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Thick, rich, and smooth, this Pumpkin Dip is a sweet fall treat that’s full of cream cheese, pumpkin and warm spices. Serve it as a make-ahead snack with apples, or pair it with gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, and graham crackers for an easy dessert recipe. The simple harvest pumpkin dip tastes like a decadent pie filling — and it’s ready in 10 minutes!
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Pumpkin Dip for Apples
Apple season is big business in Central Virginia — especially in our little rural community of Madison County. As soon as autumn rolls around, I like to prepare a sweet pumpkin dip for apples or for cookies, which I stash in the refrigerator to enjoy for easy snacks and desserts.
Last fall, I was helping at the kindergarten Thanksgiving feast, and I noticed that the kids devoured a big bowl of pumpkin dip. It was the hit of the party — even with my picky 6-year-old. I promised him that I would figure out how to make the dip at home, and this delicious pumpkin cream cheese dip dessert was born!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Dip with Cream Cheese
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt
How to make Pumpkin Dip
This pumpkin dip recipe is just a twist on my classic cream cheese apple dip, with the addition of canned pumpkin and warm spices. It tastes like pumpkin pie filling or, more specifically, no bake pumpkin cheesecake dip! Best of all, the simple mix comes together in just 10 minutes.
Step 1: Beat Cream Cheese
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Add Powdered Sugar
Sift the powdered sugar,
and then gradually add the sifted sugar to the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese and the powdered sugar until completely combined.
Step 3: Mix in Remaining Ingredients
Finally, mix in the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
Step 4: Chill
Cover the dip and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Then serve with your favorite dippers and enjoy!
How to Thicken Pumpkin Dip
Make sure to allow enough time for the dip to chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour (or overnight). This will help it thicken and firm up, since warm cream cheese can be soft and runny. The powdered sugar also helps to thicken the dip, rather than using an alternative sweetener such as brown sugar.
What to serve with Pumpkin Dip
This sweet and savory pumpkin dip goes well with cookies, and also with fruit like apples and pears. It’s ideal for fall holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving, but it’s also simple enough for an after-school snack. Here are a few options to serve with the dip:
- Gingersnap cookies
- Vanilla wafers
- Graham crackers (try the cinnamon graham crackers for more spice)
- Pretzels or crackers for a sweet-and-salty combination
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
- Grapes
- Toast slices or English muffins
Storage Tips
The dip needs to be refrigerated, and should not sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the dip will last for 3-4 days. It’s a great make-ahead option to have on hand for last-minute visitors, after-school snacks, or holiday get togethers.
I do not recommend freezing this dip, since the cream cheese may “break” when thawed.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Dip Recipe
- Use blocks of cream cheese — not the spreadable cream cheese from a tub. The spreadable cream cheese has more air and liquid added, which will give your dip an undesirable consistency.
- Let your cream cheese soften at room temperature. This will make it easy to whip. Cold cream cheese is too firm to blend into a light, fluffy dip.
- Make sure to use a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree — not canned pumpkin pie filling. They look similar on the store shelves, but pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and seasonings that you don’t want in this dip recipe.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the cream cheese. I know this is an extra step, but it’s incredibly important. Otherwise, you may end up with little clumps of powdered sugar in the dip, which gives it a lumpy texture (no, thank you)! Instead, sifting the sugar results in a smooth, creamy dip.
- Cut the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller amount of dip. This recipe yields approximately 4 ½ cups, or about 18 servings at ¼-cup each.
More pumpkin recipes that you might enjoy:
- Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Pumpkin Dip
Ingredients
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 16 ounces powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional, for serving: graham crackers, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, Nilla wafers, pretzels, apples, pears
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, beating well.
- Stir in pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Notes
- Use blocks of cream cheese — not the spreadable cream cheese from a tub. The spreadable cream cheese has more air and liquid added, which will give your dip an undesirable consistency.
- Let your cream cheese soften at room temperature. This will make it easy to whip. Cold cream cheese is too firm to blend into a light, fluffy dip.
- Make sure to use a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree — not canned pumpkin pie filling. They look similar on the store shelves, but pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and seasonings that you don’t want in this dip recipe.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the cream cheese. I know this is an extra step, but it’s incredibly important. Otherwise, you may end up with little clumps of powdered sugar in the dip, which gives it a lumpy texture (no, thank you)! Instead, sifting the sugar results in a smooth, creamy dip.
- Cut the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller amount of dip. This recipe yields approximately 4 ½ cups, or about 18 servings at ¼-cup each.
