Do you know what was one of my very favorite desserts? Pumpkin pie! I loved the spicy and pumpkin flavors, and I always looked forward to it every Thanksgiving. In fact, I was so obsessed, I would count down the days until Costco would start selling their pies, and I would immediately pick one up when they were out on the shelf!
When I found out I had an egg allergy, that all changed. Now I can’t enjoy my favorite pie from Costco, but I was bound and determined to have something similar to a pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving! Last year, I tried to make a pumpkin pie without eggs and that didn’t work out very well. So this year I knew I had to go in a new direction. I decided that it was best to try a layered dessert.
The Recipe
If you’ve never had a layered dessert before, you’re missing out. They usually have some sort of a crust, a cream cheese layer, a pudding layer, and then are finished off with some cool whip. These types of desserts are definitely crowd-pleasers and are delicious year-round.
I decided to try to make a pumpkin layer dessert to fill the pumpkin pie void in my life. I knew this dessert would be a big hit with my family for several reasons. First, we are all big pumpkin fans in our house, and this dessert delivers on that flavor. Second, my husband LOVES cheesecake. It’s by far his favorite dessert, so I knew the combo of pumpkin and cheesecake would be out of this world.
The best part of these layered desserts for me is that they are usually a no-bake dessert, which means they don’t contain any eggs. This is also good news for you because a no-bake dessert is very simple to put together. The most “complicated” part about this dessert is that it does need some time to set up in the refrigerator before serving. A couple of hours is mandatory, but really it is best if it sets overnight. This works out perfect for Thanksgiving, though, since it takes one task off of you on the big day.
The Layers
This pumpkin and biscoff layered dessert was inspired by a traditional pumpkin pie. Let me describe to you each of the layers.
- The crust: Instead of using graham crackers, the crust is made from finely crushed Biscoff cookies. I purchased mine from Costco, but you can usually find them at any grocery store. Those crushed cookies get tossed in some melted butter to create a thick, spicy, and sweet crust. It’s the perfect base if you ask me!
- Cream Cheese Layer: If you have any cheesecake fans in your house, they’re going to love this! This portion of the dessert is made with a brick of cream cheese, some powdered sugar for extra sweetness, and some cool whip to lighten it up. This portion adds an addicting tang to the dessert.
- Pumpkin Pudding Layer: This layer combines a can of pumpkin puree, some vanilla pudding mix, and milk to create that classic pumpkin flavor. I also added some pumpkin pie spice for extra seasonal flair.
- Cool Whip: I went simple with cool whip, but if you wanted to make this a little more “fancy,” you could opt to use real homemade whipping cream instead.
Make It More Macro Friendly
There are several ideas I have for making this recipe more macro-friendly, if desired:
- Cream Cheese: Substitute Neufchatel (1/3 less fat) for fat-free cream cheese.
- Milk: Use skim milk or almond milk to save some additional calories and/or fat.
- Use a Powdered Sugar Substitute: This will save some carbs and probably wouldn’t make too big of an effect on the overall flavor of the dessert since it isn’t a large amount of sugar.
- Cut smaller portions: This dessert makes 12 generous sized portions, but it could easily be made into 16.
Pumpkin and Biscoff Delight
Ingredients
Layer 1
- 1 package Biscoff cookies (8.8 oz package)
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled (56 g)
Layer 2
- 1 8 oz brick of light cream cheese, softened (or use full fat or fat-free cream cheese, if desired)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60 g)
- 4 ounces lite cool whip (half an 8-ounce container ~113 g)
Layer 3
- 3 1 ounce boxes non-fat, sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 and 1/2 cups 1% milk (or milk of choice, about 600 ml)
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
Layer 4
- 4 ounces lite cool whip
Instructions
Layer 1
- Using a blender or a food processor, crumble the Biscoff cookies until they resemble a fine grain of sand. Dump the cookie crumbs into a medium bowl and stir with melted butter until fully incorporated. The mixture should look like wet sand.
- Press the cookie crust into an 8 inch square pan. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes while you move on to the next layer.
Layer 2
- Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until completely smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as necessary. Then add in the cool whip and mix well, scraping the sides as needed.
- Take the crust out of the refrigerator and then dollop the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Spread it out evenly. Then place it back in the refrigerator and move on to the next layer.
Layer 3
- In a medium to large bowl, combine the pudding mixes and the milk. Using a whisk, combine the two until few lumps remain. Then add in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Continue whisking so all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Take the pan out of the refrigerator and dollop the pumpkin mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Spread it out evenly.
Layer 4
- Then spread the remaining cool whip (4 ounces) over the pumpkin layer. Again, dollop it around first and then spread it out evenly (this helps it to not disturb the layer underneath). Sprinkle with additional Biscoff crumbs, if desired.
- Place the dessert in the refrigerator and store for at least 2 hours, preferably longer. When serving, make sure you slice through the crust well.
Notes
