Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- Optional: 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness
If you’re looking to lighten the mousse, you can substitute half the heavy cream with Greek yogurt, which adds a lovely tang and keeps it silky. For a dairy-free version, try using a vegan cream cheese and coconut cream — I haven’t tried it myself yet, but it’s on my autumn baking list!
Instructions
- Begin by softening your cream cheese. If it’s too cold, it won’t blend smoothly. I usually take mine out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting or give it a quick zap in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined — this usually takes about 2-3 minutes. You want it silky, without any lumps.
- In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form — this means when you lift the whisk, the cream holds a peak but the tip droops slightly. This step always reminds me of my mum’s advice: “Whip your cream like you’re coaxing a secret out of it — gentle but firm.”
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin and cream cheese mixture. Use a spatula to fold carefully — you want to keep as much air in the mousse as possible, so don’t rush this part.
- Taste your mousse. If you’d like it sweeter, now’s the moment to fold in a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. This little touch can transform the mousse depending on your mood or the season.
- Divide the mousse into serving glasses or bowls. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. This gives the mousse time to set and the flavours to deepen, much like letting a stew simmer until it sings.
- Before serving, you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon, a few toasted pecans, or even a dollop of whipped cream for extra indulgence — my family’s favourite is a light dusting of cinnamon sugar, which always sparks a little happy sigh around the table.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
