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Home » Dessert » Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert with a Ginger Snap Crust

Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert with a Ginger Snap Crust

By Valerie · October 24, 2019 · Updated May 21, 2020 14 Comments

S Dessert H Holidays
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A dreamy cream cheese layer and a vanilla and spice infused pumpkin layer top a sweet ginger snap crust. This Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert is a wonderful make-ahead holiday dessert choice.

A slice of Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert on a white plate with a fork.

Happy fall, friends. Believe it or not, we are just 5 weeks from Thanksgiving! It’s time to start looking for inspiration for that holiday menu. Whether you are hosting this year or you’ve been given the task of bringing a dessert to a holiday potluck, this recipe is a fabulous choice.

This nearly no-bake Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert involves less effort than pie baking and makes enough to serve a group. It’s also made a day in a advance and after a quick garnish, it is ready to slice and serve.

But the number one reason to get this luscious dessert on your menu is that it is absolutely and undeniably delicious!

The Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert in a 13 x 9 inch pan.

This easy, fall-inspired dessert is joining the list with my other 13- x 9-inch wonders. My Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert and the Next Best Thing to Robert Redford Dessert are also great options to add to your menu for the holidays or any time of year.

While it’s just not Thanksgiving here without at least a couple of pies, adding an easy 13- x 9-inch dessert recipe to the mix ensures there will be enough for everyone and you might even be lucky enough to end up with some dessert leftovers. Always a good thing the day after! This Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert holds up really well for several days in the refrigerator.

A spatula lifting a piece of the dessert out of the pan.

What sets this recipe apart is the ginger snap crust. Crushed ginger snap cookies combined with a little sugar and melted butter give this dessert a fall-inspired punch with the flavors of ginger, cinnamon and molasses. And, you don’t need to bother baking your own. I use a box of store-bought Nabisco Ginger Snap Cookies and they work perfectly. There are more than you need for this crust in one 16-ounce box, leaving you with some to snack on.

This crust is so much more flavorful than a plain graham cracker crust and really drives home the holiday vibe. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Be sure to watch the quick video at the end of this post to see just how quick and easy it is to put this make-ahead holiday dessert together.

A sliced of layered pumpkin dessert with a fork on a white plate.

A sliced of layered pumpkin dessert with a fork on a white plate.

Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert with a Ginger Snap Crust

A dreamy cream cheese layer and a vanilla and spice infused pumpkin layer top a sweet ginger snap crust. This Creamy Layered Pumpkin Dessert is a wonderful make-ahead holiday dessert choice.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 451.17kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 45 ginger snap cookies (I use Nabisco)
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Layered Filling:

  • 12 ounces Neufchatel or regular cream cheese (1 1/2 (8 ounce) packages), softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk divided
  • 8 ounces whipped topping (like Cool Whip) thawed, divided
  • 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 2 (3.4 ounce) packages Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For Topping

  • 4 ginger snap cookies, coarsely crushed
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions

Gingersnap Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Place gingersnaps in the bowl of a food processor and process until they are crushed into a fine crumb. You should end up with about 3 cups of ginger snap crumbs. Add 5 tablespoons sugar and pulse to combine. Pour in melted butter and pulse until well combined. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and use your hands to pat it down into a firm, even layer.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until crust is fragrant. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding layers.

Layered Pie Filling

  • Add cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add 1 cup whipped topping and mix again for about a minute until combined. Use an offset or rubber spatula to spread the mixture evenly over the completely cooled crust.
  • In a large, clean mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin, dry pudding mixes, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and remaining 2 cups milk for about 2 minutes or until well combined. Spread over cream cheese layer.
  • Top with remaining whipped topping and carefully spread it out over the top of the pumpkin layer. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with crushed ginger snaps and chopped walnuts before serving.

Notes

Be sure to let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before beginning.
I've had this after it has been refrigerated for 3 days and it was still fabulous. The crust will start to soften after that so it's best consumed within 3 to 4 days.
Total time includes prep and baking time only and does not include refrigerating the dessert overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 451.17kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.09g | Protein: 7.09g | Fat: 22.5g | Saturated Fat: 12.09g | Cholesterol: 44.84mg | Sodium: 441.59mg | Potassium: 306.69mg | Fiber: 2.05g | Sugar: 36.22g | Vitamin A: 6043.94IU | Vitamin C: 1.57mg | Calcium: 132.17mg | Iron: 2.52mg
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Reader Interactions

Latest Comments
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  1. Heather Streu says

    December 1, 2020 at 2:01 pm

    can this be made ahead and frozen. if so how long can you freeze it

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      December 3, 2020 at 9:23 am

      Hi Heather. I’ve never attempted to freeze this dessert but don’t think I would recommend it. I’m afraid the texture would be off after defrosting.

      Reply
  2. Chris says

    November 23, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    I says pumpkin purée but not pie filling aren’t they the same?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 25, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Nope! Pumpkin purée is just pumpkin. Pie filling includes spices and other ingredients. You can read the labels to see the difference.

      Reply
  3. Ruthie says

    November 1, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    5 stars
    Easy to make and looks very impressive – better yet it tastes delicious! Recipe is definitely a keeper!

    Reply
  4. Gina says

    October 30, 2020 at 2:37 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! It was delicious and held up remarkably well in the fridge. I probably would have been okay making it a few days ahead. I’m jotting this recipe down to pull out again next year!

    Reply
  5. Beverley Basso Mclelland says

    October 9, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    It calls for 8oz of cool whip but the first layers says use a cup of cool whip. Then the third layer says use the remaining cool whip. What remains cool whip. 8 ounces is a cup.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 9, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      There are close to 3 cups (measured) in an 8 ounce container of Cool Whip. The 8 ounces is referring to the weight, not measure. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  6. diana says

    September 27, 2020 at 8:50 pm

    Can I use another kind of cookie I can’t do ginger

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      September 30, 2020 at 9:05 am

      A graham cracker crust would work well.

      Reply
  7. Fátima says

    September 26, 2020 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe. I can’t wait to make it for the next following days 🍂
    My question is about calories indicated. I was wondering about how many calories we can get from just 1 serving (1 part)? Is it actually 451.17kcal per serving ?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 21, 2021 at 9:53 am

      Nutrition info is calculated per serving.

      Reply
  8. Oreo says

    November 30, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    This dessert was a HIT at Thanksgiving! Its not overly sweet and the cream cheese adds such a nice, creamy touch. I added some allspice and ground clove. Think I’ll be using the ginger snap cookie crust from now on on all my pies! To die for. Thanks Valerie!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      December 1, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      Don’t you just love that ginger snap crust? So good! So glad it the recipe worked out well for you 🙂

      Reply

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Hello and welcome to my online kitchen! My focus here is to provide simple, seasonal meal solutions for busy households. I hope you find some inspiration while you’re here and visit again soon!

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