As the leaves start to turn and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing I love more than getting into the spirit of fall with some delicious, warming desserts. And what could be more quintessentially autumn than a Pumpkin Pie Dessert? This dish is a favorite in my house – the perfect blend of sweet, spiced pumpkin filling and a buttery, crumbly crust that just melts in your mouth. It’s not just a dessert; it’s an experience! The scent of the pumpkin and spices wafting through the house as it cools on the counter is enough to make anyone’s mouth water. I love this recipe because it’s so simple to make, yet the result is a dessert that looks and tastes like it’s straight from a professional bakery. And the best part? It’s made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! So why not treat yourself and your loved ones with this delightful Pumpkin Pie Dessert?
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c. crushed butter flavored crackers (about 50)
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 3/4 c. melted margarine
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- whipped topping
- chopped peanuts
Baking Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a greased 9×13 pan. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped topping and nuts.
Calorie: 200
Total cooking time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Great Pumpkin Pie Dessert Saga
Let’s set the stage, shall we? There I was, in my humble kitchen, armed with a mountain of butter flavored crackers, a sack of sugar, a pool of melted margarine, and a spirit full of determination. I was on a mission to create the ultimate Pumpkin Pie Dessert.
The Crusty Beginning
The first step on this delicious journey started with a bowl, 2 1/4 cups of crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 50 of those crunchy bad boys), and 1/2 a cup of sugar. Oh, and let’s not forget the 3/4 cup of melted margarine. Now, I can hear you asking, “Why margarine?” Well, dear reader, I’ve found that it adds a certain…je ne sais quoi to the crust. It’s like a secret handshake between the butter and the cracker crumbs. After this crumbly union has formed, I pressed it into a greased 9×13 pan and set it aside, like a proud parent watching their child go off to school for the first time.
The Creamy Middle
Next up, we were dealing with the filling. This is where things got a little bit…shall we say, ‘milky’? I whisked 2 cups of cold milk with 2 packages of instant vanilla pudding for 2 minutes. I felt like I was disarming a bomb with how precise I had to be. Then in came the pumpkin. Not just any pumpkin, a solid pack pumpkin. This pumpkin had been doing its squats, people! I stirred in the pumpkin and spices – 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. of ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg – and watched as the mixture transformed into a beautiful, aromatic symphony of flavors. I then gently spread this over the crust, like a painter creating a masterpiece.
The Chilling Conclusion
Now, the hardest part of this entire process – no, not the cleanup, although that’s a close second – the wait! This baby needed to go into the fridge for three hours to set. Three. Whole. Hours. That’s enough time to watch an entire season of a sitcom. I was on pins and needles, but patience is a virtue, right?
The Creamy, Nutty Finale
Once the three hours were up, and I’d successfully binged an entire season of my favorite show, out came the pie. It emerged from the fridge, glistening and set, like a contestant on a baking show ready to face the judges. I garnished it with a beautiful cloud of whipped topping and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts for that extra crunch. And voilà! The Pumpkin Pie Dessert was ready to be devoured.
So, there you have it, the tale of my Pumpkin Pie Dessert journey. Full of butter, sugar, margarine, cold milk, instant vanilla pudding, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, topping, and peanuts. And let me tell you, it was one delicious story to tell.
