Our pumpkin delight recipe is one of the best pumpkin desserts out there. It’s an easy dessert to make and it’s creamy pumpkin flavor will have you running for seconds.
This pumpkin delight recipe is one of my new favorite fall recipes. It’s bursting with a pumpkin spice flavor that everyone will love! It is a great way to celebrate the holiday season and have that little bit of fall taste.
If you’re looking for the perfect fall dessert this pumpkin delight recipe is a great choice. It has all the best warm culinary flavors like allspice, cinnamon & pumpkin, plus a yummy shortbread layer.
I personally love that you can make it with very few pans making clean up a snap. This dessert is great to take in one pan with just a rubber spatula for serving, which makes it super easy if you are going to a Thanksgiving dinner or attending a fall party. You should also try our gluten-free pecan pie bread pudding for a tasty fall treat.
When you are having this layered pumpkin dessert, you should pair it with one of our Smoking Halloween Mocktails. If you are using this recipe for Thanksgiving, try out our Thanksgiving mocktails! There is nothing better than a yummy drink paired with a yummy dessert.
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Another great recipe for Thanksgiving is our Thanksgiving charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards are a lot easier than you think to make and they are the perfect side. They have a little bit of everything for everybody.
Or if you like to watch Narnia at Christmas or Thanksgiving time like we do, this authentic Turkish delight recipe is a great option.
What you need
Our pumpkin delight recipe is a twist on a traditional pumpkin pie. It is perfect for a pumpkin lover (like myself) and is one of the best desserts for pumpkin season. It is super easy to make and it should definitely be the next dessert you make.
Gluten-Free Shortbread
Walkers gluten-free shortbread is the only brand out there that is truly authentic in my opinion. Other brands have tried to make a gluten-free shortbread but it just doesn’t have that crisp texture and real buttery flavor that Scotland shortbread has.
This shortbread makes up the bottom layer and is better than graham crackers in my opinion. Having Walkers gluten-free shortbread makes this recipe so easy because you don’t have to worry about making shortbread. I love having Walkers shortbread and sometimes munch on it on its own.
Canned Pumpkin
What’s nice about this recipe is that you most likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. I know I have cans of pumpkin in my pantry and food storage. Canned pumpkin makes up the pumpkin layer and is a part of the pumpkin mixture combined with spices, butter, and cream.
To go with the pumpkin flavor, you should try our crockpot apple cider. This recipe is great because you throw it in the crockpot and everyone can serve themselves. It’s almost too easy. It does great with these keto pumpkin cookies as well.
Cream Cheese
The cream cheese mixture is the other layer in this chilled pumpkin delight. You will want to make sure you set out the cream cheese ahead of time so it can soften. It is really hard to work with cold cream cheese for this recipe.
Top tip: Top the dessert with a cool whip layer for a creamier flavor.
How to make them
- *Be sure to make your pudding layer first so it has time to cool*
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a medium sauce pan combine 2 cups cream, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, butter, pumpkin, cinnamon and allspice
- Heat until butter is melted and milk a slightly scalded
- In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar
- Slowly add this mixture to the hot mixture, whisking lightly
- Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat until mixture starts to thicken a bit
- Mix milk and corn starch together
- Add to the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly
- Intermittently whisk as mixture continues to cook for the next 5 to 10 minutes
- When pudding has thickened, remove from heat
- Cover with plastic wrap to avoid skimming and place in refrigerator to cool what you were making the other layers
- When cooled, pour over the cream cheese layer
- Place all the butter shortbread cookies in a food processor and pulse until crumbs are made
- Combine 6 tablespoons melted butter with cookie crumbs then press into a 9 x 13 pan
- Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven and let cool
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, whip 1 pint of heavy cream with half cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form
- Remove one cup to use in the cream cheese layer
- Reserve the remainder to top the dessert
- Cut the cream cheese into small pieces
- Add powdered sugar a little at a time into the cream cheese while you were mixing
- When powdered sugar and cream cheese are blended smooth, fold in 1 cup of whipped cream
- Spread this layer on top of the cool crust
- Next spread the cooled pumpkin pudding over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours
- When you’re ready to serve, top with reserved whip cream then sprinkle the whole thing with cinnamon or nutmeg
Since fall always reminds me of pumpkin, I love thinking of new and fresh desserts using fresh or canned pumpkin. Most pumpkin pie fillings are gluten-free. However, I recommend making it from scratch or looking at all ingredients when you purchase store bought varieties.
You can purchase pumpkin spice from the grocery store and while they are not made with gluten ingredients, you may want to look forward to make sure they are not cross contaminated. Of course, I love to use my favorite spices like cinnamon and allspice to make homemade pumpkin spice.
This recipe is served cold, so make sure you keep it in the refrigerator when you are not serving it. You don’t want to let it sit out on the counter for a long period of time. Make sure you put plastic wrap on the dish or close the lid of an airtight container before putting it back in the fridge. It will last up to four days.
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Pumpkin Delight Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Walkers gluten-free pure butter shortbread
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Cups heavy cream
- 2 Cups whole milk
- 3/4 Cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Cup pure canned pumpkin
- 1/2 Cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 6 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- *Be sure to make your pudding layer first so it has time to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a medium sauce pan combine 2 cups cream, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, butter, pumpkin, cinnamon and allspice
- Heat until butter is melted and milk a slightly scalded
- In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar
- Slowly add this mixture to the hot mixture, whisking lightly
- Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat until mixture starts to thicken a bit
- Mix reserved milk and corn starch together
- Add to the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly
- Intermittently whisk as mixture continues to cook for the next 5 to 10 minutes
- When pudding has thickened, remove from heat
- Cover with plastic wrap to avoid skimming and place in refrigerator to cool what you were making the other layers
- When cooled, pour over the cream cheese layer
- Place all the butter shortbread cookies in a food processor and pulse until crumbs are made
- Combine 6 tablespoons melted butter with cookie crumbs then press into a 9 x 13 pan
- Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven and let cool
- In your stand mixer or a large bowl, whip 1 pint of heavy cream with half cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form
- Remove one cup to use in the cream cheese layer
- Reserve the remainder to top the dessert
- Cut the cream cheese into small pieces
- Add powdered sugar a little at a time into the cream cheese while you were mixing
- When powdered sugar and cream cheese are blended smooth, fold in 1 cup of whipped cream
- Spread this layer on top of the cool crust
- Next spread the cooled pumpkin pudding over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours
- When you’re ready to serve, top with reserved whip cream then sprinkle the whole thing with cinnamon or nutmeg
Notes
How to store leftovers
This recipe is served cold, so make sure you keep it in the refrigerator when you are not serving it. You don’t want to let it sit out on the counter for a long period of time. Make sure you put plastic wrap on the dish or close the lid of an airtight container before putting it back in the fridge. It will last up to four days.Nutrition
It was originally posted on October 16, 2017 and has been updated on July 21, 2022 with new information.
Taylor says
Oh my YUM. I’m such a huge pumpkin fan so I knew I needed to try this out. This tasted like Heaven. It is my new favorite dessert and I will definitely be making it year round.