This pumpkin mousse cheesecake is the perfect dessert for so many occasions. With its cool, creamy texture it is a wonderful summer dessert, but it is also a fabulous option for holiday get togethers.
Not only is this pumpkin mousse cheesecake delicious, but it is also no-bake and can be made gluten free, so everyone can enjoy this cool, creamy treat. Add a little whipped cream and some shaved chocolate to the top and it will be the show stopper to any holiday spread.
Let’s get started…
Begin by whipping 1 1/4 cups of pumpkin purée with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of cloves and 1/4 teaspoon of salt with an electric hand mixer until light and creamy.
In a separate bowl, whip 1 1/4 cups of cold heavy cream until stiff peaks have formed. Whipping the heavy cream separately will help give this cheesecake a wonderfully light, airy mousse like texture.
Use a silicone spatula to transfer a third of the whipped heavy cream into the pumpkin mixture and gently fold the two together. The best way to successfully incorporate whipped cream into a heavier mixture is by dragging the spatula under the mixture and then bringing it through the center, turning the opposite direction and repeating like you are working the whipped cream in a figure 8 motion. If you stir the mixture too vigorously, it will deflate the air from the whipped cream and this will result in a flatter, more dense cheesecake.
Once the first third is about half way incorporated, add another third and continue until all of the whipped heavy cream is mostly incorporated into the pumpkin mixture.
When it comes to a crust for this pumpkin mousse cheesecake, you have a few options. You can buy a pre-made crust (one that needs to be baked or a graham cracker crust), you can spoon this mixture into little bowls to go crust-free or you can make my favorite chocolate Oreo crust.
Simply grind 26 oreos (with their filling) in a food processor until they are fine in texture and then mix in 5 tablespoons of melted butter until you have a texture like wet sand. Press this mixture into a 9″ non-stick cake pan or pie dish. This crust can be baked in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes and then allow it to cool before filling or frozen for about 15 minutes before adding the filling.
Add the filling into the crust of your choice, cover the dish and chill for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
This pumpkin mousse cheesecake has beautifully light texture when chilled in the refrigerator, but if you prefer a firmer texture, you can transfer it into the freeze for about 30 minutes right before you want to slice it.
Either way… you will love it.
Ok, so let’s just take a moment to talk about how inviting this cake looks. Dressing it up with a little whipped cream and some finely chopped chocolate makes it pretty enough to be your Thanksgiving dessert centerpiece. And speaking of the holidays, this is a great choice for those of us who love the flavor of pumpkin, but are not a fan of something about pumpkin pie.
This pumpkin mousse cheesecake is smooth and creamy with the just the right amount of sweetness and spice. If you make the chocolate Oreo crust, you will love how the chocolate and pumpkin taste together. It is one of the best holiday dessert pairings.
I recommend making this pumpkin mousse cheesecake the day before, which will take away some of the game day stress and give all of the flavors the chance to get to know each other real well.
When you are ready to slice into this beauty, you and everyone near by are in for a delicious treat.
Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake
- 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream, cold
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups of pumpkin purée
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Chocolate Oreo Crust
- 26 Oreos with filling
- 5 tablespoons of salted butter, melted
Garnishes
- whipped cream
- chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
Make the chocolate Oreo crust... (optional)
- This crust can be baked or frozen, if you prefer to bake the crust, preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Pulse 26 oreos in a food processor until finely crushed
- Add 5 tablespoons of melted butter and mix until combined
- Press the mixture into 8 or 9 inch pie dish or spring form pan
- Bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and allow to fully cool or freeze the crust for 15 minutes before adding the filling
Make the pumpkin mousse cheesecake filling...
- In a large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups of pumpkin purée with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of cloves and 1/4 teaspoon of salt with an electric hand mixer until creamy and then set aside
- In a separate bowl, whip 1 1/4 cups of cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form
- Gently combine the whipped heavy cream into the pumpkin mixture being careful not to deflate the air from the whipped heavy cream
- Transfer the mixture into the cooled chocolate Oreo crust or a store-bought crust
- Cover the pie and chill for at least 2 hours before serving (freeze for firmer texture)
- Garnish with whipped cream and finely chopped chocolate
