Even though I love pumpkin pie for my Thanksgiving dessert, I wanted to try something different. This year, I made Pumpkin Mousse with Ginger Cookie Crust. Boy, am I glad I went out of my pumpkin pie comfort zone to make this recipe! It’s so delicious!
The ginger cookie crust holds in all the scrumptious pumpkin mousse. The pumpkin mousse is light and airy, which is so perfect after a heavy Thanksgiving meal. I use a Vanilla Whipped Cream both in the mousse and as a topping for this recipe.
This dessert recipe is a little labor intensive but it can be made the day before.
Pumpkin Mousse with a Ginger Cookie Crust Ingredients
For the Ginger Cookie Crust:
- ginger snap cookies
- butter: the butter should be unsalted
For the Pumpkin Mousse:
- Unflavored gelatin
- Cold water
- Half and half
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree
- Egg yolks
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Vanilla Whipped Cream mixture
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream mixture:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
How to Make the Ginger Cookie Crust:
- Make the ginger cookie crust by adding about 40 – 50 cookies to a food processor and pulse until there were no big chunks of cookies.
2. Add melted butter into the food processor and pulse until the butter and cookie crumbs are thoroughly mixed.
3. Pour the cookie crumb mixture into a greased 9-inch spring form pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to spread and press the cookie crumb mixture around the bottom and partially up the sides of the pan.
4. Bake the cookie crumb mixture. Once the cookie crumb mixture is baked, set aside the mixture to cool.
How to Make the Pumpkin Mousse and Vanilla Whipped Cream
1. While the cookie crumb mixture is cooling, make the Vanilla Whipped Cream. Pour heaving cream and vanilla extract into a non reactive mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract. While the electric mixer is still whipping the cream, slowly add in the sugar and beat until soft peaks are formed. Set aside.
2. For the pumpkin mousse, combine gelatin and cold water together in a small bowl. Set aside the bowl to allow the gelatin to soften.
3. In a large heat proof non reactive mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the half and half, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and egg yolks until the mixture thickens. Whisk the mixture constantly as it’s cooking (you don’t want scrambled eggs). It may take 5-8 minutes for the mixture to thicken.
4. Add the softened gelatin to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool.
5. Once the mixture has cooled but before it becomes start to set up, fold in 2/3 of the Vanilla Whipped Cream.
6. Pour the pumpkin mousse into the spring form pan with the cooled cookie crust. Top the pumpkin mousse with the remaining Vanilla Whipped Cream and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve remove the spring form pan to serve.
This recipe is such a great option for Thanksgiving, or any other time your entertaining. It has all the flavors of fall. If you do make Pumpkin Mousse with Ginger Cookie Crust, please let me know by tagging #acupoffrosting on Instagram.
Another fabulous option for a fall-ish dessert is The Best Pumpkin Spice Roll. Check it out!
Pumpkin Mousse with a Ginger Cookie Crust
Ingredients
For the Ginger Cookie Crust:
- 2 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs 40 – 50 cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- More butter to grease the spring form pan
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream:
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Mousse:
- 2 teaspoons 1 package unflavored gelatin
- 3 tablespoon cold water
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- About ½ of the Vanilla Whipped Cream mixture from above
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
- Using a food processor, pulse the cookies until they are crumbs and there are no big pieces of cookie left. Add softened butter and pulse until the crumbs start sticking together.
- Add the cookie crumbs to the greased spring form pan. Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the spring form pan forming a crust. The crust should be the same thickness all the way around the pan. Pop the spring form pan in the preheated oven and bake the cookie crust for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. You want to make sure the crust is completely cooled before adding the pumpkin mousse.
- In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla on high for 2 minutes. While the electric mixer is still whipping the cream, slowly add in the sugar and beat until soft peaks are formed. Set aside.
- Combine gelatin and water together in a small bowl. Set aside. This is to soften the gelatin.
- In a large heat proof mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the half and half, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and egg yolks until the mixture thickens. Whisk the mixture constantly as it’s cooking (you don’t want scrambled eggs). It may take 5-8 minutes for the mixture to thicken.
- Add the softened gelatin to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool.
- Once the mixture has cooled and before it becomes start to set up, fold in 2/3 of the Vanilla Whipped Cream.
- Pour the pumpkin mousse mix into the spring form pan with the cookie crust. Top the pumpkin mousse mix with the remaining 1/3 of the Vanilla Whipped Cream.
- Chill at least 8 hours up to overnight. When ready to serve remove the spring form pan and enjoy!