These No Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Jars are layered desserts made with a bottom layer of chocolate cake, a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake filling, and whipped cream on top, all built right in individual jars. No oven needed for the filling, and the chocolate base underneath is an unexpected pairing that works better than you’d think.

I make these for fall dinner parties and Thanksgiving when I want individual desserts instead of slicing one big dish in front of everyone. They’re also easy to make a day ahead, which takes one more thing off your plate on a busy holiday. Set these out next to another trifle jar or other no-bake dessert cups for a build-your-own dessert bar.

If you’re into individual no-bake desserts for entertaining, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

A store-bought chocolate cake or brownies works fine for the bottom layer, crumbled up, this isn’t the place to bake something from scratch. Canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling, keeps the cheesecake layer’s sweetness and spice level in your control.

Ingredients

3 cups crumbled chocolate cake or brownies
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Whipped cream, for topping
Cinnamon, for garnish

Directions

Crumble the chocolate cake or brownies into small, even pieces using your hands.
You want pieces small enough to spoon into jars easily, but not so fine that they turn to crumbs.
Divide the crumbled chocolate cake evenly among 6 small jars or glasses, pressing down gently to form a compact bottom layer.
This layer doesn’t need to be packed too tight, just enough that it holds together when you spoon the filling on top.
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, beating until fully combined and no streaks remain.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin cream cheese mixture in two additions, folding just until combined.
Overmixing at this point deflates the whipped cream and gives you a denser, less fluffy filling.
Spoon or pipe the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the chocolate cake layer in each jar, dividing evenly.
A piping bag with the tip snipped off gives you a cleaner layer than a spoon, especially if you want neat lines against the glass.
Top each jar with a swirl of whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, this gives the layers time to set and the flavors time to come together.
Serve chilled and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Don’t skip the chill time. At least 2 hours in the fridge is what lets the layers firm up enough to hold their shape when you dig in, serving these right away gives you a looser, messier bite.
Fold the whipped cream in gently. Overmixing deflates the air you just whipped in, fold in two additions and stop as soon as it’s combined.
Use pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spice mixed in, which throws off the sweetness and spice level of the cheesecake layer.
Storage. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chocolate cake layer softens a bit over time from the moisture in the filling, which isn’t a bad thing here.
Make ahead. These are actually better made a day ahead, the layers set more firmly and the flavors have more time to meld.
Portion size. Small 8-ounce jars work best for this, anything much larger makes the layers feel out of proportion and harder to eat with a spoon.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Serve chilled, straight from the fridge, with a small spoon for digging through all the layers at once. These look great on a dessert table lined up together since each jar shows off its layers through the glass.

Storing Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add the whipped cream topping fresh if you’re making the base layers ahead of time.

Customizing Swap the chocolate cake for graham cracker crumbs if you want something closer to a classic cheesecake base. A drizzle of caramel sauce between the layers adds extra flavor if you want these a little more indulgent for the holidays.