3 ingredient pumpkin mousse

This easy 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Mousse is light, creamy and full of warm fall spices. Pumpkin puree is cooked with sweetened condensed milk until it's rich and caramelly, then folded into fluffy whipped cream. It's a show-stopping fall dessert that needs only 3 main ingredients and no baking.

Sometimes the easiest recipe is truly a show-stopping one. I don't know of anything more fall than pumpkin, especially in dessert. It can be used in everything from pumpkin cheesecake to pumpkin pie. And while those are delicious, they can be time-consuming and take a lot of ingredients. Then along comes something so simple, yet so rich and decadent, that you can't even believe it.

You say to yourself, something with 3 ingredients can't actually be that good. Oh yes, yes it can. We host several holiday parties throughout the season, and this is one of my go-to desserts when I have a lot of other cooking to do, still home made and super quick.

Why you'll love this pumpkin mousse

• Pretty and easy to serve. Spoon it into small glasses or jars for individual desserts that look fancy with zero effort.
• Just 3 main ingredients. Pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream, plus a little spice and salt you probably already have.
• No baking required. Everything happens on the stovetop and in the mixer, which frees up your oven on Thanksgiving.
• Perfect make-ahead dessert. Make it a day or two before and it's ready to serve straight from the fridge.
• Lighter than pumpkin pie. It has all the cozy pumpkin pie flavor, but light and airy. It's the perfect ending to a big holiday meal.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this pumpkin mousse
• What is pumpkin mousse?
• Ingredients
• How to make pumpkin mousse
• Serving
• tips and substitutions
• Pumpkin Mousse FAQs
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

What is pumpkin mousse?

Pumpkin mousse is a light, creamy dessert made by folding whipped cream into a sweetened, spiced pumpkin mixture. It tastes like the filling of a pumpkin pie, but with a fluffy, cloud-like texture and no crust.

My version gets its rich flavor from a little trick: I cook the sweetened condensed milk on the stovetop until it turns slightly golden, about halfway to dulce de leche. Then I cook the pumpkin and warm spices into it. That gives this simple dessert a deep, caramelly flavor that tastes like it took way more effort than it did.

If you love easy mousse desserts, you'll also love my 3-ingredient strawberry mousse.

Ingredients

I mean, it is called 3 ingredient pumpkin mousse, so this list is pretty small and easy. I'm also including salt and pumpkin pie spice, which I don't really count as ingredients. Here's what you need:

• Pumpkin puree: Use canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so it will throw off the recipe. You'll need one 15 oz can.
• Sweetened condensed milk: This sweetens the mousse. You'll cook it in a saucepan for a bit to caramelize it, which gives it a rich flavor. You'll need one 14 oz can. Don't confuse it with evaporated milk, which is unsweetened.
• Heavy cream: This gets whipped into whipped cream and folded into the pumpkin mixture, giving this recipe its light mousse texture. Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, not half and half, so it whips up stiff.
• Pumpkin pie spice: If you have a pumpkin spice blend on hand, or even just cinnamon, throw a little in there. Warm spices make this feel even more like a quintessential fall dessert.
• Kosher salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: Just ½ teaspoon, stirred in at the end, rounds out the warm spices.

How to make pumpkin mousse

Optional: roast the pumpkin puree

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Spread the pumpkin puree on a lightly greased baking sheet (or greased foil) with a spatula.
3. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until the puree is firmer and darker in color.

Roasting evaporates the water in the puree, giving you a thicker mousse with a more concentrated pumpkin flavor. It's not necessary, but what a difference it makes! I do it for most of my pumpkin recipes, pies and breads included.

Caramelize the sweetened condensed milk

1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Simmer, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until it turns slightly golden.

Keep stirring! If you don't, the sugars in the milk will burn and stick to the bottom of the pan. I promise you this happens, because I have done it a lot of times.

Cook the pumpkin mixture

1. Add the pumpkin puree (roasted or straight from the can), salt and pumpkin pie spice.
2. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture begins to bubble, about 5 more minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge until completely cold, about 3 hours. Plan ahead for this step!

Whip the cream and fold

1. Whip the heavy cream with a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
2. Set aside about ½ cup of the whipped cream for topping.
3. Gently fold the cold pumpkin mixture into the rest of the whipped cream until no streaks remain.
4. Spoon into serving dishes and top with the reserved whipped cream.

Serving

• I always save ½ cup of the whipped cream and serve it right on top. For a little crunch, add a sprinkle of crushed gingersnaps, graham cracker crumbs or toasted pecans, or a light dusting of cinnamon.
• Want to take it up a notch? Layer it with a gingersnap crust like my pumpkin parfaits with gingersnap crust.
• This pumpkin mousse is the perfect light dessert for Thanksgiving next to a classic honey pumpkin pie. It's also great with a cozy drink like my maple bourbon cocktail.

tips and substitutions

• Use canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling: Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, so your mousse will end up too sweet and the spices will be off.
• Chill the pumpkin mixture completely: Give it about 3 hours in the fridge. If the pumpkin mixture is even a little warm when you fold it in, it will melt the whipped cream and your mousse will be runny. Make sure it's fully cold first.
• Whip to stiff peaks: Stiff peaks give the mousse its structure. Under-whipped cream makes a soupy mousse.
• Fold gently: Use a spatula and fold, don't stir, to keep all that air in the cream.
• Stir the condensed milk constantly: It goes from golden to scorched fast. Medium-low heat and a heatproof spatula are your friends.
• Spice it up liberally: Fall desserts are all about warm spices. Add more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon to taste, or a pinch of ginger or nutmeg.
• Storage: Keep the pumpkin mousse covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Pumpkin Mousse FAQs

📖 Recipe