Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle

These little desserts are no-bake and so cute to serve at your holiday party. Since they are made in individual containers they are a great choice for a “pandemic-style” party to keep sharing at a minimum.

The bottom crust is crunchy ginger snaps, then layered with sweetened cream cheese and finally topped with a cinnamon-spiced pumpkin! This cute little cup is then garnished with another dollop of cream cheese, sprinkled with crushed ginger snaps and a tiny sprig of fresh mint.

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Easy Pumpkin Trifle

• Author: Krista
• Prep Time: 45 min
• Total Time: 45 min
• Category: dessert
• Method: No-bake
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

• 1 box ginger snaps
• 1 stick butter – melted
• 1 vanilla bean pod (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 blocks of cream cheese – softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar (for cream cheese layer)
• 1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1 container of cool whip
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for pumpkin layer)
• 2 gallon-sized zip lock bags – for piping into the containers
• 40 mini dessert cups or one large trifle bowl

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Instructions

• Make the Ginger snap crust: place ginger snaps in a zip-lock plastic bag and crush, or pulse in a food processor. Pour crushed ginger snaps into a bowl and pour over the melted butter, mix well until all crumbles are coated in butter. Ginger snaps should hold together if pressed between your fingers.
• Make the Cream Cheese layer: in a large bowl soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds (see below for instructions), and vanilla extract. Mix well with an electric mixer. Once combined, place filling into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag and set to the side.
• Make the Pumpkin layer: In a clean mixing bowl add the can of pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, clove, 1 cup powdered sugar, and cool whip. Mix well with an electric mixer. Then spoon the filling into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag.
• Layer the trifle: start with the crushed ginger snaps in the bottom, press down gently with the end of a wooden spoon. Snip a small hole (1/2 inch at most) in the corner of each filling bag. Squeeze the cream cheese into each cup. I then tap the cup on the counter to flatten the filling. Repeat with the pumpkin filling. Place a quarter-sized dollop of cream cheese in the middle of the pumpkin filling, sprinkle on some ginger snap crumbs and garnish with a sprig of mint (optional).
• Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

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Notes

How to remove vanilla bean seeds: You will need a cutting board, a sharp paring knife, and a spoon.

• Place the vanilla bean pod on the cutting board. Using the paring knife place the tip on the pod and slice through the top of the pod. Using your fingers open the pod by pulling the two sides apart. Using the end of the spoon run it down the opened pod and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the cream cheese mixture.

Keywords: pumpkin, fall recipe, Thanksgiving dessert, dessert, pumpkin spice