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Pumpkin Pie Dip

All the flavor of pumpkin pie in a fluffy, scoopable dip — whipped cream cheese, real pumpkin puree, and warm pumpkin pie spice folded into a light, cloud-like dessert. No baking, no oven space, no rolling pin: it mixes up in 10 minutes and chills while you finish the rest of Thanksgiving dinner.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 185 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree — plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 8 ounces (225 g) whipped topping, thawed — or 2 cups homemade whipped cream

For topping

  • 1/4 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
  • 2 tablespoons caramel sauce for drizzling

For serving

  • gingersnap cookies, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, and sliced Granny Smith apples

Instructions
 

  • Beat the cream cheese on its own first: in a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute, until completely smooth and free of lumps.
  • Add the sugars and spice: add the powdered sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once, about 1 minute.
  • Add the pumpkin: add the pumpkin puree and beat on medium speed until fully combined and evenly orange, about 30 seconds.
  • Fold in the whipped topping: add the thawed whipped topping and fold it in gently with a rubber spatula, using wide, slow strokes, until no white streaks remain. Do not beat it.
  • Chill: spoon the dip into a serving bowl and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so it firms up and the flavors meld.
  • Top and serve: just before serving, sprinkle the crushed gingersnaps over the top, drizzle with caramel sauce, and dust with a pinch of cinnamon. Serve with gingersnaps, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, and apple slices for dipping.

Notes

Beat the cream cheese smooth FIRST, before anything else goes in. Cold or half-soft cream cheese mixed with pumpkin leaves tiny white flecks no amount of mixing will remove.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so with the sugars on top the dip turns cloying and the spice doubles up.
Fold, don't beat, the whipped topping in. Beating deflates the air and turns the dip dense instead of fluffy.
Chill at least 1 hour. The dip is good right away, but chilling firms it up to a scoopable texture and lets the spice bloom.
Keep it cold on the table: the dip holds its shape for about 2 hours at room temperature. For a long party, nest the serving bowl in a larger bowl of ice.