These luscious little vegan pumpkin tiramisu parfaits are made with layers of rich, creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling and espresso-soaked gingersnap cookies. They're deceptively easy to make and decadently delicious!
I love classic desserts, but I also love making them even better. And sometimes when you do that, something amazing happens. No, I'm not talking about them turning extra delicious, even though there is that. They get easier! Today, I'm improving on two of my favorite classics — vegan pumpkin pie and vegan tiramisu — and I don't even know how it happened, but the resulting vegan pumpkin tiramisu was heavenly! And stupidly easy.
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A few things happened when I combined these two favorites. First, no baking, and no pie crust, like you have with my already pretty easy pumpkin pie. Life got way easier. But tiramisu, as much as I love it, is a project. I mean, you have to make your own vegan ladyfingers. Geez! Not here. We're leaning into the fall vibes and using store-bought gingersnap cookies instead.
What that all means: throw some filling ingredients in a blender, dunk some cookies, and have a fun time arranging them in cute little parfait glasses. And you'll have the most delicious holiday dessert that tastes like a million bucks and elicits way too many requests for the recipe. Send those folks right here, please!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Raw cashews. These, combined with pumpkin, will make up the base of the filling. They'll blend up super creamy with a neutral flavor, but only if they're raw (not roasted), so read the label before you buy.
- Pumpkin puree. Make sure you're using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which includes a bunch of extra ingredients we don't want.
- Maple syrup.
- Pumpkin pie spice.
- Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed is best, but bottled will do in a pinch.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
- Espresso. Strong coffee is also fine. And if you're like me and can't handle caffeine after dinner, go for decaf!
- Rum. This is optional, but adds some nice boozy flavor.
- Gingersnap cookies. Make sure your gingersnaps are vegan. I used Sweetzels, which the manufacturer confirmed are vegan.
- Whipped topping. Most stores carry dairy-free whipped topping. Look near the cans of regular whipped cream.
- Garnishes. Have some cinnamon handy to sprinkle the topping with, along with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Make the filling. Place all of your filling ingredients into a blender or food processor: soaked raw cashews, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend until nice and smooth. Be patient, as it can take some time if you're not using a high-powered device.
Dunk the cookies. Place your espresso or coffee and rum (if using) into a cup or bowl, then dunk four cookies — one for each parfait. Place each cookie into the bottom of a jar or parfait glass just after dunking.
Tip: Dunk the cookies very briefly. It might not seem like the coffee is absorbing, but it totally is. Then place them in the jars quickly before they fall apart!
Layer. Alternate layers of dunked cookies and pumpkin filling in each jar. You'll want three or four layers of filling and three cookies in each one.
Chill and top. Chilling is optional, but I like my pumpkin tiramisu nice and cold. Either way, wait to top the parfaits until just before serving. Pile on the whipped topping, then sprinkle with cinnamon and either cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.
Serve. Grab a spoon and dive on in!
Variations
- Spice variations. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or cloves (all of which are already in pumpkin pie spice), or something new like cardamom, allspice, or even black pepper (for chai vibes!).
- Cookie swaps. The gingersnaps can be replaced with other types of vegan cookies that will fit in a jar. Some might be weird (maybe not a lemon cookie), but vegan shortbread, vegan ginger molasses cookies, and vegan snickerdoodles should all be good! Some might need a little more dunk time.
- Get festive with the toppings. Try sprinkles, finely chopped nuts, or mini vegan chocolate chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Just use vegan gluten-free gingersnap cookies.
I don't see why not! The only issue is that most pans will be too large. Try doubling the batch size and layering everything in an 8 x 8 inch square pan.
Sure! Dip the cookies in non-dairy milk instead. You won't get the coffee flavor, but it will still be delicious.
Yep! Cover the parfaits tightly with plastic wrap and they will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Hold off on adding whipped topping and garnishes until just before serving.
More Vegan Pumpkin Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Tiramisu
Equipment
- High-powered blender or food processor
- 4 parfait glasses or mason jars
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Layers
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- â…“ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
For the Gingersnap Layers
- ½ cup espresso or strong coffee
- ¼ cup rum (optional, omit for an alcohol-free version)
- 12 vegan gingersnap cookies
For Topping
- Dairy-free whipped topping
- Ground cinnamon
- Cocoa powder or vegan chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Place all of the pumpkin layer ingredients into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade, then blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the pitcher or bowl as needed.
- Gather 4 mason jars or parfait glasses. Pour the espresso or coffee into a shallow bowl and stir in the rum, if using. Working one at a time, briefly dunk 4 gingersnaps into the coffee mixture, then place one in the bottom of each glass. Spoon some pumpkin filling over each cookie. Repeat the process, alternating layers of dipped gingersnaps and pumpkin filling, until you've used 3 cookies per glass and divided all of the filling among the glasses.
- Optionally, cover the glasses and chill until ready to serve (Note 1).
- Just before serving, top with vegan whipped topping, then sprinkle the topping with ground cinnamon and chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.
Notes
- These parfaits can be served immediately, but I recommend chilling for at least 1 hour for the best texture and flavor. They will keep for about 3 days, covered tightly in the fridge.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
Hi Elissa,
this looks delicious! Q: what size of pumpkin puree? We have the regular size and also the larger can- how many oz is the can in this recipe?
Thank you! You can buy the smaller can (about 15 ounces), and you won't end up using the whole thing. I always freeze what's left or use it in my pumpkin mug cake: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-mug-cake/
Can you make them ahead of time?
Yup! They need at least 2 hours to chill, but they should be fine if made up to a day in advance.
What can I use instead of coconut cream
You could try a store-bought vegan whipped cream. I know there are a few out there, but I've never tried any of them.
am i dreaming or is this real life?!!! this looks to-die-for, in fact id rather eat this than pumpkin pie any day!
Thanks Rachel! I never thought I'd find a replacement for pumpkin pie, but I'm actually making this instead this year. ;)
Oh my! I absolutely must try that, it seems so yummy *O*
Enjoy! :)
If I had a dime for all the gross things I've seen while working in restaurants and bars. While in college I worked as a bartender at a nightclub called Late Night Library (the tag line was "If mom calls, tell her I'm at the Library.") Thank goodness there was no food involved at that establishment. I've come a long way since then! Who would have thought I'd be helping people eat more plant-based foods and supporting local, organic farming. This dessert fits in as the perfect indulgence for a plant-based diet! Decadent enough to feel a little naughty but with clean ingredients to help keep you on track. Love it!!!
I love all of the words in this title individually (vegan, pumpkin, gingernap, tiramisu), ha ha. Great idea to use gingersnaps in place of lady fingers, if they're store-bought that makes prep so much faster. And this version is so seasonal!
Definitely can relate to your food story, back when I worked at an unnamed chain restaurant as a teenager. SO bad!