Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake

I am not a huge pie/cake dessert person at all really...never have been.  I'm the girl who who would just have the "a la mode" with a large amount of coolwhip on it and skip the pie.  So when I came across this recipe from Skinnytaste, I was ecstatic!  Such a tasty fall treat that is so light and fluffy, it doesn't leave you with that full feeling after eating a piece...or 3. It was around the end of October that I first tried it and I've already made this 3 times....some may call it an obsession.


Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake
from Skinnytaste

• 7 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked
  
• 8 oz Cool Whip Free, thawed
  
• 9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, until firm.



A few things I've noticed from making this obsessively the last month or so is that it really helps to bake the cracker crust for a few minutes until brown and letting cool before spooning the mixture in.  This really helps the crust from being so prone to crumble into a million pieces, which will happen-I promise.  Also, the cheesecake never really gets that "firm" mold, but stays together quite well!  I've noticed that it needs a good 6 hours to refrigerate to be best.


Sidenote: I've followed the recipe as is, made it once with fat free cream cheese and cool whip and once with regular fat for both.  Honestly, I can't tell a difference in any, and either can anybody else eating it!  The full fat ingredients did make the mixture a bit firmer.