Pumpkin Tiramisu Recipe: Easy No-Bake Fall Dessert

Pumpkin tiramisu is the dessert that converts people who think they do not like pumpkin pie. It takes the classic Italian structure — coffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with a rich mascarpone cream — and gives it an autumn twist: pumpkin purée, warm spices, and a dusting of cocoa and cinnamon on top. There is no baking, no gelatine, and no complicated technique. If you can whip cream and dip a biscuit, you can make this dessert, and it actually tastes better after a night in the fridge, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any autumn dinner party.

This recipe serves 8 to 10 people from a 20 × 30 cm dish, takes about 30 minutes of hands-on work plus at least 6 hours of chilling (overnight is best), and uses ingredients you can find in any supermarket. Below you will find the complete ingredient list with exact quantities, a step-by-step method that explains why each step matters, variations for different diets and occasions, and answers to the questions people ask most often. If you are planning a full holiday table, it pairs beautifully with the feast in a full holiday feast — for the main-course plan, see our Friendsgiving dinner party ideas for a relaxed gathering menu to pair with this dessert.

Ingredients

For the pumpkin mascarpone cream

• 500g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 300ml double (heavy) cream, cold
• 400g pure pumpkin purée (tinned or homemade, well drained)
• 100g icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional, use less if you dislike cloves)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt

For the layers and topping

• 200g savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits — about 24 biscuits
• 240ml strong brewed coffee or espresso, cooled to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar, stirred into the coffee
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for dusting
• Optional garnish: whipped cream rosettes, crushed gingersnap biscuits, or a cinnamon stick

A note on pumpkin purée: tinned pure pumpkin is the most reliable choice, because fresh pumpkin varies in water content. If you use homemade purée, roast the pumpkin, blend it smooth, then drain it in a sieve lined with muslin for 30 minutes — wet purée makes a runny cream. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices and will make the dessert far too sweet. For the coffee element, a home coffee setup helps; our home coffee station ideas show how to brew strong espresso easily at home.

Step-by-Step Method

1. Make the coffee dip. Brew 240ml of strong coffee or espresso and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the maple syrup or brown sugar until dissolved. Pour into a shallow dish wide enough to dip a ladyfinger. Hot coffee will make the biscuits collapse, so do not rush this cooling step.
2. Whip the cream. In a large, cold bowl, whip the 300ml double cream to soft peaks — it should hold its shape but still look smooth and pillowy, not stiff or grainy. Set aside. Over-whipped cream turns buttery and will not fold smoothly into the mascarpone.
3. Beat the mascarpone base. In a second bowl, beat the mascarpone briefly with the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt until just smooth, about 30 seconds. Do not over-beat mascarpone or it can split. Fold in the pumpkin purée and spices until the mixture is evenly orange with no streaks.
4. Combine gently. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the pumpkin mascarpone and fold it in to lighten the mixture. Then fold in the remaining cream in two additions, using a large spatula and a gentle under-and-over motion. The finished cream should be thick, smooth, and able to hold a spoon upright.
5. Build the first layer. Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee for about 2 seconds per side — a quick in-and-out, not a soak — and arrange them in a single layer in a 20 × 30 cm dish, trimming biscuits to fill gaps. Spread half the pumpkin cream evenly over the biscuits with an offset spatula.
6. Build the second layer. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and the remaining cream. Smooth the top carefully, cover loosely, and refrigerate. The dessert needs at least 6 hours to set, but overnight (8–12 hours) gives the cleanest slices and the best flavour.
7. Dust and serve. Just before serving, dust the top evenly with cocoa powder and cinnamon through a small sieve. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts, lift out portions with a flat spatula, and add whipped cream rosettes or crushed gingersnaps if you like. Serve chilled.

Variations and Serving Ideas

For individual servings, build the same layers in glasses or small jars: break ladyfingers to fit, add two layers of cream, and chill as above. This version looks beautiful at a dinner party and avoids the slicing step entirely. For a lighter version, replace half the mascarpone with whipped ricotta or Greek yoghurt, though the texture will be softer and less rich. For an alcohol-free classic flavour, the coffee dip works perfectly as written; if you do want a traditional tiramisu note, add 2 tablespoons of rum or Marsala to the cooled coffee, keeping the dessert for adults only.

Pumpkin tiramisu also works as a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dessert alongside pumpkin pie — guests love having both a baked and a chilled option. Serve it after a break following the main course, with coffee, so the cold, creamy dessert feels refreshing rather than heavy. For a cosy autumn evening after dinner, pair it with a film night; our cosy Christmas movie night ideas adapt easily to an autumn dessert-and-film evening, and our Christmas table setting ideas can inspire a festive serving table for the dessert course.

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