Triple Layer Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie with a layer of traditional pumpkin pie, a layer of pumpkin mousse made with cream cheese, and a layer of stabilized vanilla whipped cream. The perfect Thanksgiving pie! For an optional shortcut, use a premade pumpkin pie and top it with the delicious pumpkin mousse and whipped cream in this recipe.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword holiday recipe, party recipe, quick and easy, thanksgiving
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons (85 grams)Canned Pumpkin Puree100% pumpkin
1TablespoonVanilla Extract
Whipped Cream Ingredients
3cupsHeavy Whipping Cream
¾ cup (84 grams)Powdered Sugar
1TablespoonInstant Clearjeloptional, see Notes section for details
2 ¼teaspoonsPure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Mousse Base
Whisk the powdered sugar, Instant Clearjel (or instant pudding mix), and Cinnamon together. Instant Clearjel should always be whisked thoroughly with dry ingredients before being added to the liquid to avoid clumping.
With a stand mixer (preferred), handheld mixer, or whisk, beat the softened Cream Cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar mixture while the mixer is on low, scraping the sides often until there are no lumps. Add the pumpkin puree and the vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy with no lumps. Set it aside while you make the whipped cream.
Make the Stabilized Whipped Cream
Whisk the Powdered Sugar and Instant Clearjel (if using) together.
In a clean bowl, using a whip attachment and a stand mixer (preferred) or handheld mixer, whip the Heavy Cream and Pure Vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Turn the mixer on low, and slowly add in the Powdered Sugar/ Instant Clearjel mixture until incorporated. The Instant Clearjel will thicken the whipped cream instantly, which is why we want to make sure the whipped cream is nicely whipped and fluffy before we add in our thickener. Reserve 260 grams of the whipped cream (that's ⅓ of the whipped cream) for the pumpkin mousse.
Finish the Pumpkin Mousse
One half at a time, fold the reserved whipped cream into the pumpkin mousse using large, round strokes until no white streaks remain.
Layer the Pumpkin Cream Pie
Spread the Pumpkin Mousse on top of the cooled prepared pumpkin pie. Gently spread it until it is flat on the pie but domed in the middle--a small offset spatula works well for this. *NOTE* If using a pumpkin pie with a lightweight aluminum pan tin, you may wish to place your pie and tin on a stable plate, tray, or larger ceramic pie pan. The additional creamy layers will add a lot of weight to the pie.*
Top the pumpkin mousse with the remaining whipped cream. I like to dome it slightly in the center of the pie and apply a fluffy texture with a small offset spatula.
If desired, top the whipped cream with a cinnamon sprinkle, caramel drizzle, brown sugar sprinkle, and candy pumpkins (place the candy pumpkins right before serving to avoid the color melting into your cream). Refrigerate the cream pie for at least two hours or overnight. Enjoy!
Notes
You may substitute 3 Tablespoons Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix for the instant clearjel in the pumpkin mousse mixture (in a 1x batch of this recipe). Then leave the instant clearjel out of the whipped cream recipe. The vanilla whipped cream topping without instant clearjel will not be as thick as the whipped cream pictured, but it will be delicious.