Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooters (No Bake)

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Looking for a fun autumn dessert that's quick and easy to make? Then these pumpkin cheesecake shooters are for you! They have all the cosy flavours of pumpkin pie but take half the effort to make. With a crunchy ginger base and a creamy, sweetly-spiced cheesecake filling, these are perfect for an individual dessert or sharing at parties.

pumpkin spice cheesecake shooters on an orange

It's officially autumn, which is my favourite season of the year! Not only is it the beginning of the run-up to Christmas, it's also a great excuse to start cosying up indoors and creating more comforting sweet treats!

I have to be honest and say that I haven't dabbled much in the world of pumpkin desserts but I'm on a bit of a roll with my mini dessert shots series and figured I could do with adding an autumnal flavour. So, say hello to my no-bake pumpkin cheesecake shooters!

These have a spicy ginger nut base and a rich, creamy pumpkin pie flavoured filling. They're super cute and great for when you fancy a bite-sized dessert. Oh, and there's no baking needed! Let me show you how to make them...

Here's what you'll need

Ginger nuts: I used these instead of the usual digestives as I figured they'd complement the pumpkin spice flavours better. For my US friends, you can use ginger snap cookies instead.
Melted butter: To help the base of our cheesecake shots stick together.
Cream cheese: Full-fat will give you the best texture and flavour but since these cheesecakes don't need to set firmly, you can use light cream cheese if you prefer.
Pumpkin puree: This can be a little tricky to locate in the UK but I got mine on Amazon. If you're lucky, you can sometimes find it in the 'world foods' aisle in the supermarket around Halloween time.
Icing sugar: AKA powdered sugar, for extra sweetness.
Vanilla extract: To add more cosy flavour.
Pumpkin spice: I used ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. I recommend using measuring spoons for these if you can, as using too much spice will overpower the rest of the flavours. If you have ready-made pumpkin pie spice, feel free to use that instead!
Whipping cream: This helps thicken the filling and balance out the cream cheese flavour. You can use double cream or heavy whipping cream.

Equipment

Shot glasses: You'll need about 30 shot glasses for this recipe. I use plastic ones if I'm serving cheesecake shots at a party but glass ones are fine too if you don't mind all the washing up!
Food processor: Or a high-powered blender, for crushing the ginger nuts into fine crumbs. You can also do it the old-fashioned way by bashing them with the end of a rolling pin!
Electric whisk: Or a stand mixer, to whip the filling up until it's thick.
Piping bag: To pipe the filling into the glasses. This isn't totally necessary but it'll make the job a lot neater and faster!
Mixing bowls: A medium-sized one for the base and a large one for the filling.
Spoons: For mixing, pressing the base into the shot glasses, and measuring your spices and vanilla.

no bake pumpkin cheesecake shots on a white worktop

How to make pumpkin cheesecake shooters step-by-step

Step 1: Lay 30 shot glasses out on a work surface or large tray, ready for your base to go into.

Step 2: Place 150g of ginger nuts into a blender or food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs. Run your fingers through to make sure there are no large lumps left.

Step 3: Pour the crumbs into a bowl with 50g of melted butter and mix until well combined. Divide the mixture equally between your 30 shot glasses, pressing it down into place using the end of a spoon.

Step 4: Now let's make the filling! Place 500g of cream cheese into a large bowl along with 250g of pumpkin puree and 125g of icing sugar. Mix well.

Step 5: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and your spices: 1+½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, and ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice. Mix well to combine.

Step 6: Add 250ml of whipping cream to the bowl. Use an electric whisk or stand mixer to whip everything up until thick.

no bake cheesecake filling in a large bowl

Step 7: Transfer the filling to a large piping bag, then pipe some into each shot glass. Top with some ginger nut crumbs and enjoy your pumpkin cheesecake shots! They can be eaten immediately without setting.

piping the filling into the shot glasses

My top tips

This recipe can be halved or doubled according to your needs.
To prevent lumps in your cheesecake filling, let your cream cheese come to room temperature before you begin. This makes it easier to blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
If you don't have all the individual spices, you can substitute with 2+½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix.
If you're making these in advance, add the biscuit/cookie crumbs on top just before you're ready to serve them. This will prevent them from going soggy.

FAQs

How long do pumpkin cheesecake shooters last in the fridge?

These will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep them in an airtight container if you can, or cover the tops with plastic wrap.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling?

Yes, but you will need to omit the spices and some of the powdered sugar. Taste your mixture before piping it, adding 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until you're satisfied with the sweetness level.

How can I make these gluten-free?

All you need to do is swap the ginger nuts for gluten-free ones, or any other gluten-free cookies that you like. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free but of course, you'll need to double-check for cross-contamination risks.

pumpkin cheesecake shooters on a brown cake stand

I hope you like my pumpkin cheesecake shooters! If you make them at home, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below. Enjoy!

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