Description
This Pumpkin Crunch Parfait is a delightful and easy-to-make dessert combining creamy pumpkin flavored filling layered with crunchy granola. It’s a perfect fall treat that requires no baking and comes together in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for a quick festive dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipped topping (store-bought or homemade)
Topping
- 1 cup granola (your choice)
Instructions
- Prepare the pumpkin cream cheese mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and canned pumpkin puree until smooth. Add brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, mixing thoroughly to blend all flavors.
- Fold in whipped topping. Gently fold the whipped topping into the pumpkin mixture to keep it light and airy, avoiding overmixing to maintain a fluffy texture.
- Layer the parfait. In clear glasses or jars, start by adding a layer of the pumpkin cream cheese filling, followed by a layer of granola. Repeat layering until the containers are filled, ending with a layer of granola on top for crunch.
- Chill before serving. Place the assembled parfaits in the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour to let the flavors meld and the dessert to set properly.
Notes
- You can substitute the granola with crushed gingersnap cookies for an extra spiced crunch.
- For a lower-fat version, consider using light cream cheese and whipped topping.
- The parfait is best served within 24 hours to maintain the crunch of the granola.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in the mixture.
- This dessert is naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free granola.
