Holiday time reminds me of comforting pumpkin that matches the fiery orange leaves of the season.
A couple pumpkin holiday easy desserts you can make are below…
These days, our culture is rediscovering pumpkin pie from the lens of healthy foods. And maybe you have an extra can of pumpkin in your pantry ready to be used?
Pumpkin pie is one of the healthiest desserts on the planet with antioxidants (Vitamins A and C) minus the buttery pie shell that you can easily turn into a pretty trifle.
Trifles are easy desserts to make with as little as 3 ingredients in one bowl.
Like this trifle parfait, where all you need is a can of pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and ricotta for starters!
…A parfait is btw my favorite sweet for year-round brunch (all day) because it has probiotics and protein.
And well, it’s kinda exciting! Like jumping into the pool… except your spoon is coming out full of tasty filling goodness onto your plate. 🍽️
Assembling a parfait trifle like this requires no baking skills.
But if you want to add a baked egg-filled sponge cake, that’ll make it super delicious and even more worth sharing.
Like a family style and sized one to share.
I worked in event planning in Mediterranean cuisine (Spanish, Italian, and Lebanese) restaurants where family-style sharing plates were always part of the dining experience, so that’s always on my mind. 💭
It even makes a pumpkin smile.
To make the trifle: bake your sponge cake (or you can use light tea cookies of your choice).
You can dip in coffee (like you would for tiramisu lady fingers) if you like, and leave overnight in the fridge so the flavors soak in.
This gives a nice brunch vibe.
Then when assembling, layer the canned pumpkin that you can douse with cinnamon and allspice for fall tasting vibes.
Add a layer of ricotta or mascarpone cheese (that’s more healthy than most cream cheeses).
Then add another layer of the canned pumpkin.
Add more sponge cake and melted chocolate for some dramatic color and taste.
Then top off with Greek yogurt… and make a fun swirly design with a knife. Dust with cocoa if you like!
And that’s it!… then you’re ready to share!
And if a trifle doesn’t excite you…
Another great dessert is a ricotta scone you can put together in one bowl with as little as 3 ingredients.
Add ricotta, a small amount of flour (about 2 parts ricotta to 1 part flour) and 1 egg for healthy. You can always add more flour for a more traditional scone.
Add any fruits, zest, and/or spices you would like. I added banana and dried cranberries (craisins) and cinnamon.
Form into a circle. The thickness will remain the same.
Cut or score the circle before you bake so there are less crumbs after you bake and cut.
Oh, and if you want a more traditional crumbly scone (that’s expected for your afternoon tea 🫖… and if you’re watching The Great British Baking Show)…ah, and is still healthy, you can try a low-sugar orange scone.
That was a mouthful… and you can get your sweet mouth-filled in minutes after you bake.
Bake on 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. And voila!
And finally… even easier for easy desserts, you can always make a chocolate pumpkin mousse that you don’t need to share! 😊