Craving some cozy, pumpkin flavors or looking for a healthy dessert to grace your holiday table? Then you'll love this easy Greek yogurt pumpkin parfait! A tiny bit of creamy Mascarpone creates an indulgent, velvety texture in this gluten-free dessert, while a topping of dark chocolate chips and nuts add crunch!
Yogurt seems to have been a consistent part of my childhood. Mom managed to regularly pull together a fresh homemade batch for baking a cake, making yogurt parfaits topped with fruit and drizzled with honey or for all sorts of savory applications including marinades and yogurt sauces similar to Tzatziki.
Now as an adult, I've found more ways to experiment with the yogurt dishes of my youth. During the cool fall days, when those pumpkin pie cravings hit, use yogurt to make this simple pumpkin parfait. And trust me, it satisfies all the holiday dessert cravings and then some!
Pumpkin parfaits are a beautiful, luxurious and easy-to-make dessert. Like my red wine poached pears or easy baked apples, they work for casual moments when you're craving something sweet or can be dressed up for when you want a healthy dessert to serve at the end of a holiday dinner. That's a win in my book!
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Healthy dessert for the win!
As amazing as pumpkin pie can be, there are ways to enjoy the same flavors without having to bake one!
This Greek yogurt pumpkin parfait is a healthier dessert option, gluten-free and a great way to incorporate nutrition-rich pumpkin puree into your diet. According to the Mayo Clinic pumpkin is high in fiber, beta-carotene, and potassium. So grab a spoon and dig into this dessert — it really is both healthy and delicious.
Although this pumpkin pie parfait recipe is intended to be enjoyed as a healthy dessert, it's also great to serve as part of a special holiday brunch. You can make it up to one day in advance, which makes it perfect for entertaining (more on this later).
Easy pumpkin parfait with pumpkin pie vibes!
It only takes about 5 minutes to whip up this light and luscious gluten-free dessert. Serve it right away or keep it in the fridge until you and your guests are ready to enjoy. What's in a pumpkin parfait that makes it tastes so good?
The star ingredients are:
- Organic pumpkin puree. I used a 15-ounce can of store-bought pumpkin puree.
- Greek yogurt.
- Mascarpone (sweet cream cheese) to add a little richness and a velvety texture to your parfait, which also tames the tang of the Greek yogurt.
- A little cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to flavor the pumpkin parfait, for all the pumpkin pie vibes!
- A touch of brown sugar for sweetness.
Parfait toppings
The topping options for this easy parfait recipe are endless. You can use homemade granola, layers of chocolate, caramel, or maple syrup but I kept it simple with nuts and chocolate bits! Here is what I used:
- Honey or molasses — a little drizzle for additional natural sweetness. Do not use blackstrap molasses; the flavor will be too strong.
- Chopped nuts — hazelnut, walnuts, or pecans pair well with pumpkin.
- Chocolate chips! Just a handful of dark semi-sweet chocolate chips.
How to make pumpkin parfait
- Add the pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, Mascarpone, vanilla extract, spices, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Blend using an electric mixer on low speed (or whisk with a hand mixer) until everything is combined and smooth.
- Divide the pumpkin parfait mixture in small cups or mason jars.
- Refrigerate or serve immediately (Refrigerating for at least 30 minutes allows the pumpkin parfaits to thicken).
- Garnish with a drizzle of honey or molasses, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Can you make this pumpkin parfait ahead of time?
You can make this pumpkin parfait one night in advance. Hold the chocolate chips and nuts until you are ready to serve. Store the pumpkin parfait in the fridge in one container with a tight lid or, for easy serving, divide it into portions in small mason jars.
When ready to serve, stir the parfait and top with a drizzle of molasses (or date syrup), chocolate chips and hazelnuts or walnut hearts. Enjoy!
More fall desserts to try
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5-Minute Pumpkin Parfait
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or scant 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
- 1 ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 3-4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Parfait toppings
- 2 tablespoons honey or molasses, more for garnish
- Chocolate chips for garnish
- Chopped hazelnuts or walnuts for garnish
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt and the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips and nuts, in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand electric mixer or a whisk, mix together until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Give it a taste and adjust flavor to your liking (add a bit of molasses or brown sugar to sweeten some more, for example. Or adjust the spices if you want more cinnamon or nutmeg.) Mix again to combine.
- Transfer the pumpkin-yogurt mixture to small (3-ounce) serving goblets or small mason jars. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to serve, top each with a drizzle of molasses, chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare-ahead tip: You can prepare this pumpkin parfait one night in advance. Refrigerate in a tightly closed container or individual mason jars (hold the chocolate chips and nuts for later). When ready to serve, stir the yogurt mixture and transfer it into the serving goblets or mini jars and follow step 3.
- To serve a larger crowd: Simply double the recipe to feed 12 or more (small 3-ounce goblets or mason jars.)
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality ingredients including spices and olive oils.
Nutrition
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in November 2015 and has been recently updated with new information for readers' benefit.
Made it for Thanksgiving yesterday, a lovely light desert which was loved by all.
Thank you for all your amazing recipes Suzy.
Our pleasure, Alison! Hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving!
Not as flavorful as expected but followed the recipe exactly. Your other recipes are great, but this one didn't do it for me.
What is a substitute for marscopone cheese?
Hi, Peg! You might still enjoy this parfait without it,or you can give something like a quality whipped cream a try. It's only a small amount.
Great recipe! Made it tonight and really enjoyed it. Also enjoying the website.
Thanks, Cynthia!
I used zero milk fat green yogurt and Trader Joe's pumpkin, which was not solid coming out of the can. The results were runny for me, too. Wondering if the full fat greek yogurt makes the difference?
Yes, it makes a difference. A big difference. I have never nor will ever use low fat yogurt for anything.
It is used in your recipe for the yogurt parfait. I’m confused.
What would be a good dairy free substitute for the Greek yogurt?
Hi, Jennifer. We've not tested these ourselves, but Silk makes a dairy free Greek-style yogurt. You could also try an almond or other nut-based yogurt. Enjoy!
Came together easily. I think I might add a pinch of cloves next time.
I served this with broken up ginger snaps and pecans.
I will def save this recipe. It was the lighter dessert to offer, after our Thanksgiving meal
I was soooo excited about this recipe, as I love the recipes on this site, I have tried so many delicious and healthy vegetable laden things I never dreamed I'd enjoy, this one, the pumpkin whip, sounded wonderful, light and luscious. However, big disappointment. I thought I'd measured so carefully, even to the point of making sure my Greek Yogurt had no "water" on top, and checked my canned puree for any signs of being "watery" too, but in spite of this, it turned out very runny, even after 8 hours in frig, it was nothing I'd serve to anyone. I was only one who ate it anyway, it was "okay", but made me wonder, could this be given even a little "body" to it if one added a tiny bit of gelatin ? ?
Did you use whole milk Greek yogurt?
I found this recipe last year and loved it and made it again at the beginning of this month. I see that this post was modified a few weeks ago - did the recipe change?
I love pumpkin pie but have recently been diagnosed as Celiac - this sounds like a delicious alternative. Do you think it could be frozen and treated like ice cream?
Shannon
Hi, Shannon. I love the idea of pumpkin frozen yogurt, but I think this recipe would take some tweaking to turn it into a frozen treat. It probably wouldn't work, as-is.
Thanks for your reply Suzy - as it turns out there wasn’t any leftover! Even the non-celiacs in my family devoured it. Truly delicious.
Yay! Thanks, Shannon!
So what/how does this need to be changed to make a frozen dessert for the holidays ?
Hi, Ann. This recipe would take some tweaking to turn it into a frozen dessert. Since I haven't tested it in that way, it's hard to advise. But it sounds like a delicious idea! If you give it a try, I'd love to hear your feedback.
I just made this today, and my family loved it! I did not have cinnamon, so I used pumpkin pie spice instead, and it was wonderful.
Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes.
Oh my goodness! Absolutely divine! Would love to see more of these parfait ideas on your site. This was so delicious, and my kids ate it up!
Wonderful! Thanks, Amanda!!
It is truly delicious. My dinner guest could not get enough of it. My husband is diabetic so I replace the sugar with stevia and my husband can eat it guilt free. He is loving it
Thank you.
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing.
Instead of the sugar, I used Pomegranate Molasses and also offered it as something to pour over the top. One could also use pomegranate seeds on top for crunch and color, in lieu of chocolate bits or nuts. The molasses offers a sweet-tart kick...
We have an old Donvier ice cream maker (you put the tub in the freezer ahead of time), and this parfait recipe makes fine soft serve ice cream, as well.
Wonderful, Beth! Thanks so much for sharing. I'll have to try the ice cream idea!
Very thin consistency..but great flavor.
Hmmm...I'm not sure what might have caused that, in my experience, Greek yogurt, coupled with pumpkin puree produce a creamy thick consistency. Would love to hear more.