Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits
Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits are a light dessert with a creamy pumpkin mousse with a gingersnap crunch – perfect for fall and Thanksgiving!
Oh, do we love gingersnap cookies and pumpkin combined–two fall ingredients that can make a delicious dessert. These pumpkin parfaits with a gingersnap crunch are an elegant homemade dessert, made with warm fall spices. Just think pumpkin mousse (or pudding), combined with whipped cream and cookies for the best Thanksgiving dessert, too!
Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits
Similar to our easy Lemon Cheesecake Mousse, this recipe you can make ahead of time for easy entertaining. Now, that’s my kind of dessert! We made these a few years back on Thanksgiving, and it was the best and easiest desserts we’ve ever made. If you’re not making them for a holiday, they pair well with soup, salad, or any fall, cozy meal.
Why I love this recipe
- These are great to serve to a crowd and can be made up to one day in advance.
- We love the flavors of pumpkin and gingersnap.
- Individual servings for fall or Thanksgiving.
Also think sweet potato cheesecake, with no baking or cooking time involved. Easy, peasy!
What is a parfait?
An American parfait is usually made up of pudding or custard or mousse, layered with whipped cream and often fruits, granola, or some kind of crunch. In this recipe, we use broken up gingnersnap cookies for the crunch, which pairs so nicely with pumpkin.
Consistently, parfaits have a balance of different layers. Think gingersnap crust with a pumpkin pie – and whipped cream on top. Delicious!
Gather these ingredients
- Canned pumpkin pie mix
- Mascarpone cheese
- Dark brown sugar
- Grated orange peel
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Crumbled gingersnap cookies
How do you make a pumpkin parfait?
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin pie mix, mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, and orange peel.
- Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
- In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate.
- Just before serving, spoon half of the pumpkin mixture into six parfait glasses. Top with half of the whipped cream and half of the crumbled cookies. Repeat the layers.
Tips and substitutions:
- If you can’t find canned pumpkin pie mix, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to a cup of pumpkin puree.
- Don’t skimp on the gingersnap cookies. The crunch really makes this pumpkin parfait!
- Keep the parfaits in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Optional to make a day ahead, but not too much longer than that since you want to maintain a bit of crunch from the gingersnaps.
Starting with this easy Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits that you can make ahead, how about cooking a huge pot of chili, and making an invite for dinner tonight.
If you’re looking for an easy dessert with rich pumpkin flavor, I hope you’ll give this a try.
More gingersnap recipes to try:
Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream Pie
Get the Recipe:
Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfaits
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin pie mix
- 1 8 oz pkg mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. grated orange peel
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup crumbled gingersnap cookies, about 20 cookies
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin pie mix, mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, and orange peel.
- Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
- In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate.
- Just before serving, spoon half of the pumpkin mixture into six parfait glasses. Top with half of the whipped cream and half of the crumbled cookies. Repeat the layers.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
This is the perfect recipe for an “easy” friendsgiving I am hosting! Thank you for the hosting etiquette tips as well!
Simple truth…love is best seen in actions! Love on Purpose! Thanks for sharing!
Yum. This sounds wonderful!!!!