Every fall I stack this no-bake keto pumpkin cheesecake lasagna with layers of creamy cheesecake, spiced pumpkin pudding, and crunchy Catalina Crunch cereal — 8g net carbs per serving.
I started making this pumpkin cheesecake lasagna when I wanted something that felt like keto pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin pie combined, but without turning on the oven. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes of hands-on work, then the fridge does the rest.
Why I Use Cereal Instead of a Nut Crust
Most layered desserts like this call for a baked walnut or pecan crust on the bottom. I tried that version twice, and both times the crust turned soggy by day two. Catalina Crunch cereal stays crunchy even after sitting in the fridge overnight. It holds up between the pudding and cheesecake layers without going soft, which is exactly what you need in a dessert that's better the next day. If you've made my keto strawberry pretzel salad, it's the same idea: a crunchy layer that actually lasts.
The cheesecake layer is thick and tangy, and I beat the heavy cream right into the cream cheese so it's one bowl instead of two. The pumpkin layer uses sugar-free vanilla pudding mixed with pumpkin puree and warm spices. I actually used individual spices the first time (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves) because I couldn't find my pumpkin pie spice jar in the back of my cabinet, but 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice works the same way.
What sold me on this recipe was the taste test. My sugar-loving kid ate a full slice and didn't notice it was sugar-free. That's the real test in my house. The layers are rich enough that it doesn't read as a "diet dessert," and the caramel drizzle and pecans on top make it look like something from a bakery case.
I like to bring this to holiday dinners because it feeds a crowd and travels well in its casserole dish. A 2-quart dish gives you about 12 servings, so I'm not scrambling to make two desserts. For more fall ideas, my keto pumpkin roll is another one I rotate in, and mini keto cheesecakes are great when I want individual portions.
The finishing touch is a drizzle of sugar-free caramel and chopped pecans. That combination of sweet, salty crunch on top of cool, creamy layers is what makes people come back for seconds. I've made this low carb dessert for Thanksgiving two years running now, and it's the first thing gone from the table.
I make this the night before serving now, every single time. The layers need at least 4 hours to set, but overnight is when everything comes together. The pumpkin pudding firms up, the cheesecake layer gets dense and creamy, and the cereal somehow stays crunchy even sitting between wet layers. Reader Celeste made it for a fall gathering and confirmed it was just as good the next day, which tracks with my experience exactly.
Refrigerator storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge and they’ll stay fresh for 4-5 days. I wouldn’t freeze this one. I tested it and the pudding layer separated when it thawed, turning watery while the cheesecake held up fine. The texture just isn’t the same. For a low carb treat that does freeze well, my keto no-bake cookies are a better option.
If you’re making this for Thanksgiving or a holiday dinner, assemble it the night before and store it covered in the fridge. Add the caramel drizzle and pecans right before serving so they stay crunchy. That’s it. No fussing, no last-minute scramble. I’ve brought this to enough dinners to know the less I touch it day-of, the better it turns out.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetener together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
For this step
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
1 cup heavy cream
2
Make pumpkin layer
In a medium bowl, whisk milk, pudding mix, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. Mix until smooth.
For this step
2 cups milk of choice
2 small boxes sugar-free pudding
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3
Spread cream cheese layer
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture in the bottom of a 2-2.5 quart casserole dish. Scatter half of the cereal on top to form a thin layer.
For this step
9 oz package Catalina Crunch Cinnamon Toast Cereal
4
Assemble lasagna
Top with half of the pudding mixture, then half of the remaining cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layers starting with the remaining cereal, then remaining pudding mixture and ending with remaining cream cheese mixture.
5
Refrigerate
Loosely cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with chopped pecans if desired.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 slice
Calories
248
Fat
19.9g
Protein
9.1g
Total carbs
14.4g
Net carbs
8g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze this pumpkin cheesecake lasagna?
I've tried freezing it and I don't recommend it. The pudding layer separates when it thaws and goes watery, which ruins the whole texture. The cheesecake layer holds up fine on its own, but the pumpkin pudding breaks down completely. I stick to the fridge. It lasts 4-5 days covered, and I actually think it tastes better on day two than day one.
Why did my lasagna turn out runny?
My first batch was runny too. Three things fixed it for me: make sure your cream cheese is softened but not warm (room temp, not microwaved), whisk the pudding mix until it's fully thickened before you start layering, and give it a full 4 hours in the fridge minimum. I make mine the night before now because the layers firm up so much better with a full overnight chill.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
I've tested both. Fresh pumpkin has more water content, so if you go that route, roast it first and strain it through cheesecloth until it's as thick as the canned version. Canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) is more consistent and what I always reach for. One less variable to worry about when you're layering something like this.
What milk works best for the pudding layer?
I use unsweetened almond milk and it sets up perfectly every time. Coconut milk from a carton (not canned) also works well. Whole dairy milk sets the pudding faster but adds carbs you don't need. I'd skip oat milk since it tends to make the pudding too thin. If you like that pudding texture, my sugar-free banana pudding uses a similar technique.
What can I use instead of Catalina Crunch cereal?
I've tried Magic Spoon and HighKey, and both work. Magic Spoon has a bit more crunch; HighKey is sweeter. You could also skip the cereal entirely and the dessert still holds together, you just lose that contrast between creamy and crunchy that I think makes it special. A crushed pecan layer works too if you want to go the nut route (just press them in, no baking needed).
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of all the separate spices?
Yes, and I do this most of the time now. I only used individual spices the first time because I couldn't find my pumpkin pie spice jar in the back of my cabinet. About 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice replaces all five spices. I've made it both ways multiple times and I genuinely can't tell the difference.
How far ahead can I make this for Thanksgiving?
I make mine the day before and it's actually better that way. The layers firm up and the flavors develop overnight. I've pushed it to two days ahead and it was still great. Keep it covered in the fridge and add the caramel drizzle and pecans right before serving so they stay crunchy. I usually make a couple of pumpkin desserts for the table, and my pumpkin whoopie pies are good for people who want something handheld.
Can I serve this in a trifle dish instead?
I've done it both ways. A trifle dish looks gorgeous because you can see all the layers through the glass. I used my chocolate trifle dish for it. Same recipe, same proportions, just spoon the layers in instead of spreading them flat. The only trade-off is you can't cut clean slices, so plan on scooping servings with a big spoon.
Hey Annie, your recipes are a big reason I’ve stuck with this way of eating. I’d written off layered desserts, but the pumpkin pudding layer set up firm overnight. Didn’t feel like I was settling.
This lasagna is the only dessert I make for summer cookouts now, fourth one this year! I started whipping the heavy cream separate and folding it into the cream cheese layer instead of beating it all together, and it comes out so much fluffier. Thanks! 🙂
Does patting the canned pumpkin dry actually matter? I thought it was overkill until my first attempt came out looser than I wanted. Once I added that step, the pudding layer set firmer and the slices came out clean. Two minutes on paper towels.
What got me was the cream cheese layer actually holds up as a base and doesn’t taste like sweet dairy filler, which is exactly what I’ve been getting from no-bake keto desserts for two years. The pumpkin spice layer has real depth. The allspice and ginger earn their spot. I did think the cheesecake base needed more sweetener than the recipe calls for, it read flat against the spiced layer once they were stacked. Still, first fall dessert on keto that didn’t feel like an accommodation. I’d make this again, just knowing I need to fix that imbalance on my end.
Katie, that balance issue is real. The spice layer is punchy enough that the cheesecake base needs more than the 1/2 cup I have in the recipe. I’ve been going to 3/4 cup when I make it now and it holds its own much better.
Cut into it after dinner and the layers came out clean. My mom kept pointing at the top asking what the crust was. Told her it was a cereal and she looked at me like I had the wrong answer. Pumpkin layer runs a little sweet for my taste, I’d pull back on the sweetener or go harder on the allspice and nutmeg. The cheesecake base is what holds the whole thing together, that tang cuts through. Four stars this time, adjustments pending.
Camila, yes, more allspice is the move. I’ve tested it at 1/2 tsp instead of 1/4. The pumpkin layer reads less sweet without touching the sweetener amount, just more spiced. And the cheesecake base comment is why I keep that layer thicker than most recipes do.
Making this tomorrow for a family thing. Will the Catalina Crunch go soggy if it’s assembled 12 hours ahead? Should I hold the cereal and layer it in right before serving?
Hold the cereal, Taylor. The cheesecake and pudding layers actually get better overnight (they firm up and the flavors come together), but the Catalina Crunch goes soft within a couple hours. I put everything together the night before and add the cereal right as I’m bringing it out.
15 servings from one dish is what got me. I’ve been hunting for batch keto desserts that aren’t single-serving for months. Assembly is faster than it sounds, maybe 25 minutes once the cream cheese is soft and the pudding is whisked. And it portioned so cleanly after the overnight rest. Nothing slid or smeared, which isn’t what I expected from a three-layer cold dessert. Individual slices in small containers, held through day four no problem. One thing to know: the Catalina Crunch softens in the fridge, so by day three it’s more of a dense base than a crunch layer. Add a fresh sprinkle right before serving if that matters to you. Four stars for that, but the flavor actually gets better after a couple days.
Good catch, Rachel. I keep a bag of Catalina Crunch on the counter for this, sprinkle it right before serving. The flavor getting better by day two is real, which is why I always make it ahead.
Room temperature cream cheese means actually left out for a full hour. Not fifteen minutes from the fridge. Found this out the hard way when my first batch came out lumpy and wouldn’t spread at all, even after beating it forever. Once it’s truly at room temp, the cheesecake layer goes on smooth and looks like the pictures. The pumpkin layer is more forgiving, but the cream cheese is picky about this. Second thing: don’t rush the fridge time. Four hours minimum, overnight is better. Layers stay cleaner when you cut it and the pumpkin sets up right.
Probably obvious but worth saying anyway: warm your knife under hot water before each cut. Cold knife drags the cream cheese through the pumpkin layer and you lose the whole visual. Wipe it dry between cuts. Once I started doing this it went from ‘tastes great but looks like a mess’ to something you’d actually photograph.
six months in and dessert was basically just berries. so finding something with actual layers and a spiced pumpkin filling kind of stopped me. made it on a Tuesday. the no-bake part is what got me, because I half-expected to spend two hours on something that might not even work.
Six months of berries is a sentence I understand. The pumpkin pudding is what made me nervous when I was developing it too – but it sets up firmer than it looks when you first pour it.
Subbed full-fat coconut milk in the pumpkin layer since I was out of regular. It set up way thicker than I expected, almost mousse-like. Couldn’t taste the coconut at all once everything was layered. Didn’t need to make a store run, so win.
Canned coconut milk does that. The fat content makes the pudding set up way denser than carton. Those pumpkin spices bury the coconut flavor completely.
I never make desserts (too intimidated) but it was way too hot to turn on the oven and this came up. Followed the layers exactly and refrigerated it overnight. By morning everything had set up and the pumpkin pudding layer was so much creamier than I expected from a mix. Genuinely proud of how it looked. Definitely making it again when pumpkin season hits.
No-bake first. Smart. The pudding layer always throws people because ‘from a mix’ sounds like a shortcut, but it builds real texture overnight, way more than it looks like going in. I always push it to 12 hours, even when 8 seems like plenty. And it slices cleanest cold, so pull it straight from the fridge when you’re ready to serve. Caramel drizzle and the chopped pecans both, when pumpkin season hits.
My daughter has been asking for this since September and I finally caved and made it in June because no-bake meant I had no excuses. She ate her serving and then immediately asked if the Catalina Crunch layer would get soggy overnight. That’s how I knew she was already planning her breakfast.
Tried four or five keto pumpkin desserts last fall and they all had this weird flat sweetness. The pumpkin pudding here actually tastes like pumpkin pie filling, and the Catalina Crunch at the bottom gives it real texture. Making this one again.
That flat sweetness is what I was trying to fix. The cloves and allspice are the ones that push it into actual pumpkin pie flavor instead of just sweet orange cream.
Went in skeptical the Catalina Crunch would just turn to mush sitting overnight. It didn’t, and that’s the part that got me. Better texture than any no-bake pumpkin dessert I’ve tried.
The layers set up beautifully after a full overnight chill, and the spice ratio in the pumpkin pudding layer is exactly right (I was half-expecting it to taste more like pie filling than cheesecake). One thing worth flagging: the Catalina Crunch at the bottom went pretty soft by day two. If you’re planning to make this ahead, I’d hold the cereal layers until right before serving rather than building them in during assembly. Still a solid recipe, just something to know going in.
Tried probably three other keto pumpkin desserts this past month and they were all either too sweet or weirdly dense. This one’s different. The Catalina Crunch layer gives it actual texture and the pumpkin spice comes through instead of just tasting like sweetener with orange food coloring.
