Icebox Pumpkin Pie

This delicious icebox "pie" (or cake) is similar to a layered trifle, flavored with Autumn pumpkin and holiday spices. Alternate layers of tangy pumpkin cream and gingersnap cookies develop a cake-like texture after chilling. Try this cool, satisfying alternative to pumpkin pie this holiday season!

I developed this recipe for our campus paper, to give students a few easy and (relatively) healthy Halloween-themed dessert recipes. I also include a recipe for Pomegranate Tapioca, which is truly a healthy, vegan alternative. You can find the recipe here.

vegan pomegranate tapioca

If you double the recipe and layer it into a glass dish, it makes a great holiday trifle.

Icebox Pumpkin Pie
16 oz cream cheese
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 can canned pumpkin (approx 15 oz)- unsweetened,plain pumpkin not "pie filling"
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

gingersnap cookies or wafers

Whip the cream cheese and white sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the white sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Whip until smooth. If there are chunks of cream cheese, the mixture can be pushed through a sieve. Once the mixture is ready, line a pyrex baking dish or decorative glass dish with gingersnap cookies. Pour a third of the mixture over the cookies and smooth. Add another layer of cookies and smooth pumpkin mixture over it again. Repeat until the pan is full and the mixture is used up. Decorate the top with cookies and sift with powdered sugar. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.