Say “pumpkin” and most people say “pie”, but pumpkin is not just for pie. This creamy pumpkin mousse is a pumpkin dessert the whole family will love. No pie crust to deal with, just a light and airy mousse. Add this recipe to your Thanksgiving desserts menu if you don't want to deal with pie crust or skip the carbs.
I’ve made this creamy pumpkin mousse many times to the delight of family, guests and clients alike. The best thing is it can be made a day ahead. Getting something done and off your checklist in advance is always welcome. Canned pumpkin puree makes this recipe easy. Read the can label and buy plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Perfect for fall desserts and Thanksgiving.
- Easy to make ahead.
- No pie crust, so easier to make and low carb.
- Terrific texture and flavor.
Toasted pumpkin seeds are easy to make in minutes and a great add to salads and soups for garnish. They are addictive!
Recipe Ingredients
The lightness and flavor of this pumpkin mousse is a nice alternative to traditional pumpkin pie. Since it's low-carb (low sugar), it's a keto pumpkin mousse too.
- Gelatin: Get the unflavored type.
- Eggs: You only need the yolks.
- Sweetener: sugar or monk fruit for low carb and special diets.
- Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin puree is what to buy, not the pie filling.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and ground clove.
- Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. They are the same. Say no to that tub of fake food whipped topping (ick seriously?)
- Vanilla: Get good vanilla extract or vanilla paste. Here is my favorite vanilla.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a pumpkin spice blend like this or make your own.
- For a fun garnish, use crushed ginger cookies.
Try this creamy polenta with pumpkin. It might sound like a crazy combination but it is terrific. Top with poached eggs for breakfast or browned sausage for dinner. Leftovers re-heat beautifully.
Recipe Instructions
The first thing is to do what is called "bloom" the gelatin. That means soften it and make it usable. Add the gelatin powder and cold water to a medium bowl and let it stand for about 5 minutes to soften. Whisk in the yolks and sugar or monk fruit until pale, creamy and thick.
Place a medium saucepan with a few inches of water on the stove and bring to a simmer. Place the bowl with the egg mixture on top of the pan and whisk continually until a digital kitchen thermometer reaches 165°F. It will take a few minutes. You'll get a little arm workout. You're cooking the raw eggs so they don't scramble.
When the base is cooked, cool it down by beating with an electric mixer, about 5 minutes. Beat in the spices and pumpkin puree, then refrigerate until cold and thickened, about an hour.
Lastly, with clean beaters, whip the cream to stiff peaks with the vanilla on high speed, then fold in the pumpkin mixture by hand with a flexible spatula. It's ready to serve. See tips below for using a piping bag.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve pumpkin mousse in a variety of ways. I’ve piped it into pastry puffs, white chocolate cups, stemmed wine glasses, glass dessert dishes or individual ramekins. Garnish with a little more homemade whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, maybe gingersnap cookies or Amaretti cookie (or the crushed sprinkles of the cookies).
If you want to get fancier, make it into a pumpkin mousse trifle by layering into glasses with the crushed cookies.
How to Pipe Mousse
Mousse and other soft fillings, either sweet or savory, are easy to store and transport in a disposable piping bag. I often use a star piping tip in the size of #823 – #867. These are larger tips than what you usually find at typical stores. They can be purchased at a restaurant supply, pastry supply, or on the web for a few dollars.
Disposable 18" piping bags are available online or cooking supply stores. I use them not only for piping mousse, but deviled egg filling and even fancy mashed potatoes. They come in handy and are clean and sanitary compared to the old cloth style.
Piping Tips
At the end of dinner, place the mousse in a disposable piping bag (or do it ahead of time) with a star or plain piping tip. When you are ready for dessert, slice off the tip of the plastic bag to expose the tip, twist the top of the bag to squeeze the contents down into the tip and pipe. Being right-handed, I twist and gently squeeze with my right hand and guide the bag with my left.
Recipe FAQs
Pumpkin pie and pumpkin mousse share a similar flavor profile. Pumpkin mousse is light, airy, and a no-bake recipe, while pumpkin pie is baked in a crust and is more dense in texture than mousse.
Pumpkin mousse can be made a day ahead of time. Store it in a large airtight container and scoop or spoon it into glasses to serve. Another option is to scrape pumpkin mousse into a disposable 18" piping bag fitted with either a star or plain tip. Secure the top with a rubber band and refrigerate until serving time. To serve, snip the end of the plastic bag off and pipe into serving glasses or cups.
Warm fall spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, star anise, ground clove, and cardamom are typical to flavor pumpkin mousse. Use your favorites, or buy a pumpkin spice blend at the store or a spices boutique.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try some of these delicious ideas.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Mousse Dessert Recipe
Equipment
- 18" disposable piping bag optional
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin less than 1 envelope
- 1 ½ tablespoons cold water
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup monk fruit blend or natural sugar, or half and half
- 1 15 ounce can plain pumpkin
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ cups well-chilled heavy whipping cream
- ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Cook Base
- In a medium metal bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water to soften for 1 minute. Whisk in egg yolks and sugar until smooth, then set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook egg mixture, whisking constantly, until a digital kitchen thermometer reads 165°F. Tilt bowl to facilitate easier measuring of the temperature.
Cool Base
- Remove the bowl from pan and with a hand electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mixture will be very sticky. Beat in pumpkin and spices. Chill pumpkin mixture, covered, until thickened and cool but not completely set, about 1 hour.
Combine and Finish Mousse
- In a bowl with clean beaters beat cream with vanilla until it holds stiff peaks, then gently fold into pumpkin mixture.
To Serve
- To serve spoon into stemmed glasses or small jars. Cover glasses with plastic film and chill until firmed up, about 3 hours, and up to 1 day. Before serving, garnish if desired. Ideas in post. Note: This mousse is equally as good made fresh if you have not had time to make it ahead, but will pipe easier after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
Optional Piping Directions
- Transfer mousse to a large disposable pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (see below) and pipe into stemmed glasses. Alternatively spoon into glasses or small bowls.
Carol says
Followup question: Assuming I need to quadruple this recipe in order to get 18 cups of final product, do you think that's a good idea or should I make 4 separate batches?
Carol
Sally says
You might be able to handle a double batch (as I have done that for larger parties) but not a quadruple batch. That's a lot at once for a home kitchen and standard size appliances. Thinking you will for sure need to use a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. You will get better consistency with two double batches. You will really need those disposable piping bags (and tips) to store, then execute to fill your phyllo cups. And the mousse can be made a day or even two ahead, stored in the bags with tips in place, ready to go, then fill your phyllo cups. It's good to make it ahead, because it sets up nicely under refrigeration. Can't wait to hear how it comes out. Any other questions, please email me!
Carol says
Thanks again, Sally. Good to know I can make the mousse ahead. Once I looked at the quantity of ingredients, I decided that a quad recipe was just asking for trouble. Glad you confirmed it. I have a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, so I'm good there.
However... I just took a closer look at the Wilton decorator tube thing I bought months ago. Nice bunch of tips... but... the cylinder only holds about a cup, so I need to hunt down some bags so I'm not endlessly filling the Wilton cylinder.
Thanks again for your help and encouragement... I'll definitely tell you how it all turned out!
Carol says
GREAT recipe! Thanks. I'm planning to pipe this into 36 phyllo cups that I'll make in a cupcake pan. Question: Do you have any idea how many cups your recipe makes?
Thanks!
Carol
Sally says
Hi Carol. Oohhh, I wish I had that note. It is a generous serving for 6, so depending on the appetites of your guests you may be able to get 8 out of the recipe, especially after a Thanksgiving dinner. Another thought. When you do your phyllo cups, try adding warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to flavor the phyllo cups. You will have to report back how they came out!
Carol says
Oh, great idea to flavor the phyllo cups! Maybe a tiny bit of sugar, too?
Here's the "how to" I'm following for the phyllo cups: http://www.fifteenspatulas.com/homemade-phyllo-cups/
Originally, I was going to make baked phyllo cannollis, then decided that all it would take for is one person to pick up a cannolli, bite into it, and the pumpkin mousse would go shooting out the other end... splat! No good could come of that. LOL
Madonna says
Oops, I meant evaporated milk. I don't mean to sound so pedant, but I seem to need more instructions than the norm. As I said before I love your site and I in no way mean anything critical with all my questions. Everything I have made from your site has been excellent. Your family is very lucky, and now so am I.
Sally says
You're not being critical at all. You are being inquisitive and that's good. I'm always happy to help. Half and half should work fine as a sub for evap milk. Glad the recipes are working for you!
Madonna says
I think I will be having two different meals that I will have to bring dessert. I think this is my Thanksgiving dessert. Your instruction said chill mousse, uncovered, until firmed up a bit, about 3 hours, and up to 1 day (loosely cover after 3 hours). What is the purpose of leaving it uncovered? Does it not form a skin on top?
Also for pies I notice that a lot of recipes for pumpkin pie use a can of condensed milk. Can I use half and half with the same result? Although I will use canned pumpkin, I try to limit any canned ingredients.
Sally says
Hi Madonna - This is my favorite pumpkin dessert! When I recommend chilling uncovered after you have piped or spooned into the serving containers (glasses, cups, white chocolate shells, etc) it's just so you don't mess up the look. Its ok for a few hours uncovered...or you can cover it loosely with plastic film. I'll make a note in the post with a better explanation. Thanks much for asking. You are a good detail person! I am also going to test this recipe this week with a product called Healthy Top, which is a vegan replacement for whipped cream. Lower in fat and calories.
When it comes to baking a pumpkin pie and altering ingredients, that's hard to say Here is a recipe for a replacement I've been wanting to try.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,183,151170-244199,00.html