Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse

For the pumpkin purists out there. You’re probably on pumpkin overload by now. It’s amazing how many pumpkin dishes are featured this time of year. You know the ones …pumpkin pasta, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup. This Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse is simply fluffy pumpkin at its best. So light. So creamy. I just had to share it with you all.

Your Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse ingredient list…

• Pumpkin puree – Do not substitute with pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is simply pureed pumpkin with no additional ingredients. In contrast, pumpkin pie filling is a pre-made mixture containing pumpkin puree, along with added sugar, spices, and thickeners.
• Fresh ginger – Peeled & grated. Ginger root adds a distinct, spicy, aromatic flavor. Compared to its ground counterpart, fresh ginger is sweeter with more complex flavor. If you must substitute with dried ginger, use a quarter-teaspoon instead of the teaspoon of fresh ginger.
• Ground cinnamon – Adds a warm spicy-sweet flavor.
• Ground nutmeg – Ground nutmeg has a warm, woody, and slightly sweet flavor with a hint of clove. 
• Kosher salt – Just a pinch.
• Cream cheese – Cubed, at room temperature. Cream cheese adds richness, moisture, and a subtle tanginess. If you’re looking for a possible substitute, Mascarpone – a rich and creamy Italian cheese – can be used. Another option would be Neufchatel – a low-fat version of regular cream cheese. 
• Vanilla extract – Best to use pure vanilla extract. Made from only natural vanilla beans, water and alcohol, pure vanilla extract provides a richer, deeper flavor profile with additional aromatic notes that the artificial version lacks.
• Sweetened condensed milk – Sweetened condensed milk is a thick, sweet dairy product made by removing water from cow’s milk and adding sugar. The process concentrates the milk and adds sweetness, resulting in a rich, creamy, and caramelized flavor.
• Heavy cream – Although you can use either heavy cream or whipping cream, heavy cream is recommended for its slightly higher fat content.
• Whipped cream & crushed ginger cookies – For garnish when serving.

Helpful Hint: Before pulling out your Microplane zester to grate that fresh ginger, place the ginger in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then give it a try. You’ll find that the process will be so much easier. I always keep a decent sized piece of peeled ginger in my freezer at all times.

I love the way this Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse comes together in a matter of minutes.

• In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & a pinch of salt.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
• The mixture should be slightly thicker, steaming heavily & be darker in color.
  

• Remove from the heat.
• Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract.
• Mix well until smooth. 

• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl
• Stir in the sweetened condensed milk.
• Allow the mixture to cool completely.

• Place the bowl in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
• In the meantime, grab your electric mixer.
• Beat the heavy cream until medium peaks begin to form. 

• Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture.
• Chill until ready to serve. 
  

• Like I said …pretty darn easy and quick, right? 
• If desired, spoon into 4-ounce jars.
• Serve topped off with sweetened whipped cream and crushed ginger cookies.

Your Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse can be served as it is but I would highly recommend that you take it to the next level.

Spoon the mousse into 4-ounce jars and top each off with some whipped cream and ginger cookie crumbles.

A quick note on those cookie crumbles…

• Place a few broken up cookies in a small plastic bag.
• Using a wooden mallet or a rolling pin, break up the cookie pieces so that they become very small crumbs.
• If you don’t happen to have ginger cookies on hand, any crispy variety will do …vanilla or dark chocolate would be yummy.
• It’s all about adding some texture to your creation.

I like to divide the mousse into individual servings, then place them in the fridge …ready to go when its time for dessert. You can use any 4-ounce ramekins. What I’ve used here are the cutest glass jars that I saved from numerous purchases of the French-style Oui Yogurt by Yoplait. The yogurt is delicious and really, how can you resist these adorable jars?

Your Awesome Pumpkin Spice Mousse is ready.

Time to sit back and enjoy the compliments. 

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be of superior quality. We appreciate your support.

Enjoy creamy desserts?