Home > Desserts > Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball September 1, 2020 | 31 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. A delicious and simple no bake pumpkin cheesecake ball with toffee!A delicious and simple no bake pumpkin cheesecake ball with toffee!A delicious and simple no bake pumpkin cheesecake ball with toffee! No baking needed to create this simple and delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball! This fun dessert “appetizer” is packed with pumpkin pie-inspired flavors, filled with milk chocolate toffee bits, and coated in miniature chocolate chips. If you love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, you will go crazy for this pumpkin dessert ball! Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball Come fall time, my boys know just about everything we eat (and drink) is going to include pumpkin. So when we swapped our usual weekend chocolate fondue night for this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball, they weren’t too surprised. Luckily, they all love pumpkin-filled treats too! This fun dessert ball is the perfect thing to serve for a fall get together — it’s such a unique treat and everyone we’ve served it to always goes crazy for it. Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball ingredients Spice cake mix: Our absolute favorite cake mix to use in these cheesecake ball is Betty Crocker’s® Super Moist Spice Cake Mix. It’s got a great flavor, a good amount of seasoning, and there is pudding in the mix, which helps thicken this cheesecake ball and add softness. Cream cheese: I suggest full-fat cream cheese for this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball. When using lower-fat cream cheese, it doesn’t hold together as well and can actually get a bit watery. Unsalted butter: Since the cake mix does have salt in it, use unsalted butter so the total amount of salt in this cheesecake ball can be managed. Pumpkin pie spice: This is a delicious combination of warming spices (including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice). It can be found among other spices in the grocery store, or you can make your own! Canned pumpkin: Use pure canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has a lot of added ingredients, as opposed to pure pumpkin which is just pumpkin. Sugars: Powdered sugar adds sweetness, and also gives a light texture to this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball. The brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor, but we don’t add too much to avoid an overly grainy cheesecake ball. Vanilla extract: This ingredient contributes a subtle flavor addition. Toffee bits: Milk chocolate English toffee bits bring such a great flavor and texture to the dessert. Coating: The whole ball gets rolled in a delicious coating of miniature chocolate chips, but you could also roll it in crushed pecans, toffee bits or crushed graham cracker/cookie crumbs if you prefer. QUICK TIP Be sure to use room-temperature cream cheese and butter. It’s really important that the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. Don’t melt the butter or cream cheese, though, or this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball won’t set up properly. Leave cold ingredients out for 45 minutes to an hour, or use some of these tricks to bring them to room temperature quicker. Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball dippers While I’m partial to a nice big spoon…here are a few of our other favorite things to dip into this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball: Regular graham crackers or cinnamon graham crackers Golden Oreos® or Golden Oreo Thins (If you love chocolate and pumpkin together, regular Oreo cookies are also amazing!) Vanilla wafers Biscoff® cookies Pretzels/pretzel thins Gingersnap cookies Sliced apples (like Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp) How (and why) to heat treat the spice cake mix Spice cake mix is one of the ingredients in this Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball. While normally, the cake mix is heated to a high temperature during the course of baking it, and that kills any potential bacteria that may be in the flour, this cheesecake ball isn’t baked, so that means it contains “raw” flour. If you are concerned about this, I recommend heat treating the cake mix to ensure any potential bacteria are killed. There are two options for heat-treating your mix. Use the microwave: Add the spice cake mix to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst. Take your time stirring well to make sure none of the mixture burns. Use a thermometer to test the mixture in a few places to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F throughout all the mixture. (If you get less than 165 degrees, return the flour for another burst of 30 seconds). Or treat it in the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and line a large sheet pan (with sides) with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Spread the cake mix on the pan and bake, removing and stirring the mix every 1 and 1/2 minutes. Every time you remove the cake mix to stir, test it with the thermometer. As soon as it reaches 165 degrees F, it’s safe to use in the recipe. QUICK TIP Why heat treat the spice cake mix? Any time grains are used in an uncooked form, there is a small but real risk of salmonella or E. coli bacteria being present…and that is a health concern. This is one reason why we’re warned not to eat raw cookie dough. Baking cake mix according to package instructions, kills any bacteria, but since we’re using the cake mix in its uncooked form, we play it safe and heat treat it to remove any potential bacteria. Notes on heat treating the spice cake mix Let the mix cool completely before using it, because hot spice cake mix will make the degrade the consistency of the Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball. Place the pan with the cake mix in the fridge or freezer to quickly bring it to room temperature. Break up any clumps with your fingers and discard any stubborn clumps that won’t break up. Don’t scrape it up any cake mix that may stick to the sides or bottom of the pan– it’s most likely overcooked. Discard any discolored sections of cake mix, as they will make the dip taste burnt (we want the heat-treated spice cake mix to look just like it did before heat treating it — the appearance shouldn’t change at all). Use leftover pumpkin in one of these recipes Soft-baked Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting Maple-glazed Pumpkin Scones 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars with chocolate chips, toffee, and coconut Soft Pumpkin Cookies with chocolate chips Pumpkin Créme Brûleé with caramelized sugar on top FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball 4.89 from 9 votes - Review this recipe No baking needed to create this simple and delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball! This fun dessert "appetizer" is packed with pumpkin pie-inspired flavors, filled with milk chocolate toffee bits, and coated in miniature chocolate chips. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball 4.89 from 9 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe No baking needed to create this simple and delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball! This fun dessert "appetizer" is packed with pumpkin pie-inspired flavors, filled with milk chocolate toffee bits, and coated in miniature chocolate chips. Course Appetizer, Dessert Cuisine American Keyword Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake Ball Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Chilling Time 3 hours hours Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes Servings 12 large cheesecake ball (12-16 servings) Calories 428kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 1 package (8 oz.; 226g) full-fat cream cheese (See Note 1)▢ 1/2 cup (8 tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice▢ 1/3 cup (74g) canned pumpkin (not an entire can)▢ 1 cup (114g) powdered sugar▢ 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar▢ 1 and 1/3 cups (177g) spice cake mix (See Note 2)▢ 1/2 cup (87g) toffee bits▢ 1 cup (170g) miniature chocolate chips▢ Dippers: apple, Biscoff cookies, gingersnaps, vanilla Oreos, etc.▢ Optional: orange food coloring InstructionsCREAM CHEESE AND BUTTER: In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), beat together the room temperature (do NOT melt) cream cheese and butter until completely smooth.OTHER INGREDIENTS: Once smooth, add in the vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, canned pumpkin, powdered sugar, brown sugar, food dye (if desired for a more intense orange color), and pumpkin spice cake mix (See Note 2). Beat until all ingredients are well incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape the sides. TOFFEE: Stir in the toffee bits. The mixture is fairly wet and might not seem like it will come together, but it firms up a lot in the fridge!WRAP: Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and transfer the mixture into the center of it. Tightly wrap and form into a ball (again, it doesn't form perfectly here, but it will be easier to shape once it is firmer!)CHILL: Chill for 2 hours or until firm.SERVE: Once firmed and chilled, remove from the fridge. Place miniature chocolate chips on a plate and unwrap the pumpkin ball onto the chips. Roll around and use your hands to press chocolate chips all around the ball. Serve with your favorite cookies/crackers, apple slices, etc. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Do not use low-fat or spreadable cream cheese, as they won't set up. Margarine also won't set up properly, so make sure to use real butter. Both the cream cheese and butter should be softened to room temperature and not melted. Note 2: If you are concerned about the flour in the spice cake mix, I recommend heat treating it first. There are two options for heat-treating your mix: Heat treat it in the microwave: Add the spice cake mix to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst. Take your time stirring well to make sure none of the mixture burns. Use a thermometer to test the mixture in a few places to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F throughout all the mixture. (If you get less than 165 degrees, return the flour for one more burst of 30 seconds). Heat treat it in the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan (with sides) with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Spread the cake mix on the pan. Bake the cake mix, removing and stirring it, every 1 and 1/2 minutes. Every time you remove the cake mix to stir, test it with the thermometer. As soon as it reaches 165 degrees F, it's safe to use in the recipe. Nutrition FactsCalories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 1427IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
I made this for a church potluck, and it was an absolute hit!!! So many of the ladies asked me to share the recipe, I couldn’t write it down that much! I’m printing it off today for them. 😀 Thank you for so many delicious recipes! Reply
sure would love to print the pumpkin cheeseball recipe but when i hit the print button it doesnt do anything…….UGH!!!!!! Reply
I’m so sorry Cindie. I’ll have my web developers look into it. In the meantime, you might want to try a different browser or you could copy and paste the recipe into a word document and print it that way. Reply
I can’t WAIT to try this — looks scrumptious. I will say I’m not making this leap due to your baby’s endorsement of it — I mean, if he’ll eat pebbles and band aids….. LOL Reply
I just made this for a party I’m going to tomorrow and it’s simply amazing! I will be making this for years to come. Thank you for sharing! Reply
What size can of pumpkin are you referring to? There are many different sizes and I don’t want to mess it up. Reply
I’m saying if you make the ball ahead of time, don’t coat it in the toffee bits or chocolate chips until ready to serve the next day 🙂 Reply
This cheesecake ball looked amazing and tasted even better! It was a huge hit at the bridal shower at which I served it. I made it the day before the shower, so waited until that morning to stir in the toffee bits so they wouldn’t be too soft. It was a little difficult to shape into a ball because it was pretty sticky, and even stickier when I unwrapped it to roll it in the chocolate chips before setting it out, but it worked! I buttered my hands to keep them from sticking too badly when I shaped it into the ball and that helped. I served it with apples, as well as graham crackers and gingersnaps, and I think I liked the apples best, especially a sweet-tart apple like Honeycrisp or Johnathan. It was a bit addicting, and loved by all who had it! Reply
Ahh i’m so glad to hear this was a hit! I love bringing it to any get together in the Fall because it is always a hit! Thanks Jana! 🙂 Reply
Has anyone tried splitting the results into 2 smaller cheeseballs? Anyone tried freezing the cheeseball? Reply
Well, I made this ball and your pumkin cookies, well, because I had pumkin left. Big family halloween dinner was canceled because I had a sick child in the house. I tasted a bit myself,,yummy then froze and bringing it back Thanksgiving. Hope it holds well. Really delicious. Wish I could enclose pic, but yours is prettier. Reply
So happy you enjoyed this; sorry about your party, I hope the child recovers quickly! I hope everyone loves it for Thanksgiving though <3 Thanks Tammy! Reply
I’m making this tonight for an office carry-in tomorrow. Is there any reason why I can’t coat the cheese ball with the chocolate chips tonight? Why do I have to wait until just before serving? Thanks! Reply
I’ve not tried this yet, but it seems perfect for a holiday party. I can’t decide if it’s an hors d’oevres, or dessert, but I’ll figure that out after I’ve sampled it. I need to make it gluten free. I can serve it on apple slices and gf ginger snaps, no problem, but I’m a little stumped on the spice cake mix. What do we need besides the flour? I can use GF flour or almond flour (amount?), and then add pumpkin pie spice (amount?), and maybe some vanilla pudding (amount?). Anything else I’d want in there? Salt? Sugar? Milk powder? I don’t suppose I need the leavening agents at all. Thanks for any suggestions. Reply
I’d say it’s definitely a dessert 🙂 I’m not really sure the exact specifications or advice to give you since I haven’t ever attempted to make this gluten free and it would be really hard to guess specific amounts of things without personally testing. I do think you’ll need a good amount of spice if removing the spice cake mix; I’d guess pumpkin pie spice, but you’d also might want to punch it up with additional spices like extra nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice. You’d certainly want more sugar and salt too. Wish I could give you more help, but I’ve only tested this recipe as written. Reply
Also, to account for the fact that parties will be socially distanced events, I was planning to use a small scoop, and portion it onto gingersnaps and apples, and then apply the chocolate chip coating. Advice? Reply
Hmm this might be tricky; it’s very wet and sticky and I think if you’re going gluten free, it may not firm up as nicely and could still remain a bit sticky. Reply
Made this for Thanksgiving dessert and it was a big hit! Had plenty leftover after all 5 of us dug into it, just because it’s so rich. Would make it again for a fall-time party! Reply
I was surprised to see you used a boxed cake mix in this recipe! I didn’t think you would use it in a recipe like this. I’m sure it must taste good, but I do not use any cake mixes. Any idea for a substitution? Reply
