Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy no-bake pumpkin dessert.

• Cream cheese: Let it soften completely at room temperature so it blends smoothly without little lumps of cream cheese throughout the mousse.
• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness along with a deeper flavor that goes really well with pumpkin and warm spices.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Gives the mousse its classic combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and other fall spices.
• Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added.
• Whipped topping: Heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla make a fluffy homemade whipped cream that gets folded into the pumpkin mixture.
• Toppings: Mini chocolate chips, cinnamon, candied pecans, caramel, or crushed cookies all make pretty garnishes.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

One of the nice things about Pumpkin Mousse is how easily you can change the toppings and a few of the ingredients.

• Cool Whip: For an easy shortcut, substitute thawed Cool Whip for the homemade whipped cream. Several of our readers have made it this way with great results.
• Powdered sugar: You can use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar when making the whipped cream. It dissolves quickly and gives the cream a smooth texture.
• Homemade pumpkin puree: Homemade pumpkin puree can be used in place of canned. If your homemade puree seems especially watery, let some of the excess moisture drain before adding it.
• Extra pumpkin spice: Add a little more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon if you like a stronger spice flavor.
• Caramel: A drizzle of salted caramel over the top is especially good with the pumpkin and cream cheese.
• Crunchy toppings: Try chopped pecans, candied pecans, crushed gingersnaps, graham cracker crumbs, or crushed Biscoff cookies.
• Chocolate: Mini semisweet chocolate chips are my favorite, but white chocolate or butterscotch chips work too.
• Dairy-free: For a completely dairy-free mousse, you will need both dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free whipped topping. Store-bought coconut whipped topping is the easiest option. If making coconut whipped cream yourself, refrigerate full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream for at least 24 hours and whip only the thick solid cream, leaving the watery liquid behind.
• Lighter version: Light cream cheese and light whipped topping can be substituted, although the finished texture may be a little softer.

How to Make Pumpkin Mousse

This is a no-bake mousse, so the whole thing comes together quickly.

Recipe Tips

• Soften the cream cheese completely. Cold cream cheese is one of the biggest causes of a lumpy mousse. It should be soft enough to blend smoothly before adding the pumpkin.
• Start with cold whipping cream. Heavy cream whips best when it is very cold. A cold mixing bowl and beaters can also help.
• Whip the cream before adding the sugar. Let the cream begin to thicken first, then gradually add the sugar and vanilla and continue whipping to stiff peaks.
• Don’t overwhip the cream. Stop once stiff peaks form. If you continue beating too long, the cream can become grainy and eventually turn into butter.
• Fold instead of mixing. Once you add the whipped cream to the pumpkin mixture, use a spatula and gently fold. An electric mixer at this stage can knock out the air that makes the mousse fluffy.
• Use pure pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned and will throw off the flavor and consistency of the recipe.
• Chill for a firmer texture. You can eat this mousse immediately, but refrigerating it for 30 minutes to a few hours gives it a colder, slightly firmer texture.
• Use smaller serving cups for a crowd. The recipe makes approximately 4 cups of mousse before the extra whipped cream topping. You can make four large servings or about eight ½-cup servings.
• Add garnishes right before serving. This is especially helpful with cookie crumbs or other crunchy toppings so they don’t soften in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

Pumpkin Mousse is a great make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.

You can make the mousse up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. For the prettiest presentation, I like to wait until shortly before serving to add the final whipped cream and garnishes.

You can either refrigerate the mousse in one covered bowl and portion it later or spoon it into individual serving cups before refrigerating. If you are using ramekins or glasses, cover them so the tops don’t dry out or pick up other flavors from the refrigerator.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and enjoy them within about 3 to 4 days.

I don’t recommend freezing the finished mousse. Whipped cream and cream cheese can change texture as they freeze and thaw, so this recipe is best enjoyed fresh from the refrigerator.

Pairing Ideas

Pumpkin Mousse is especially good at the end of a traditional fall or Thanksgiving meal. I love serving it after our Thanksgiving Turkey with Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Green Bean Casserole, and warm Homemade Dinner Rolls. Since the mousse is light and served cold, it is a nice way to finish a big holiday dinner.