If you love the creamy, spiced flavor of pumpkin cheesecake but don’t want the hassle of baking a whole pie, these easy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake balls are your new favorite fall treat! They take all the best parts of the classic dessert—the rich cream cheese, the warm pumpkin spice, and the crunchy graham cracker crust—and roll them into a perfect, convenient, bite-sized ball, coated in smooth chocolate.
These no-bake cheesecake balls are absolutely perfect for the busy holiday season. They look elegant on a platter, they require zero oven time, and they can be made days or even weeks ahead of time. They’re a wonderful way to celebrate autumn flavors, offering an intense burst of pumpkin spice and creamy sweetness in every perfect little sphere. Get ready to impress everyone with this deceptively simple dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No-Bake Convenience: Skip the oven entirely! This recipe requires only chilling and freezing, making party prep simple and stress-free.
- Perfect Portion Control: Each ball is a satisfying, controlled bite of dessert, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, and sweet cravings.
- Intense Fall Flavor: They are packed with real pumpkin purée and warming pumpkin pie spice, giving you that authentic holiday taste.
- Excellent Make-Ahead: The filling can be made days in advance, and the finished balls store beautifully in the freezer for weeks.
- Fun and Festive: Coated in chocolate, these look beautiful and are a delightful, handheld alternative to a traditional pie slice.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, fully softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin purée (NOT pie filling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (120 g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheets)
For the Coating
- 16 oz (450 g) white chocolate melting wafers or high-quality white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening (to help smooth the melt)
- Optional Garnish: extra graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, or a drizzle of melted semisweet chocolate
Equipment
- Food processor (or resealable bag and rolling pin)
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Small cookie scoop (about 1 tbsp size)
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler for melting chocolate
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Filling
- Prep the Crumbs: If not using pre-made crumbs, place the graham crackers into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Set aside.
- Mix: In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula or hand mixer on low speed to beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Sweeten: Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing until smooth.
- Flavor: Stir in the pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until fully combined. Note: If the pumpkin purée looks watery, blot it with a paper towel before adding it.
- Thicken: Gently fold in the graham cracker crumbs until they are evenly distributed. The mixture will be soft and sticky.
2. Chill, Roll, and Freeze
- Chill (First Time): Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours. This chilling time is essential to make the dough firm enough to roll without sticking to your hands.
- Roll and Freeze: Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to roll the chilled mixture into balls (about 1 tablespoon each). Place the balls on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the rolled balls for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Freezing the balls makes them firm and prevents them from collapsing into the warm chocolate.
3. Dip and Set
- Melt the Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval, until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted.
- Dip the Balls: Remove the balls from the freezer. Dip each one into the melted chocolate using a fork, tapping the fork gently on the side of the bowl to let the excess chocolate drip off. Return the coated ball to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Garnish: Immediately sprinkle the tops with extra graham cracker crumbs or a pinch of cinnamon before the chocolate sets.
- Final Chill: Chill the balls in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is firm and set.
Substitutions and Variations
- Coating: You can substitute the white chocolate with semisweet or dark chocolate. The darker chocolate creates a beautiful color contrast and a bolder flavor.
- Crust: Instead of graham crackers, you can use crushed gingersnap cookies or vanilla wafers for a different, spiced crust flavor.
- Gluten-Free: Easily make these gluten-free by using gluten-free graham crackers for the crumbs.
- Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a simple mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Dairy-Free: Substitute the cream cheese with a high-quality vegan cream cheese block and use dairy-free chocolate for the coating.
Pro Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Chill the Dough Twice: The initial chill firms up the dough for rolling. Freezing the rolled balls prevents them from melting and collapsing into the warm chocolate when dipped. Don’t skip these steps!
- Use Pumpkin Purée, Not Pie Filling: This is the most important rule! Pumpkin pie filling contains added spices and sweeteners that will make your dough too soft and loose. You must use 100% pure canned pumpkin purée.
- Melt Chocolate Low and Slow: Chocolate can seize (become thick and hard) if it gets too hot or gets a drop of water in it. Melt it slowly in short microwave bursts or over a very low double boiler. The coconut oil helps keep it smooth.
- Use a Small Scoop: Using a small scoop (about 1 tablespoon) ensures the balls are uniform in size, which makes them easy to coat and serve.
Storage, Make-Ahead, and Freezing
- Make-Ahead: The truffle mixture (before rolling) can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. The rolled, uncoated balls can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Storage: Coated balls should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: These balls freeze beautifully! Place the finished, chilled balls in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Arrange these gorgeous pumpkin cheesecake balls on a tiered platter for a stunning holiday display. Serve them with a mug of hot spiced cider, a glass of cold milk, or a freshly brewed cup of coffee or espresso. They are a perfect final bite after a heavy holiday meal.
Approximate Nutrition
- Yields: 30 balls
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Protein: 2 g
- Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
Note: These are approximations and can vary based on the specific type of chocolate and graham crackers used.
FAQs
Q: Why is my mixture too soft to roll?
A: This is almost always due to not chilling the mixture long enough. Return the mixture to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until it’s firm enough to handle. It could also be due to not properly draining excess liquid from the pumpkin purée.
Q: Why is my melted chocolate turning into a hard, thick mess?
A: Your chocolate has seized. This happens when it gets too hot or a tiny drop of water gets into it. Make sure your bowl and utensils are completely dry, and melt the chocolate very slowly at short intervals, stirring frequently.
Q: Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?
A: No, you must use 100% pure canned pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling has a lot of added sugar and spices and is much looser in consistency, which will prevent the truffle mixture from ever setting properly.
Q: How far in advance can I make these?
A: You can make the truffle filling up to 3 days in advance. Once coated, the finished balls are best stored in the freezer, where they will last for up to 3 months. Just pull them out about 30 minutes before serving.
Q: How should I store the finished cheesecake balls?
A: Store the finished balls in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can stack them if you separate the layers with parchment or wax paper to prevent them from sticking together.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
Equipment
- Food processor or rolling pin + bag
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- small cookie scoop (1 tbsp)
- Baking sheet with parchment
- Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (120 g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 sheets)
- 16 oz (450 g) white chocolate melting wafers or chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- optional garnish: graham crumbs, cinnamon, or semisweet chocolate drizzle
Instructions
- Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or bag and rolling pin.
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar gradually.
- Stir in pumpkin purée, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until fully combined.
- Fold in graham cracker crumbs until mixture is thickened and sticky.
- Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours until firm enough to roll.
- Scoop and roll into 1 tbsp-sized balls. Freeze for 30 minutes or longer until solid.
- Melt white chocolate with coconut oil in microwave-safe bowl or double boiler until smooth.
- Dip frozen balls into melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with graham crumbs, cinnamon, or chocolate drizzle before the coating sets.
- Chill at least 30 minutes until chocolate is firm before serving.
