No Bake “Pumpkin” Spice Cheesecake with a Gingernut Crust Recipe

This No Bake “Pumpkin” Spice Cheesecake is a super delicious autumn themed treat. Pumpkin Spice is a flavour that is very popular, especially in the USA. Here in Ireland, we generally don’t find canned pumpkin puree readily available. Similarly, we generally don’t see pumpkins in the stores to buy until mid-late October. If you wanted to try out this delicious flavour a little earlier I have a great hack for you… butternut squash! In this recipe, I used butternut squash instead of pumpkin. It has a very similar flavour and you can make a beautifully smooth puree with it to make delicious treats with. This makes the cheesecake lucious and smooth with the spices working to create a delicate balance of flavours. I used gingernut biscuits as the base to add even more flavour too.

Butternut squash puree… what?

I know it’s a little unusual but trust me, it works so well when used instead of pumpkin puree. To make butternut squash puree for this recipe, or any recipe, begin by peeling the butternut squash. Carefully slice the squash in half ans remove any seeds from the middle. Chop into a rough medium dice and place onto a lined baking tray. Cover the baking tray fully in tinfoil. Bake at 180°c (360°f) for 20-25 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once nearly cool, blend until smooth using a hand blender or blender. Alternatively, you could use a fork and mash well. Allow to cool fully before adding to this recipe. If you are using fresh pumpkin you can also use this method to make pumpkin puree. Alternatively, you can buy canned pumpkin puree from American and specialty shops.

Ok so how do I make this No Bake “Pumpkin” Spice Cheesecake from scratch?

This recipe comes together pretty easily.

Begin by mixing the crushed gingernut biscuits with the melted butter. Place into a greased and lined 10 inch springform round cake tin. Using the bottom of a jar or a small offset palette knife, firmly press down the biscuit base so it’s level all around. Place the base into the fridge to chill while you make the cheesecake filling.

Place the gelatin sheets or powder into the cold water in a microwave safe bowl. Leave to steep for 5-10 minutes until softened.

For the filling, it’s super easy, it’s essentially just whisking the mix well after every ingredient is added. Start by beating together your room temperature cream cheese with the sugar and spices. Next, stream in the cream and beat well. Squeeze out the water from the gelatin, if using sheets. Heat on medium in a microwave for 15-25 seconds until fully melted. Continue with the “pumpkin” puree and melted gelatin, beating well after each addition.

Pour the filling on top of the base, smooth over and gently tap the base of the cake tin against the table a few times to level the filling and remove any air bubbles that may have occurred during mixing. Pop in the fridge for at least 4 hours until fully set. Serve with whipped cream and sugared pecans and pumpkin seeds.

What spices are in Pumpkin Spice?

“Pumpkin spice (a.k.a. pumpkin pie spice) is an aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Sometimes allspice is included. You can buy the spice blend at the store or use ingredients you already have on hand to make DIY pumpkin spice.” (AllRecipes.com)

It is basically a blend of spices that is very popular in the USA around autumn. They use it to flavour pies, creams and even the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte which combines these spices along with offee. It can be served hot or iced. You can buy Pumpkin Spice premade in American or specialty shops.

You can make your own by combining equal parts ground ginger, ground nutmeg, mixed spice and double the cinnamon. So for every 1 teaspoon of ginger, use 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. It can be combined and stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

For more No Bake Recipes, check out my No Bake category, here.