This no-bake, Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse is a light, fluffy, creamy, and decadent dessert full of festive fall flavors and real pumpkin!
Maybe, it’s just me. But, sometimes, I get SO excited to share a recipe with you! Especially one that tastes like pumpkin cheesecake but that is much friendlier on the waistline. It’s my recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse!
This sweet treat is full of fall flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. Whipping cream cheese and heavy whipping cream gives this dessert a light and refreshing texture. Meanwhile, the cinnamon graham crackers provide crunch and flavor. It’s so stinking good!
This recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse is easy and delicious. In fact, it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Yet, this yummy treat is still impressive for entertaining family and friends. They will never guess how fast it is to make.
Bonus: To make this dessert, no cooking is required! Just whip 7 simple ingredients together and chill!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Equipment
Equipment needed for this recipe is minimal. One thing you will not need for this recipe is an oven! You probably already have enough to do without putting something else in the oven. So, give your oven a break!
Although, I still recommend the following:
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Pyrex Bowl Set
- Individual Serving Dishes (with lids, without lids)
While you do not need to bake this dessert, you will need at least an hour of chilling time. That just means this is the perfect make-ahead dessert! In fact, you could prepare this dessert up to 2 days in advance.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Ingredients
Fall-Flavored Ingredients
Evidently, many people get away with calling desserts “pumpkin” when it has no pumpkin in it at all! In my opinion, if you are going call it a pumpkin dessert, it needs to use real pumpkin! Just using pumpkin spice won’t cut it. For this recipe, you’ll need a full 15 oz can of pumpkin puree.
However, do not substitute pumpkin pie mix! Canned pumpkin, is cooked and pureed pumpkin. Whereas, pumpkin pie mix is pureed pumpkin with spices and sweetener added. I prefer to use plain pumpkin puree and add my own spices since you never know what you’ll get with the pumpkin pie mix.
Generally, I like to use honey-flavored graham crackers in desserts. But for this recipe, I love using cinnamon graham crackers. They reinforce the flavors of the other spices in the dessert. Although, feel free to use honey graham crackers. Or try chocolate graham crackers! Or leave them out all together for an even lighter dessert.
Finally, we’ll add pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. These flavors really shine through, and they are so comforting to eat.
Powdered Sweetener
To add a subtle sweetness to the dessert, you’ll need a 1/2 a cup of powdered sugar. For me, this is the perfect amount of sweetness. It’s not cloyingly sweet, but it adds just enough sweetness.
Alternatively, this dessert can be made low-carb by using powdered stevia. My favorite granulated sweeteners are Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener and Pyure Organic Stevia.
TIP: You can make your own low-carb powdered sweetener at home! Blend your choice of low-carb granulated sweetener in a coffee grinder, a small food processor, or blender.
Additionally, using vanilla extract to enhanced the natural sweetness of the other ingredients.
Creamy Ingredients
Many mousse recipes use eggs or gelatin to aerate the mixture. However, this recipe does not use any of those ingredients. Instead, we’ll use cream cheese and heavy whipping cream to get the same texture without all the work.
When cream cheese and heavy cream are whipped together, they create an airy and fluffy texture. Combined with the other ingredients, it tastes like such a rich and decadent dessert.
Personally, I like to serve this dessert with additional whipped cream on top. It just takes this dessert over the top. But, that’s entirely optional!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Preparation Tips
There’s something so indulgent and decadent about eating mousse. When done right, it’s light, fluffy, and melts on your tongue. To help you create the perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse, here are some tips:
First, use softened cream cheese. It is critical to achieving a light mousse. On average, it takes about 30 minutes for cream cheese to come to room temperature.
TIP: To soften cream cheese faster, cut it into 1″ (or smaller) cubes. If you are in a rush, you can also remove the cream cheese from the foil wrapper, and microwave the cream cheese for 15 seconds to soften it even faster. Although, try to avoid microwaving the cream cheese if you can.
In this recipe, the graham cracker crumbs provide texture and flavor. To avoid crushing them too much, I used a rolling pin and plastic bag to achieve different sizes of crumbs. Or if you don’t have a rolling pin, crush them inside the bag with your hands.
In a pinch, you can also use a blender or food processor to make the graham cracker crumbs. However, if you use a blender or a food processor, avoid blending them into fine crumbs.
To neatly portion the mousse into serving dishes, use a piping bag! Once the mousse is whipped, add it to a piping bag or plastic baggie. Cut off the tip from one of the corners of the bag, and squeeze the mixture into your serving bowls. It is much easier to portion, and it doesn’t make a mess!
Want More Pumpkin Themed Desserts?
If you’re looking for more perfect Thanksgiving dessert or Christmas dessert ideas, I’ve got you covered!
For an even faster dessert, give my 10-minute Orange Chocolate Mousse a try. It’s also refined sugar-free, low-carb, egg-free. But you’d never know it by how delicious it is!
Try either one of my dumpling recipes made with refrigerated crescent dough. They also come together quickly, and they taste delicious for entertaining. Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings are delicious during any time this fall. And if you have a thing for pumpkin and cream cheese, like I do, try this recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dumplings.
Maybe, a Cherries Jubilee with Vanilla Ice Cream is more your style. Your guests will truly love watching the flames when you ignite the rum! So fun!
Or, feel free to browse all my dessert ideas, here.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 Sleeve Cinnamon Graham Crackers (9 sheets or 1 1/2 cups)
- 16 oz Cream Cheese Softened
- 15 oz Pumpkin Puree Canned
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 cups Whipped Cream Topping (optional)
Instructions
- Add graham crackers to a plastic baggie and crush with a rolling pin until finely ground. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese and pumpkin puree. Using a hand mixer, cream ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
- To the mixing bowl, add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and heavy cream. Using the hand mixer, continue mixing until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Reserving 4 tbsp, divide the remaining graham crackers into 12 individual serving dishes. Evenly portion the pumpkin cheesecake mousse into each of the serving dishes. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
- To serve, top each portion with whipped topping and a spoonful of the reserved graham cracker crumbs.
