crushed, mix the crumbs with melted butter in a bowl. Use a large fork to mix the two together until clumps form. Press the graham cracker mixture into a pie plate, and then place your crust in the freezer while you prepare your no-bake pumpkin pie filling.

There's plenty of schools of thought on the perfect crust for a pumpkin pie, and it's all up to you. Utilizing a homemade graham cracker crust is definitely an easy route to go, but there are a variety of other delicious options.

If you don't feel like making your own graham cracker crust, you can choose to purchase a store-bought graham cracker crust for this recipe. Or, swap out your graham cracker crust for a store-bought chocolate cookie crust to switch up the flavor of your no-bake pumpkin pie.

If you'd prefer to go with the classic pastry pie crust, it's certainly possible to buy pre-made and pre-baked pie crusts at the store. Or, if you're willing to turn the oven on for a classic pastry pie crust, grab a store-bought dough option or make it from scratch and bake it before you plan to fill it. Simply utilize the same steps for your filling, and then let it set in whatever type of pie crust you choose.

To kick off your no-bake pumpkin pie party, start by mixing your cream cheese and brown sugar together. To be sure your cream cheese isn't too hard or doesn't clump while mixing, it's best to utilize softened cream cheese that has come to room temperature on the counter.

If your cream cheese is soft enough you can certainly utilize a wooden spoon or whisk for this mixing task. Or, you can choose to utilize a hand mixer or a stand mixer to make it even easier. 

Whip your eight ounces of softened cream cheese in the bowl to make sure it's light and fluffy. Then, add in the brown sugar and continue mixing. Be sure to mix well enough to allow the brown sugar to be fully incorporated into the cream cheese. This should create a smooth, creamy mixture, but don't worry if it seems a bit too stiff to be pie filling at first. The other ingredient additions are sure to lighten it up. 

Once your cream cheese and brown sugar is well combined, it's time to add in the star of the show. Of course, it wouldn't be a festive fall pie without pumpkin added to the mix! 

Add in your pumpkin puree to the cream cheese mixture and stir well. Add in your cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice while you're stirring. Continue stirring or mixing with your hand mixer or stand mixer until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

You can certainly opt to add in additional spice options during this step. Of course, pumpkin pie spice is a great option, which is traditionally a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Feel free to substitute a store-bought or homemade mixture if that's what you have on hand. Once your spices are incorporated, be sure to try your pie filling. Add in additional nutmeg if you love the kick it adds, or even opt for more clove if desired. 

Part of making this no-bake pumpkin pie soft and fluffy, achieving the perfect texture, is adding whipped cream to the mix. You can certainly opt to purchase a container of whipped topping if you prefer. But if you're up for it, making your own whipped cream at home is so simple.

Use a stand mixer, or a bowl with a hand mixer, to whip your heavy whipping cream. Make sure your heavy whipping cream is cold when you start the process. Add two cups of heavy whipping cream to your bowl, and turn on your mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed for about seven minutes until peaks begin to form.

If you don't have a mixer, you can make whipped cream with a mixing bowl and a metal whisk... if you're up for a bit of an arm workout. Add the heavy whipping cream to the mixing bowl and whisk vigorously for about 15 minutes until peaks form.

Making this no-bake pumpkin pie is all about the filling. Certainly the crust will add texture, structure, and a bit of flavor to the pie, but the filling is really the star of the show here.

It's perfectly flavored as a delicious pumpkin pie, but it's so rich and fluffy that you may never want a typical pumpkin pie ever again.

To achieve this ideal texture, the last step of making your no-bake pumpkin pie is to fold the whipped cream into the prepared cream cheese and pumpkin mixture. Use a flat wooden spoon or a spatula to add 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream to the mixture, giving it a slight stir. Be sure not to overwork the mixture. Doing a vigorous stir may create air bubbles in the mixture, which could ruin the ideal texture of your filling. Give it a few simple folds, and your filling will be ready for your pie crust.

Once your filling is ready, it's time to fill and finish your pie. Take your graham cracker crust out of the fridge and double-check to be sure it set. If your pie crust is ready, scoop filling into the crust. You'll want to fill your pie crust pretty well all the way to the top with filling. Once your pie is filled, place it in the fridge to set for two to three hours.

Once your pie is set and ready, it's just about time to dig in! If you want to add a garnish of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the top, it will add a lovely look. You can either plan to utilize the rest of the whipped cream to serve with your pie, or you can use it to decorate the pie before serving. Add the whipped cream to a piping bag to pipe it onto the pie for decoration, or simply scoop the whipped cream on top when it's time to eat. Other garnishes such as chocolate shavings, sugared cranberries, or cinnamon sticks can also make beautiful additions to take the look of this no-bake pumpkin pie to the next level.