Pumpkin Mousse Shots Are Scary Good!
Do you need a Halloween dessert? These Pumpkin Mousse Shots are scary good! You don’t have to save this recipe for Halloween, though. The mousse is perfect poured into a crust and served as pumpkin pie, or cut into pumpkin bars or try freezing it for a pumpkin ice cream, have you ever tried that?
Did you know that pumpkins were first called “pumpions” after the French “pompon”, referencing their round shape, according to the history.com, and were first cultivated in 5500 B.C. in Central America. They were taken back to Europe by explorers of the New World and incorporated into European pastries and pies. The Pilgrims would have been familiar with pumpkins and it is probable that pumpkins made an appearance in some form at the first Thanksgiving. They were most likely cooked in layers with apples and herbs. It is surprising to me, that it wasn’t until after the Civil War that pumpkin pie reached its national acclaim. In 1929, Libby began canning pumpkins which replaced the need for roasting and straining one’s own pumpkin and that lead to pumpkin pie becoming a family tradition.
This pumpkin mousse is a no-bake recipe if you use canned pumpkin. If you roast your own pumpkin and purée it, I recommend allowing the purée to sit over a strainer lined with a coffee filter or paper towel to remove some of the moisture.
You can also make this with raw pumpkin or squash. Peel and chop the raw pumpkin and place it in a blender. Blend on high to purée for about a minute. Scrape the sides of the container and blend again until smooth. Let this purée sit over a strainer to remove some of the moisture before continuing with the recipe.
Let me know how you like this, it’s easier than baking a pumpkin pie. I think it will become a family favorite.
Pumpkin Mousse
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree cooked or raw
- 1/2 cup date paste dates packed and blended smooth with a little water
- 1/2 cup nut or oat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar grind into a fine powder or Substitute 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice mix 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp clove
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the date paste, nut milk, vanilla and sweetener. Blend until smooth and completely combined. If you don’t have premade date paste, make that first in the blender, adding 1/2 cup packed, pitted dates and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend. Then add other ingredients.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and spices, blend again to combine. Scrape down container sides and add the coconut oil. Blend until oil is incorporated and mixture is smooth, about 35 seconds.
- Pour into serving dishes or into a prepared crust or tart shell and chill for 4 hours. This makes great shot glass desserts. Just portion into glasses and chill. Enjoy!