These No Bake Pumpkin Dream Bars will be your new go-to Fall and Thanksgiving dessert.
This is an easy layered dessert with a gingersnap cookie crust, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin spice pudding, and Cool Whip. Similar to my extremely popular Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars that started it all, it’s an easy seasonal dessert recipe everyone will love.
Also, if you’re on team Cool Whip Haters, this Stabilized Whipped Cream is a great substitute. Made with cream cheese instead of gelatin, this homemade whipped cream is like a really rich whipped topping and can be used in any of my dream bar recipes.
After all these years and 12 Dream Bar desserts later, can you believe it’s taken me this long to come up with one specifically for Fall and Thanksgiving?
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I certainly can’t.
Seems like I’ve made a dream bar recipe for nearly every occasion. Hence the reason I had to make these.
There’s the Peppermint Dream Dessert that is perfect for Christmas.
Looking for a dream bar with an alternative to sugar than you need to put these Cranberry Orange Dream Bars on your menu!
Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars are a must for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day.
The Irish and anyone celebrating St. Patrick’s Day will love these Chocolate Mint Dream Bars.
Colorful and fun Circus Animal Cookie Dream Bars would be great for Easter or any child’s (or adult’s!) birthday celebration.
Summer calls for this 365 fan favorite, Strawberry Cheesecake Dream Bars. You can’t go wrong when fresh strawberries are in season.
And these Orange Creamsicle Dream Bars will surely transport you back to your childhood and running up to the ice cream truck.
SAVE THIS NO BAKE PUMPKIN DREAM BARS RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Cookie and Cream lovers go nuts for these Oreo Pudding Dream Bars. They’re definitely one of my favorites, too.
Besides the Dream Bars I’ve mentioned, I’ve also made Banana Pudding Dream Bars, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dream Bars, and Biscoff White Chocolate Dream Bars.
If you’re a pumpkin lover, I think you’re really going to love this creamy Pumpkin Dream Bars dessert.
With each bite, you’ll taste layers of deliciousness and might even want to lick your plate clean.
You can even make your own Homemade Pumpkin Spice to add to it, too!
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How to make this Dream Bar Recipe –
- To easily remove the bars from the pan and easy slicing, line the pan with parchment paper. Leave the parchment a little longer up the sides so you can lift the whole dessert from the pan.
- For a complete Fall flavored crust, use gingersnap cookies. If you don’t like gingersnaps, you can use graham cracker crumbs or Oreo cookie crumbs. Personally, I really liked the extra flavor the gingersnaps added.
The crust will harden after just 30 minutes in the freezer. - Use the Jell-o Pumpkin Spice Pudding. You can find it at your local grocery store or on Amazon.
Also, be sure to use the 1 ½ cups of milk called for in the recipe and not as directed in the instructions on the box. We want the pudding to be a bit thicker, so that it will slice easily. - When combining the pumpkin cheesecake ingredients, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and bottom to make sure all ingredients are well blended. Then fold in the Cool Whip with a rubber spatula.
- Refrigerate the bars for a minimum of four hours to harden, but overnight is best.
It’s a perfect make-ahead dessert during your busy holiday season.
Also, if you’re short on time, you can place the finished dessert into the freezer for an hour and a half and then serve.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes this Fall season? I’ve got you covered!
Do you want to bake a pumpkin cake? Make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cake or my absolute pumpkin favorite, this Chai Spiced Pumpkin Cake.
I’ve also got pumpkin for breakfast with these delicious moist Dairy-Free Pumpkin Muffins. This Pumpkin Spice Baked French Toast is always a favorite around here come Fall!
More Ideas to Use Up the Leftover Pumpkin
Since I only used a ¼ cup of pure pumpkin in this recipe, you’re sure to have some left after opening a new can.
We have a dog named, Logan, and when he has tummy issues pumpkin is great for getting him back on track.
I have this collection of Homemade Dog Treats and some of them use pumpkin.
I also stick any extra pumpkin in ice cube trays and place into the freezer for future use if I don’t need it right away.
Of course, there are recipes I’ve listed that don’t use a full can and more throughout the internet.
These No Bake Pumpkin Dream Bars will be your new go-to Thanksgiving dessert. It's an easy layered dessert recipe with a Gingersnap cookie crust. With layers of pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin spice pudding. and Cool Whip it's a creamy treat everyone will love.
- 1 ⅓ cups crushed Gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3.4 ounce package Pumpkin Spice Pudding Mix
- 1½ cups milk
- 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 cup Cool Whip from container below
- 8 ounces Cool Whip divided
- Chopped pecans and additional crushed Gingersnap cookies for topping, if desired
Line an 8X8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. It will allow for easy removal and slicing of the bars.
In a small mixing bowl, melt the butter and add the Gingersnap cookie crumbs. Mix until well combined.
Pour crumb mixture into the bottom and pat down so that crumbs are spread evenly throughout the pan.
Place into freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes to harden.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk called for in the directions, and whisk until well combined. Refrigerate for a minimum of 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Add the confectioners' sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin spice and mix until well combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in one cup of the Cool Whip until completely combined.
Place dollops of the pumpkin cream cheese on top of the frozen cookie crust and spread evenly to all sides of the pan.
Place the pudding on top of the cream cheese and spread.
Cover completely with remaining Cool Whip.
Place into refrigerator for a minimum of four hours (or overnight is best) or into the freezer for an hour and a half.
Sprinkle with chopped pecan pieces and additional crushed Gingersnap cookies, if desired.
Of course, everything pumpkin is super popular this time of year, and there are so many great recipes to choose from. You just might have a hard time deciding!
If you’re a cookie lover then these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies will quickly become a favorite.
Imaging how delicious they’ll be while snuggled up on the couch with a cup of tea on a chilly Fall day.
I’m seriously drooling over these Pumpkin Fluffernutter Bars.
I don’t think I’d be able to eat just one!
Switch up that pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving this year and make this Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Tart.
You’ll wow your friends and family for sure!
Looking for an easy holiday dessert? This Pumpkin Pie Magic Cake has your name all over it then. With just 5 ingredients, you’ll have a delicious dessert on the table in no time.
Wake the family up in the morning with these Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts. What a delicious surprise and with that maple glaze topping, they’ll surely be back for more.
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Wow, these pumpkin dream bars are magic! Quick dessert which is so good for fall. I’m planning to make it next weekend and share with our neighbors. Gonna follow your recipe precisely. Dying to taste these bars. Really craving something like these now. Thank you for all of the useful tips Lynne. I’m sure they’ll help me a lot, and I won’t fail.
p.s. I should definitely try your other lovely recipes of desserts.
Love this recipe, such a great combo of flavors!
:O!!! THAT LOOKS AMAZING! I love pumpkins and I like to make no-baking cakes so…any ideas?:) Yep, I’ll do it for Halloween.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Thanks so much! I hope you like it!
I don’t have any suggestions for a no bake cake, but I’m sure if you Google it you’re bound to find some different ideas.
Happy no baking!! 😉
I cannot find the pumpkinbpuddinh. Could I use vanilla and add some pumpkin to it?
Mary, you can use vanilla pudding. However I wouldn’t add any pumpkin puree to it. I would add about ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice to the cool whip layer on top for more flavor, and just leave the vanilla pudding as is.