This vegan pumpkin mousse is light and silky, yet totally indulgent. It's the perfect plant based dessert for Thanksgiving!
Recipe from Low-FODMAP and Vegan: What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything by Jo Stepaniak, © 2016. Published by The Book Publishing Company. Reprinted by arrangement.
If you're looking for the perfect vegan-friendly Fall dessert, you've come to the right place! This pumpkin mousse is so good, it's a no-brainer. In fact, the only question is exactly when to eat it.
Personally, I'm a firm believer in dessert for breakfast. 😉 But of course, this pumpkin mousse also makes a delicious snack or after-dinner dessert. It comes together in one blender in about 10 minutes, with no baking, no gelatin, and no dairy.
This particular recipe comes to us from Jo Stepaniak's cookbook, Low FODMAP and Vegan, which I had a chance to test out. The whole cookbook is geared toward those with IBS that wish to enjoy a plant-based diet. How great is that?
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ripe banana. The banana is what turns this into a mousse: blended, it becomes thick and creamy and adds natural sweetness, so you don't need tofu, cashews, or coconut cream. Use one that's yellow with a few brown freckles. A green banana won't blend as smoothly or taste as sweet.
- Pumpkin puree. Plain canned pumpkin puree gives the mousse its color and earthy fall flavor. Sweet potato puree works just as well and makes it a little sweeter.
- Creamy peanut butter. A couple of tablespoons add richness and body, which helps the mousse hold its shape. No-salt-added natural peanut butter lets the spices shine. Almond butter or sunflower seed butter are good swaps.
- Almond milk. Just enough to get the blender moving. Light coconut milk makes it a bit richer, and any unsweetened plant milk will do.
- Maple syrup. Pure maple syrup rounds out the sweetness and pairs beautifully with pumpkin. Agave nectar works too.
- Warm spices. Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves give it that pumpkin pie flavor. You can use about 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of the separate spices. Allspice can stand in for the cloves.
Helpful Tips
Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They look similar, but pie filling comes pre-sweetened and loaded with spices. You want to start with just plain pumpkin here.
Blend until completely smooth. The silky texture comes from blending the banana, pumpkin, and peanut butter until there are no lumps left. Stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. A high-speed blender gives the smoothest result, but a food processor works fine.
Sweetness is subjective. How sweet the mousse turns out depends on how ripe your banana is. Start with the recipe amount of maple syrup, taste, and add more if you're feelin' it.
Chill it briefly for a firmer mousse. Straight from the blender it's soft and spoonable, like a pudding. An hour in the fridge thickens it a little and makes it more refreshing. Cover the cups tightly so the surface doesn't darken.
Toast the pecans. Toasting the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, brings out their flavor and adds crunch against the smooth mousse. Add them right before serving so they stay crisp.
Variations
- Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder or melted dairy-free dark chocolate to the blender for a rich, chocolatey twist.
- Low-Sugar Version. Cut back on the maple syrup and add a few drops of liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener. You still get that sweet, spiced flavor without the sugar high.
- Sweet Potato Mousse. Swap the pumpkin for the same amount of mashed cooked sweet potato for a sweeter, even creamier mousse.
- Nut-Free Mousse. Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter, oat milk instead of almond milk, and top with toasted pumpkin seeds instead of pecans.
- Garnish game! Add a dollop of whipped coconut cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, crushed graham crackers, or chopped toasted pecans to take your mousse to the next level.
Serving Ideas
Serve the mousse in small glasses or custard cups topped with chopped toasted pecans and a dusting of cinnamon. For a Thanksgiving dessert table, spoon it into shot glasses for bite-size portions. It's a lighter choice next to a classic vegan pumpkin pie, and a nice option for guests who want something no-bake.
For a parfait, layer the mousse with crushed vegan graham crackers or granola and a spoonful of whipped coconut cream. It also makes a quick breakfast or snack alongside a mug of homemade vegan pumpkin spice latte.
Storing & Freezing
This mousse is best the day it's made. The recipe calls for serving it right away or chilling it, tightly covered, for up to 3 hours. Because it's made with banana, the top can darken and the flavor changes the longer it sits. If you do have leftovers, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Stir before serving, and add the pecans just before eating so they stay crunchy.
We don't recommend freezing the mousse: once thawed, the banana turns watery and the texture isn't as silky. Instead, pour extra mousse into ice pop molds and freeze for pumpkin pie pops, or freeze it in a shallow container and eat it like soft-serve after letting it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
More Vegan Desserts
If you love this vegan pumpkin mousse, be sure to check out my complete Vegan Thanksgiving eCookbook, and these other tasty ideas:
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Thanksgiving Desserts
- Vegan Avocado Chocolate Maca Mousse
- Vegan Banana Pudding
- Tasty Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Mousse
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 banana ripe, broken into pieces
- ½ cup pumpkin puree canned, or sweet potato purée
- ¼ cup almond milk or light coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter no-salt-added
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves or allspice
- chopped toasted pecans optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Put the banana, pumpkin puree, almond milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. Taste and add a little more maple syrup if you'd like it sweeter.
- Spoon the mousse evenly into two small custard cups or dessert glasses.
- Serve immediately, or cover tightly and chill for up to 3 hours. Garnish with the chopped toasted pecans just before serving, if desired.
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