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PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PUDDING DESSERT
I am so excited to share this newest pumpkin recipe with y’all. I live for pumpkin desserts in the Fall and pretty much year-round. This pumpkin cheesecake layered pudding dessert is probably my newest favorite pumpkin dessert.
I am already brainstorming a time that I can make this again. I am usually all about pie for Thanksgiving dessert but this layered pudding dessert just may have to make an appearance.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE DESSERT
The crust is cinnamon teddy grahams that have been grounded up and mixed with melted butter. Bake that for 10 minutes to let it set up nicely for the crust. You want to make sure that you measure the 1 1/3 cup of ground cracker crumbs. Do not measure out 1 1/3 of teddy grahams and then ground them up. You will use a little more than half of a box.
While the crust is baking prepare the pumpkin cheesecake:
- softened cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- pure pumpkin
- nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice
- eggs
When the crust is done baking pour the cheesecake mixture over the hot crust and put it back in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Once done, let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
Prepare the vanilla pudding and then add 1 cup of thawed Cool Whip. Spread that over the baked cheesecake layer. Top it with the remaining Cool Whip.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. It needs plenty of time to get nice and cold, and firm up in the fridge.
Before serving, top it with chopped pecans or additional ground cinnamon teddy grahams, or you just leave it as is. I love the slight salty crunch they give to the smooth and creamy dessert.
This dessert tastes light & fluffy and not super heavy even with the cheesecake layer. I know you will love it!
MY TIPS FOR MAKING THIS PUMPKIN DESSERT RECIPE
- If you don’t want to use the cinnamon teddy grahams you can use another cracker like cinnamon graham crackers, regular graham cracker, or even chocolate graham crackers. Whatever you use just make sure you measure out the 1 1/3 cup called for after grounding them up fine.
- Recipe calls for half & half milk and please use it! You need the fat of the milk to help thicken the pudding.
- I always use vanilla pudding in this dessert but feel free to use French vanilla or cheesecake would be other good choices.
- I start this dessert in the morning and then refrigerate it all day until I need it that evening. It would be fine being refrigerated overnight, just make sure you cover it tightly and don’t add the pecans until before serving.
- Make sure the cream cheese is very softened so that there are no lumps in the cheesecake mixture. I put the cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- The cool whip does need to be thawed. If it’s even slightly frozen it will be almost impossible to spread.
TRY THESE OTHER LAYERED DESSERT RECIPES
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pudding Dessert
- Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
- Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Delight
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pudding Dessert
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crust
- 1⅓ cups finely crushed cinnamon Teddy Grahams
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 2 bars (8 oz each) cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
Pudding & Cool Whip Layers
- 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding
- 2 cups half & half milk
- 8 oz Cool Whip thawed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and very lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish.
- Combine cinnamon cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix together until it's like wet sand. Press into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is cooking prepare the pumpkin cheesecake. In a bowl with a handheld mixer or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and granulated sugar until mixed and combined. Add pumpkin and the spices. Beat together and then add the eggs, one at a time, blending after each. Pour over the cooked, hot crust. Bake for 30 minutes.
- When cook time is done the cheesecake should be puffy and look set on the sides but the center should still be slightly jiggly just like a regular cheesecake. Let it cool on a cooling rack at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Beat together the pudding mixes and half & half milk with a whisk for 2 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes so it will thicken up. Add 1 cup of the Cool Whip and stir together until blended. Spread it over the cooked and cooled cheesecake.
- Dollop spoonful's of the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding layer (this makes it easier to spread out) and spread out evenly, completely covering the pudding layer.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours. Sprinkle with pecans and then cut into squares to serve. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Video
Notes
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This was super easy to make and a huge hit with everyone.
Yes! So happy to hear this cause it’s one of my favorites.
Can you use whip cream instead of cool whip?
Yes you can! Just whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream + powdered sugar for sweetener until it’s thick with stiff peaks. That equals the tub of cool whip.
Is it 2 cups of half and half for BOTH packages of pudding??? ONE pkg alone asks for 2 cups of milk.
I read this AFTER I had already mixed 2 cups of half and half with both packages of pudding. Ended up with a pretty thick pudding (paste). I added another 2 cups (of just milk) afterwards and just ended up with more of a pudding; just with lumps. Still a tad lumpy after adding some cool whip. It’s after midnight, and didn’t have another 2 pkgs of pudding so I just threw it on top of the cheesecake part. Hope it turns out ok for thanksgiving tomo!
Yes it is just 2 cups as the recipe says. You want a really thick pudding so it will hold up and cut into squares after the refrigeration time. Hopefully it works out with the 4 cups you added, but I am not sure. Enjoy.
Thanks for your reply!! It DID work out! AND was a hit! I was looking for something that was light and not overly sweet (for some diabetic family members). Everyone loved it. I popped it in the freezer an hour before serving and it cut into perfect squares – no problem! Thanks again!
You’re so welcome. So happy to hear it was a hit and worked out well.
Made this the other day, and can’t stop eating it.. My husband and mother in law loved it! I will make again, thanks for sharing..
Hey, that’s my problem too when I make this. I can’t stop eating it! haha So glad you all enjoyed this.
I can’t find cinnamon teddy grams. What else can I use. Is it okay to use graham cracker crumbs?
You can use cinnamon graham crackers to replace the teddy grahams. Not sure if they stopped making the cinnamon teddy grahams or what because I tried to make this the other day and could not find them in the store. So I bought some cinnamon graham crackers and it worked just fine 🙂 Enjoy!
I made the recipes exactly as printed except I used cinnamon graham crackers for the crust and made homemade whipped cream for the lop layer. Everyone loved it! I was wondering, for future reference, if it can be frozen.
I would not freeze this recipe. I have never done it but I would imagine that the pudding layer would give off too much liquid as it thaws which would ruin the graham crackers crust and all the layers.
Excellent! I used white chocolate instant pudding and boxed graham cracker crumbs and sprinkled in cinnamon. Everyone loved it!