Pumpkin parfait with white chocolate
Who doesn’t love a good pumpkin parfait dessert? This white chocolate pumpkin parfait is lighter in flavor than pumpkin pie, lighter overall than a pumpkin cheesecake, but equally as indulgent as both of those desserts.
This is easier to make than most desserts. It’s no-bake, and includes one of my favorite short cuts — boxed pudding mix. I also add two kinds of baking extracts for extra flavor, vanilla and almond. A touch of sea salt also cuts the sweetness and makes this dessert truly decadent without being overwhelming.
Here’s how to make this pumpkin parfait with white chocolate:
First, make the white chocolate pudding mix (Hershey’s is the best version of this), with 1/2 cup less milk than normal, to make it thicker. I use whole milk, but coconut or almond would work as well if you are dairy-free. Add the pumpkin and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Make the whipped cream, and then layer the two into small jars, cute cups, or ramekins. You could make the whole thing in a large trifle dish if you’d rather.
Crumble the white chocolate pieces and sprinkle on the top. I added pie crust leaves for garnish and crunch, but you could add crumbled vanilla cookies or graham crackers instead. Toffee would also be great on this!
White Chocolate Pumpkin Parfait
Ingredients
- 1 package Hershey's white chocolate pudding mix
- 1.5 cups whole milk You can sub for coconut or other non-dairy milk if desired
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 a block) softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
For the pumpkin filling:
- First, make the white chocolate pudding mix (Hershey's is the best version of this), with 1/2 cup less milk than normal, to make it thicker. I use whole milk, but coconut or almond would work as well if you are dairy-free. Add the pumpkin and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add 1/2 the vanilla and a pinch of the sea salt and mix thoroughly.
Whipped Cream
- Add the cream to a large bowl and whip with electric beaters until peaks form. Add the sugar, a pinch of salt, half of the vanilla and the almond extract and continue to beat until it's in whipped cream form.
Putting it together
- Layer the two mixtures into small jars, cute cups, or ramekins. You could make the whole thing in a large trifle dish if you'd rather. I like to do pumpkin, whipped cream, pumpkin, whipped cream, with the whipped cream ending up on top. To garnish: you can add white chocolate chips or cookie crumbles, or even little leaves made of pie crust. Toffee would also be great on this!
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About The Author
Sarah
I am a mom of two and wife to a martial arts school owner, full-time social media professional and avid cook and gardener. I love creating recipes and involving my kids in the process. The food we cook is usually dairy-free and gluten-free, and sometimes paleo, but we make exceptions (ahem, sourdough bread). The “hippie” part of this blog comes into play in the ingredients we use—I’m pretty vigilant about the health of my family and you could even call me “crunchy.” The “modern” part is that I am busy! You won’t catch me making my own nut milk or churning butter (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’m more than happy to take the shortcuts provided by our lovely grocery stores and online shopping —especially in the midst of this global pandemic.