Pumpkin Pecan Praline Parfaits

Pumpkin. Pecan. Praline. Parfaits.

Maybe you love pumpkin pie, but maybe you hate the preparation involved with actually baking said pie. Or, maybe you have an inexplicable fear of pie crust. Or, maybe you simply just suck at baking. If you just mentally checked off any (or all) of those imaginary boxes above, then these parfaits are the answer to that pumpkin pie craving you’ve been having since September. 

All you have left to do is add these ingredients to this week’s shopping list, make this recipe, and go enjoy your glass of so-much-easier-than-pie-but-still-tastes-like-pie goodness!

Pumpkin Pecan Praline Parfaits
Makes 12 individual parfaits, or 1 large trifle

For the Maple Whipped Cream:
1 pint heavy cream
1-2 TB pure maple syrup

For the Pecan Praline Sauce:
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1-2 pinches cinnamon
10 oz prepared caramel sauce (I used King’s Cupboard brand) 

For the Pumpkin Filling:
2 (15-oz) cans pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
Kosher salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Garnish:
20 gingersnap cookies, crumbled

Make the whipped cream: By hand or with a mixer, beat cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup by gently folding it into the cream. To save a step, you could absolutely use store-bought whipped cream or whipped topping.

Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, toast pecans over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant. Add cinnamon and toss to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the caramel sauce, stirring well to combine, and allowing the caramel to soften and begin to melt. Set aside.

Make the filling: Whisk together the pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a small pinch of salt. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup. Start with less—you can always add more! Gently fold in about 1 cup of the whipped cream to lighten up the pumpkin filling.

Assemble the parfaits: In small parfait or wine glasses, layer the ingredients in this order: Gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin mixture, whipped cream, repeating with a second layer of each. Garnish each parfait with more gingersnap crumbs and a drizzle of the warm pecan praline sauce. (If the sauce thickens up too much while you’re assembling the parfaits, simply warm it back up over medium-low heat.) 

Make-ahead instructions: Assemble parfaits as outlined, but without the gingersnap crumbs in between the layers. I've written the recipe this way, because the cookie crumbs will get soggy if you leave them in and then let the parfaits sit a while, but if you’re into that soft-cookie crumb texture then go ahead and follow the instructions as written above. Otherwise, start with the pumpkin mixture in the bottom of the glass, add whipped cream, and repeat with a second layer of each. When ready to serve, garnish with crumbled gingersnaps and a drizzle of the warm pecan praline sauce. (Again, if the sauce thickens up too much between preparation and service, simply warm it back up over medium-low heat.) 

Note: Servings will vary depending on the size of the glasses you decide to use. You can also make this in a trifle dish if you want to cut down on assembly time. It will be delicious either way!

What’s your all-time favorite kind of pie? Share yours in the comments!
Cheers! Alex