I haven’t always been a fan of pumpkin desserts, but mostly that’s because the texture of traditional pumpkin pie put me off trying many of them for a long time. Once I realized this, I actually found that I love all things pumpkin and pumpkin spice! Case-in-point: these creamy, rich no-bake pumpkin mousse cups with their graham cracker crust base for an added textural element that I find irresistible! The base is essentially my no-bake cheesecake with pumpkin and spice mixed in, then portioned out for the prettiest presentation that kids and adults both love!
Why this recipe works
It’s no-bake and takes less than 15 minutes to whip up. Then you can just let it chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve! Technically you don’t have to chill them at all and could dig right in, but they will set up and be more cheesecake-like the longer they have to get cold. It’s lighter and airier than a traditional pumpkin pie, with the added texture of a graham cracker crust. The individual cups make for a fun and sophisticated presentation. You can use any small glasses you have on hand, like half-pint mason jars or those cute Oui yogurt jars (I’m not the only one who saves those, right?), and double or triple the recipe for serving at a large gathering.
Recipe Ingredients
Pumpkin: Be sure to get plain pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Or you can even use homemade pumpkin puree! Cream cheese: I really recommend going with full-fat brick-style cream cheese (not the spreadable kind in a tub) for this dessert for the best results, but you can also get away with using reduced fat neufchatel instead if you want to save a few calories. Spices: A combination of pumpkin spice and cinnamon give this pumpkin mousse that classic fall flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, you can just sub a little nutmeg, ginger, and cloves instead! Graham cracker crumbs: I love the sweet flavor of graham crackers in a pie crust, but feel free to change these out for gingersnaps, biscoff cookies, or even Oreos!
How to Make This Recipe
Recipe Tips
If you don’t have enough glass cups for everyone, you could consider getting clear disposable cups to use instead for an inexpensive solution. Party stores even have small shooter-size cups like this that would be perfect if you want mini versions. Be sure to soften your cream cheese so it mixes together smoothly. You don’t want little clumps of cream cheese that didn’t get mixed in properly running through your mousse. Feel free to swap out the graham cracker crust for gingersnaps, biscoff cookies, or Oreos instead!
More Pumpkin Recipes
Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Pumpkin Bundt Cake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pumpkin Ice Cream
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
