Creamy Pumpkin Tart

Thanksgiving is not complete without a pumpkin dessert.

It doesn't need to be a pumpkin pie (some great pumpkin dessert options HERE and HERE), but somewhere should be a pumpkin dessert.

I'll admit, pumpkin pie is not my favorite. The crust is often soggy and the filling isn't silky enough for me.

Then I found a recipe for a creamy pumpkin tart, and I realized this dessert might make everyone, both pumpkin pie fans and pumpkin spice cake fans alike, happy.

This tart has a gingersnap crust and a pudding-like pumpkin filling, lightly flavored with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Then it is topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream right before serving.

Instead of mimicking a pumpkin pie, it really more like a fall-flavored cream pie--cookie crust, creamy pumpkin filling, and whipped cream.

And the two best things about the recipe? 1) it only requires 15 minutes of baking AND 2) it has to be made the night before, giving you extra time on Thanksgiving day to focus on the main meal.

Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Tart

Recipe from Butter Me Up Brooklyn

Serves 8-10 people

Crust:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookie cookies

2 tablespoons brown sugar

pinch of salt

4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

Creamy Pumpkin Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup (one 15 oz can) pumpkin pie puree

Whipped Cream Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the crust:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients and mix until it resembles wet sand. Press the crumbs into a 9-inch tart pan.

Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack in the crumbs, making sure you cover the sides as well. Bake for 15 minutes, then let cool.

For the filling:

Beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Mix in the powdered sugar and brown sugar.

Then, add the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree. Mix until smooth and well-combined.

Next, set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium sized bowl. Using a spatula, press the filling through the strainer. This will make sure your filling is extra-smooth!

Pour the filling into your cooled crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth the filling into an equal level.

Cover with plastic and chill overnight.