Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like a cloud of pumpkin pie. That Biscoff cookie crust really makes this pie something special.
Texture: The crust is crunchy, the mousse filling is fluffy, and the whipped cream on top is light and creamy.
Ease: You will dirty a few bowls to assemble the pie, but you won’t be taking up any space in your oven while doing it!
Pros: Fun and delightful twist on the classic pumpkin pie that you can make ahead of time without the oven.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Absolutely, this might become a Thanksgiving essential!
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This No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie takes all the best things about pumpkin pie and adds them to a light, creamy, and utterly delicious no-bake variation.
Pumpkin pie has never been my favorite Thanksgiving dessert. I think it’s because it can often be pretty bland and boring. Especially in comparison to any show-stopping pies on the dessert table like a flavorful Caramel Apple Streusel Pie or a decadent Pecan Pie.
This pie puts a new, fun spin on pumpkin pie. And, bonus: it won’t take up precious space in your oven.
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The oven is valuable real estate in my kitchen this time of year. The last thing you want is to do any more mental time and temperature calculations trying to figure out just how you’ll cook everything, in what order, and at what time.
So I decided to create a no-bake pumpkin pie that would be perfect for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving. This pie is light and delicate, not dense like your traditional pumpkin pie – and it’s super easy to make! Just check out Cathy’s review below:
Reader Love
This is SO GOOD – I will be making it for the 4th Thanksgiving in a row. I am definitely not a baker, but I can mix ingredients with the best of ’em, so I am happy and proud to finally be able to provide a holiday dessert that everyone enjoys. Thank you!
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I truly love this No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie and I hope your family will too!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie
The Biscoff Cookie Crust
One of my favorite parts about this recipe is the Biscoff cookie crust! Biscoff cookies (aka Speculoos cookies) are kind of a cross between gingersnaps and graham crackers, loaded with warm comforting spices and an almost caramelized sweetness. I find them at most grocery stores or Target in the packaged cookie aisle, but you can also grab them online here.
Crust Tips:
- Since there’s no baking involved in this recipe, it’s important to use a generous amount of butter in the crust so it won’t crumble too much as you slice it.
- Be sure to really pack the crust into the pie pan.
- The bottom of a measuring cup or a tart tamper makes easy work of this.
Can I Use a Different Crust?
You can use gingersnap cookies, graham crackers, or digestive biscuits instead. You’ll need two scant cups of cookie crumbs (about 15 full graham crackers). It’s easiest to swap out the cookie option if you have a scale and can use the weight measurement provided in the recipe.
Note that you may need a little additional melted butter if using a different type of cracker, so add just enough butter so it holds together when pressed.
The Spices
Be sure to use fresh spices for the best flavor. If you open your spice jar and the aroma isn’t strong (or especially if it’s expired), it’s time to replace it.
Pumpkin Mousse Pie Filling Tips
- You will need an electric mixer for multiple components of this recipe.
- A stand mixer is ideal, but a hand mixer will work just fine.
- The filling needs to set for at least 6 hours. I usually just make the pie the night before I plan to serve it.
- Do not use homemade pumpkin puree! It’s far too watery for this recipe. More on this just below.
The Pumpkin Puree
I used store-bought canned pumpkin puree for this Pumpkin Mousse Pie recipe. Do not use homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe because it will add too much excess liquid. Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling, either – it is not the same thing as pumpkin puree.
Check out my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin article for the differences between using fresh pumpkin puree, regular canned pumpkin, and organic canned pumpkin.
Tessa’s Tip: If you have leftover canned pumpkin puree, try my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake or Pumpkin Muffins for the perfect Thanksgiving breakfast, or my Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for a delicious fall sweet treat!
The Whipped Cream Topping
- Be sure to top the pie with the whipped cream no more than a few hours before serving.
- The whipped cream will begin to deflate and weep if topped too far in advance.
- You can also use stabilized whipped cream if you need to make this pie further in advance or if you’re traveling with it.
- I love to garnish the pie with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon, or even a sprinkle of ground Biscoff cookies, for a beautiful presentation.
Which Pie Pan Should I Use for This Recipe?
This recipe was written to use a 9-inch pie pan. Because this pie doesn’t go in the oven, the pie pan material doesn’t matter as much as it would for a baked pie. Check out my Best Pie Pan article for more info on pie pans.
How to Make No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie Ahead of Time
Once the crust and mousse filling are made, the pie can be stored for up to 2 days covered in the refrigerator. As mentioned above, the whipped cream should be added shortly before serving for the prettiest presentation, but if you don’t mind it looking a little deflated, you can add the whipped cream up to 1 day before.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Mousse Pie?
Yes! Pumpkin Mousse Pie can be frozen before adding the whipped cream, but doing so may slightly alter the texture after thawing. Place inside an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding whipped cream and serving.
More Pie Recipes You’ll Love:
No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 (8.8 ounce or 250 gram) package Biscoff / Speculoos cookies
- 7 tablespoons (99 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the pumpkin mousse:
- 1 cup (237 grams) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (122 grams) canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup (237 grams) heavy cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons (23 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.
- Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish.
Make the pumpkin mousse:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, and continue to beat until very well combined, with no pockets of cream cheese remaining, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until combined. Spread gently and evenly into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Make the whipped cream:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and continue to whip until medium peaks form.
- Shortly before serving, spread the whipped cream over the pie. Sprinkle with more cinnamon to garnish, if desired. Serve.
Recipe Notes
This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
This sounds delicious. I plan on making this, however I am not familiar with the cookies in the recipe. Is there a substitute or a specific example of such a cookie? Many thanks!
Alison de Channes, These cookies are sold in many stores such as Costco, Walmart, etc.
Lotus Bakeries is the name of the bakery that produces Lotus Biscoff Cookies. Speculoos is the generic name of the traditional crispy, spice cookies from Belgium. If you Google “Biscoff” it will show images of what you need to purchase. Hope that helps.
Can you use a stabalized whipped cream recipe
Thank you for the recipe! I don’t like pumpkin lie because it’s such a weird watery, chunky, slimy yet firm texture. But I like the flavor! My daughter made this for thanksgiving this year and it’s deeeeeeeeelicious! She’s a nine year old award winning pie baker! She won the state contest (by first winning city and then county pie contests) with a triple layer key lime pie and it was in the general category, not kids. She’s amazing. Anyway, thanks for the recipe!
Kristi
PS your instructions say to mix the Graham cracker crumbs, not speculoos cookie crumbs.
Plan on making this for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of whipped cream I plan on topping it with a brandy hard sauce recipe I use every year on my pumpkin pie. One year I didn’t make the sauce and there was an uproar so I had to whip it up last minute.
I plan on using stabilized whipped cream to fold in in the hopes that weeping will be kept to a minimum and the mousse can stay as fluffy as it can.
Sorry for the novel. I always read the comments to see if the star rating is based on actual making of the recipe and not just people liking the way the recipe sounds.
I read your and now if possible, would love to get your daughter’s triple layer key lime pie recipe. I love, love, love key lime pie! Hoping I can get a copy.
Thank you in advance!
Elizabeth
I just devoured 2 pieces of this pie after Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m thinking about going back for a third! I might be the worst baker in the world, but this recipe was easy enough for me to make, and it was truly delicious. Thanks for introducing me to this recipe, which will become a holiday tradition!
Just readIng the recipe and wondering if the pumpkin flavor is mild or greater. Has anyone tried adding more pumpkin, maybe 2/3 or 3/4 c? I know it would loosen the whole mixture, maybe too much.
To Adriana’s Q: It is my opinion that as long as you save the top whipped cream for the day you serve, you should be fine. As long as you keep your pies wrapped.
Would this hold up ok if I made it 2 days in advance?? Planning on making individual mini pies
Hi Tessa, would this pie freeze well?
This is what I need for Fall days, thank you so much! What a perfect recipe to use all the pumpkin I have after Halloween 😉
1 cup of heavy cream to make the filling, one cup to put on top.
Looks so good! Hosting Thanksgiving and thinking this is a must! On the mousse, the ingredients list 1c. of heavy cream twice. Is it 2 c. total then or am I reading it wrong? Thanks for your help!
Sounds delicious and appeals to me more than the old standard. I think the only thing I would do differently would be to not cover the pie entirely with whipped cream. Instead I would add a generous dollop of cream to individual servings. We never finish a whole pie!