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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Pumpkin Mousse

    Published: Sep 16, 2022

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    This maple pumpkin mousse is made in the traditional way - with whipped cream & egg whites - a wonderfully festive dessert for the holidays!

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    Originally posted October 1, 2021, updated 9/16/22.

    It’s that time of year again - The air is cooling, the leaves are changing... Thanksgiving dinner is coming!

    It’s about only a few weeks away for those of us in Canada, with the American version just over a month later.

    Between that, and the weather finally changing, fall - and holiday - foods have definitely been on our minds here.

    How could they not be, with the bounty of local apples showing up at the farmers markets, displays of pumpkins and other festive-looking gourds everywhere, etc?

    Anyway, I’ve been meaning to share my creamy pumpkin mousse recipe for a while now, so consider me inspired to finally do so!

    This pumpkin pie mousse is done in the traditional style, which I prefer - it’s a more airy dessert.

    It’s a relatively easy recipe that turns out a fluffy mousse worthy of being served at any of the seasonal holidays and special occasions.

    Don’t let the fact that it’s traditional vs “easy” fool you, traditional style is literally less than 5 minutes of extra work, over what the easy style is - beating egg whites is really all of the extra work!

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. There is a spoon in the foreground with a generous helping of fluffy mousse.

    Maple Pumpkin Spiced Mousse

    This is the third mousse recipe I’ve posted, after my
    Traditional Raspberry Mousse and my Clementine Mousse with Champagne.

    It differs slightly in two ways - the sweetener used, and the fact that spice is added.

    I used maple syrup instead of granulated sugar when developing this recipe.

    As the BIGGEST stereotype of Canadians, I will literally do shots of maple syrup. Of course I’m going to use it in recipes when I have even the slightest excuse to!

    With pumpkin, it's a no-brainer. I LOVE using maple syrup in anything pumpkin! See my Maple Pumpkin Muffins, Maple Walnut Spiced Pumpkin Buns, and Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie.

    I even add some to my Maple Pumpkin Mead, even though it's got honey as the base, by definition.

    Just a really great flavor combination with pumpkin, IMHO.

    Anyway, with the added pumpkin pie spice, this light, fluffy pumpkin mousse tastes a lot like traditional pumpkin pie.

    Two glasses with traditional pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    Traditional vs Easy Mousse

    When it comes to dessert mousse, there are two main styles - “Easy” and “Traditional”.

    What is Easy Pumpkin Mousse?

    “Easy” style mousse is basically pumpkin flavoured whipped cream that’s been stabilized with gelatin - sometimes cream cheese and/or sour cream are also incorporated.

    You can start from scratch - beating heavy whipping cream until it’s ... whipped cream - or you can start with a product like Cool Whip.

    Either way, you add your flavoring - liqueur, fruit, chocolate, extract, whatever - and some gelatin that you’ve bloomed and melted.

    Whisk it all together, put it in cups, chill it a couple of hours, and you have easy mousse.

    What is Traditional Pumpkin Mousse?

    Traditional mousse is the same kind of fluffy dessert, just made with raw eggs - raw egg yolks and/or egg whites. (I tend to use just the whites in mine)

    Traditional mousse generally comes together in 3 parts:

    - Flavour base (Fruit, etc), usually mixed with sugar and the bloomed and melted gelatin

    - Whipped cream. When I’m doing a chocolate mousse, the chocolate is usually in with the whipped cream.

    - The egg whites.

    While traditional mousse is perfectly safe for the vast majority of the population, pregnant women, the elderly, and immune-compromised individuals may want to opt for the easy version, which does not contain any raw eggs.

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    Which Mousse is Better?

    If you don’t have any health considerations that rule out the use of the egg whites - and are willing to invest the extra 5 minutes?

    Honestly, the traditional mousse is 100% worth the effort - but that’s my personal preference.

    Easy mousse is like flavoured whipped cream. It’s a tasty flavoured whipped cream, but the texture isn’t the same as the real thing.

    The whipped egg whites produce tiny bubbles, and give the whole thing a fine ... foam... texture. It’s lighter and fluffier than easy mousse, and way more fun to eat, IMHO.

    If you’re making it for a mixed crowd, and you’re not sure if there are any health issues?

    Using pasteurized eggs will make this a safe option for the whole family.

    Close up photo of a glass of maple pumpkin mousse. There is whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

    Ingredients

    This recipe uses simple ingredients that should be available in most grocery stores. A few notes:

    Pumpkin Puree

    Be sure to use pumpkin puree, rather than pumpkin pie filling.

    You want just straight pumpkin, without all the added ingredients that come in pie filling.

    Heavy Cream

    “Heavy Cream” goes by different names. You may also know it as “Heavy Whipping Cream”, “Whipping Cream” or “35% Cream”.

    You need that amount of milk fat for it to whip up properly, substituting whole milk or coconut milk will NOT work.

    Maple Syrup

    You’ll want to use actual maple syrup, NOT pancake syrup.

    For the best flavor, use the darkest you can find.

    If you don’t have maple syrup, you can substitute granulated sugar or brown sugar - ⅓ cup sugar, packed if using brown.

    Pumpkin Pie Spice

    If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can mix your own combination of cinnamon and other spices.

    I usually do ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg for this.

    Unflavoured Gelatin

    You can use a packet of Knox gelatin, but I tend to buy gelatin in loose, 1 lb gelatin canisters.

    Specifically, I tend to buy the Great Lakes Unflavoured Beef Gelatin.

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. There are mini pumpkins next to them.

    Pumpkin Mousse Variations

    I love this recipe as is, but there are definitely ways that you can tweak it to suit your tastes. A few ideas:

    Garnish

    Customizing this recipe can be as easy as adding your favorite toppings!

    Try crushed graham crackers or gingersnap cookies - with or without some Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream! - on top of this mousse.

    You can crush them by hand, or run them through a food processor for finer crumbs.

    No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie

    Turning this recipe into a bake pumpkin pie is super easy!

    Double the gelatin, and increase the water to ½ cup. Once the mousse is mixed, use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread it into a pre-made (and baked, if necessary! ) crust of your choice.

    I like to use a graham cracker crust - or a Biscoff cookie crust - for this.

    Cover and chill for several hours, until set.

    Keto Pumpkin Mousse

    This can easily be converted into a low-carb pumpkin mousse recipe - simply swap the maple syrup out for ⅓ cup Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute.

    This brings the recipe down to 5 net carbs per serving!

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. There is a spoon in the foreground with a generous helping of fluffy mousse.

    How to Make Pumpkin Mousse

    The full recipe follows in the printable recipe card at the end , but here’s a pictorial overview with step-by-step photos:

    Combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spice, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl, set aside.

    Pumpkin, spices, and maple syrup being mixed together.

    In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and allow to soak for 5 minutes.

    Gelatin in water, in a small glass bowl.

    Transfer gelatin bowl to microwave, heat in 10-second increments until gelatin melts.

    Melted gelatin being added to the bowl of pumpkin mixture and stirred in.

    Pour melted gelatin into pumpkin mixture, stir until well incorporated, then set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

    In a separate bowl, whip egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. You can do this in a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer / hand mixer.

    Carefully fold whipped egg whites into pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.

    A 5 part image showing the egg whites being whipped, then folded into the pumpkin mixture.

    Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then carefully fold into the pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.

    A 5 part image showing the whipping cream being whipped and folded into the pumpkin mixture.

    Pour into 4-6 serving glasses, wine glasses, or individual ramekins. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

    Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

    Note: If you’re not serving them the same day, cover with plastic wrap to prevent the surface from drying out.

    Serve within 3 days or so.

    Close up photo of a glass of maple pumpkin mousse. There is whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

    More Holiday Recipes

    Looking for more inspiration for your holiday spread? Whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any of the other holidays, here's a few ideas for you!

    Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    Brandied Apple Upside Down Cake
    Chicken Based Potato Sausage Recipe - Potatiskorv
    Cranberry Wine
    Egg Nog Sticky Buns
    Gouda Mashed Potatoes
    Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots
    Mushroom Brie Turnovers
    Noelles - Holiday Cookies
    Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce
    Pumpkin Mead
    Pumpkin Spice Nanaimo Bars
    Savoury Mushroom Chestnut Stuffing
    Southern Comfort Glazed Ham
    Southern Comfort Pecan Pie

    Two glasses with traditional pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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    Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

    Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and/or a comment below, and maybe even sharing this post on social media!

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    Two glasses with traditional maple pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 6 votes

    Traditional Pumpkin Mousse Recipe

    This pumpkin mousse is made in the traditional way - with whipped cream & egg whites - a wonderfully festive dessert for the holidays!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Chilling Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French, Gluten-free
    Servings: 4 People
    Calories: 319kcal
    Author: Marie Porter

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Canned pumpkin puree*
    • ⅓ cup Maple syrup
    • ¾ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
    • Pinch salt
    • 3 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin powder
    • ⅓ cup water
    • 2 Large egg whites
    • 1 cup Heavy cream

    Instructions

    • Combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spice, vanilla, and salt together in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
    • In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soak for 5 minutes.
    • Transfer gelatin bowl to microwave, heat in 10-second increments until gelatin melts.
    • Pour melted gelatin into pumpkin puree mixture, stir until well incorporated, then set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
    • In a separate bowl (stand mixer, ideally!), whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.
    • Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then carefully fold into the pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.
    • Pour into 4-6 serving glasses, chill until set, about 2 hours.
    • Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

    Notes

    * Be sure to use pumpkin puree, rather than pumpkin pie filling.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 10408IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

    When fall is here, is there anything better than indulging in some pumpkin goodies? We’re down for all things pumpkin, whether for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or a random Tuesday!

    Here are our favourite ways to use the gourd!

    Baked Pumpkin Custard
    Copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte
    Easy Maple Pumpkin Spiced Muffins
    Easy Pumpkin Martini
    Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
    How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a Pro
    How to Make Pumpkin Mead
    Maple Pumpkin Spice Bagels
    Maple Walnut Spiced Pumpkin Buns
    Pumpkin Spice Nanaimo Bars

    ... and from my other blogs:

    Gluten Free Maple Pumpkin Pie
    Gluten-free Pumpkin Bread
    Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts
    Gluten-Free Sopaipillas Pasadas
    Keto Pumpkin Fat Bombs
    Keto Pumpkin Bars
    Homemade Pumpkin Chai Latte
    Pumpkin Chia Pudding

    Two glasses with traditional pumpkin mousse in them. They are topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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