These pumpkin cheesecake balls are a delicious twist on classic fall flavors. Rich, creamy pumpkin cheesecake balls are coated in a crispy, sweet graham cracker coating and fried to golden brown, crispy perfection. They take fall treats to an entirely new level, and they always have everyone coming back for more.
It seems like pumpkin spice gets added to everything during the fall. And while some pairings may be questionable, there’s one that always works. Pumpkin spice and cheesecake are two delicious sweet peas in a pod, and adding pumpkin puree into the mix makes that flavor combination even richer.
Our pumpkin cheesecake balls take an easy, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake mix and put the crust around the filling rather than underneath it. They’re sweet little cheesecake bites that are easy to make, fun to eat, and loaded with fall flavor!
Why You’ll Love These No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
- Rich and Creamy: These cheesecake balls are super rich and creamy with classic cheesecake texture.
- Fantastic Fall Flavor: Pumpkin spice, cream cheese, chopped pecans, and graham crackers combine the flavors of pumpkin pie and cheesecake into one delicious recipe.
- Easy to Make: These are easy little bites that only take a few minute and a few simple steps.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Balls
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese gives the cheesecake balls their rich texture and sweet, tangy flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree and Spice: Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice give these cheesecake balls their classic fall flavor.
- Chopped Pecans: Chopped pecans add texture and a deep, earthy flavor that’s perfect with the rich pumpkin cheesecake.
For the Coating
- Graham Crackers and Panko: Crushed graham crackers and panko create a coating full of sweet flavor and super crunchy texture.
- Eggs and Heavy Cream: Eggs and heavy cream create the wet dredge that ensures the graham cracker mix sticks to the cheesecake balls.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Pumpkin Puree: Use sweet potato puree to create an equally classic fall variations.
- Pecans: Any of your favorite chopped nuts will work in this recipe. They all add something a bit different to the flavor.
- Graham Crackers: Different graham cracker flavors are an easy way to make subtle flavor variations to these cheesecake balls.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
1: Beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Then, add the remaining wet cheesecake ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
2: Roll the cheesecake mixture into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, freeze the balls for 2 hours.
3: Whisk the graham cracker and panko crumbs in a shallow bowl. Then, whisk the egg and heavy cream in another shallow bowl.
4: Add the oil to a large frying pan and preheat to medium-high.
5: Roll each frozen cheesecake bite into the egg mixture and then in the graham cracker mixture, coating them fully.
6: Fry a few cheesecake balls at a time in the hot oil until golden brown, then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
7: Roll each ball in cinnamon and sugar mixture, drizzle caramel over the top, and enjoy!
Hint
Be sure to fry your cheesecake balls in small patches. This keeps the oil hot enough to immediately crisp the outside, rather than making it soggy.
Storage
Refrigerate these pumpkin cheesecake balls for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap the balls in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Defrost the cheesecake balls overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Balls
The classic fall flavors of these cheesecake balls make them the perfect dessert to enjoy after a hearty, cold-weather meal like chili, pot roast, or chicken cobbler.
The rich pumpkin spice flavor of these cheesecake balls also makes them the perfect addition to a larger party or holiday dessert spread alongside other seasonal sweets like peppermint bark, Christmas muddy buddies, and pumpkin monkey bread.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls Recipe
- Fully soften your cream cheese to ensure it whips easily and fully, leaving no little bits of raw cream cheese in the cheesecake balls.
- Use a food processor to pulse the panko into smaller crumbs.
- Fry your cheesecake balls in batches to keep the oil hot and avoid a soggy breading.
- Be sure your cheesecake balls are fully frozen before coating and frying them. If they aren’t fully frozen, they’ll melt as you fry them.
- Be sure to buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. They’re often sold near or next to one another in the grocery store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin cheesecake balls are bite-size treats made with a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake filling that’s rolled into a ball, coated with a graham cracker mixture, and fried until golden brown.
Technically, you CAN freeze cheesecake longer than a month. It will still be safe to eat. It just won’t be very good. While cheesecake is frozen, the water inside of it slowly creates ice crystals. These crystals aren’t noticeable at first. However, after about a month, so many crystals have formed that the cheesecake has a grainy, gritty texture.
If your cheesecake balls fell apart when you fried them, it’s because they weren’t fully frozen. Freezing the cheesecake balls allows them to hold their shape in the hot oil. If you remove them from the freezer too soon, they won’t be fully frozen. As the oil heats the partially-frozen cheesecake balls, they’ll begin to spread and melt.
Try These Delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
With pumpkin spice-infused flavor, chopped pecans, and a crispy, golden graham cracker coating, these pumpkin cheesecake balls explode with the flavors of fall in every bite. They’re absolutely loaded with delicious flavor, but they’re not loaded with work. These balls make the perfect weeknight dessert or fall-themed appetizer, and they’re so easy to make that you’ll be looking for reasons to whip up a batch. Give them a try, and we guarantee they’ll be your new favorite!
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pecan Mixture
- (2) 8 ounce cream cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Dredge Mixture
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, crushed
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Caramel, for drizzle
Instructions
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until it’s nice and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Stir in chopped pecans. Mix until combined.
- Roll into bite-size balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours.
- In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Dredge Mixture
- In a shallow container, whisk together graham cracker crumbs and breadcrumbs.
- Using another shallow container, whisk the eggs and heavy cream together.
- Roll each bite into the egg mixture, then into the graham cracker crumb mixture, and make sure they are coated well.
- Add a few at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place balls on a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool for a few minutes, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture, drizzle with caramel, and enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- Add cinnamon and sugar to a small bowl.
- Roll each bite in the cinnamon sugar mixture and drizzle with caramel.
Notes
- Fully soften your cream cheese to ensure it whips easily and fully, leaving no little bits of raw cream cheese in the cheesecake balls.
- Use a food processor to pulse the panko into smaller crumbs.
- Fry your cheesecake balls in batches to keep the oil hot and avoid a soggy breading.
- Be sure your cheesecake balls are fully frozen before coating and frying them. If they aren’t fully frozen, they’ll melt as you fry them.
- Be sure to buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. They’re often sold near or next to one another in the grocery store.
