Pumpkin mousse pie is the BEST no bake Thanksgiving dessert ~ it’s light as air with a zippy gingersnap crumb crust filled with fluffy pumpkin mousse. Make it ahead and chill or freeze!
I ADORE pumpkin. But not so much pumpkin pie. It’s a bit heavy for my taste. Enter this light as air pumpkin mousse pie. Imagine a pumpkin pie so fluffy, so pouffy it’s like a pumpkin-y pillow on your fork. It’s got all the flavors of a classic pumpkin pie, without the fussy gelatin or whipped egg whites. My ingenious method sidesteps the need to soften your cream cheese, too 🙂 Oh, and did I mention the zippy gingersnap crust? Could be the perfect Thanksgiving dessert!
Table of contents
no bake pumpkin mousse pie ingredients
for the pumpkin mousse
- canned pumpkin puree
- brick style cream cheese
- light brown sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- you can also use cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- salt
- whipped cream or whipped topping
- I will sometimes use a good tasting whipped topping for convenience, no judgement .
for the gingersnap crumb crust
- gingersnap crumbs
- butter
garnish
- whipped cream or whipped topping
- grated nutmeg
the easy no-bake make-ahead method
See the recipe card for specific amounts and directions.
- Toss the gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter and press into pie plate.
- Whiz together the pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar, spice, and salt. I do this in the food processor which is super quick, and makes a velvety smooth puree, even with fridge cold cream cheese (score!) You can do it in a stand mixer or with electric beaters but in that case you need to soften your cream cheese first.
- Fold the whipped cream (or whipped topping) into the pumpkin mixture.
- Spread the mousse into the pie crust.
- Chill to set the pie and make it more sliceable.
- Top with more whipped cream (or whipped topping) and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
the right pie plate
I used a 10 inch pie plate with sloping sides (rather than straight sides.) The low profile sloping slides help with removing slices of pie that are delicate, and have crumb crusts. If you only have a 9 inch plate you can use it, your pie will just be taller and you may not need all your crumbs for the crust.
RELATED: How to Measure a Pie Plate
pumpkin mousse pie vs pumpkin chiffon pie
While both desserts share a light and airy texture and feature pumpkin as a primary flavor, the main difference lies in their preparation. Pumpkin mousse often relies on whipped cream or whipped topping for its texture, while pumpkin chiffon incorporates gelatin or beaten egg whites. Both pies look and taste pretty similar, but I chose mousse because it’s easier to make and I don’t have to deal with gelatin or raw egg whites.
If you love the mousse texture be sure to try my other mousse pies:
why we love it!
This pie gives us that fix of pumpkin we absolutely crave in the fall and after our Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s so much more tempting than pumpkin pie. Think of this as a cross between pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake, but with a lighter, fluffier personality.
I love that you can make it the day before. That’s gold during the busy holidays.
This is a delicious dessert that keeps with tradition while bringing something fresh and different to the table.
pumpkin mousse pie faqs
Foods made with dairy like cream cheese and whipped cream need to be refrigerated after 2 hours at room temperature. In this case that works perfectly because the pie needs to be served chilled anyway, otherwise it will be too soft.
This pie can be frozen for short periods. You may want to let it sit at room temperature for a bit to soften up before serving, as the butter crust will be quite hard. Freezing briefly before serving can help the pie slice more sharply.
Fun idea! Alternate layers of gingersnap crumbs and mousse in small glasses or bowls. You can make them up to 2 days ahead of time, which is a boon during the holidays.
For sure. Use graham crackers, Biscoff cookies, Nilla Wafers, or even chocolate wafers.
Yes, I do that a lot. You can substitute 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans for the same amount of crumbs.
Yes, but drain it or cook it down in a saucepan to reduce the moisture, it should have the same thick consistency as canned pumpkin.
I think mascarpone cheese would be a delicious substitute.
I would use a non-dairy whipped topping instead of whipped cream, and you might try a vegan cream cheese or thick cashew cheese in place of dairy cream cheese.
You will just need to find a gluten free cookie or cracker for the crust, like gluten free gingersnaps or gluten free graham crackers.
You can dollop whipped cream on each individual slice, or spoon it onto the whole pie, leaving the edges exposed so you can see the pretty orange pumpkin mousse.
Use lite whipped topping and reduced fat cream cheese. You can also use a sugar substitute.
Pumpkin Mousse Pie
Equipment
- 10 inch pie plate
- food processor optional
Ingredients
gingersnap crust
- 2 cups gingersnap crumbs*
- 5 Tbsp salted butter, melted
mousse
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces brick style cream cheese
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tbsp vanilla paste
- pinch salt
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped. This will be 2 cups of whipped cream, or an 8 ounce tub of whipped topping.
garnish
- whipped cream or whipped topping
- freshly grated nutmeg, or you can use pumpkin pie spice.
Instructions
crust
- Toss the gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter, I like to use a fork. Toss until everything is evenly moistened.
- Pat the crust into your buttered pie plate, pressing down evenly on the bottom and up the sides. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to help flatten the crust. Put in the refrigerator while you continue with the pie.
pie
- Blend together the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, spice, vanilla, and salt. I do this in a food processor because it purees everything super smooth and you can start with cold cream cheese. If you want to use a stand mixer or an electric mixer you will need to start with very soft cream cheese to avoid lumps.
- Fold in the 2 cups of whipped cream or your tub of whipped topping until no streaks are left. Fold gently so as not to deflate your whipped cream.
- Turn the mousse into your crust and spread out to the edges. You can give the surface a swirled effect, or smooth it out, that's up to you.
- Cover with foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't mar the surface of your pie, and chill in the refrigerator for six hours or ideally overnight. You can pop it in the freezer to hasten the chilling if you need to.
garnish
- When ready to serve garnish the top of the chilled pie with whipped cream or whipped topping and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
Nutrition
more holiday pie recipes
- Cranberry Pie
- Maple Frangipane Pecan Pie
- Cherry Crumble Pie
- Rustic Apple Galette
- Lemon Butter Pie
- Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe
This is such a quick and easy recipe. Tasty
Can I use fresh homemade pumpkin puree or is canned pumpkin puree better for this recipe?
I prefer canned, but if you want to use fresh just cook it down or drain it really well so it has the same thick consistency. Too much moisture will make your mousse softer.
DELICIOUS recipe Sue, this one is a ‘keeper’!!! I used your exact recipe and then added a scant cap-full of Boyijian’s Orange Oil, and 2 T of maple sugar…..amazing results by adding this to your (already) wonderful pumpkin mousse filling. (I also substituted 1/2 brown sugar & 1/2 maple sugar for the crust).
Thanks again and I look forward to more fabulous recipes! 🙂
Zoritsa