I don't know how to make an easier dessert than this No Bake Pumpkin Tart. It takes almost no time and can be made by seasoned bakers as well as beginning bakers with ease. If time is your problem, this is your dessert.
A light as air intensely flavored pumpkin mousse sits in a pretzel crust which is one of the best of it's kind I have found. I know I will be using it again and probably more than once. It just has more flavor than a graham cracker crust. The saltiness of the pretzels lingers just a bit after the bite is gone. The almost refers to the crust being baked for 12 to 14 minutes.
The tart is just sweet enough so that all of the spices and flavor come through. The pumpkin mousse is borrowed from the favorite Updated Pumpkin Mousse Torte. The light as a feather mousse is a pouf of pumpkin and spices that just float away with each bite. I can't imagine anything more perfect for the end of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner which is anything but light.
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Recipe Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
FRONT ROW: Powdered sugar, pecans
BACK ROW: Salted Waffle Pretzels, unsalted butter
Pumpkin Tart Filling
FRONT ROW: Nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, salt
MIDDLE ROW: Gelatin, cinnamon, water, cloves
BACK ROW: Powdered sugar, pumpkin puree (canned), heavy cream
Whipped Cream Decoration
Powdered sugar and heavy cream
Key Ingredients
The Pretzels can be a bit tricky to measure depending upon the shape of them. The volume measurement I give is for the waffle pretzels I used. This is where a scale comes in. It doesn't matter the shape and how much room they take up in a measuring cup - the weight is always the same.
Canned Pumpkin is used but be sure not to get pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin puree usually comes in a 15 ounce can and the pumpkin pie filling is about 30 ounces or twice as large. If you made the Really Easy Pumpkin Muffins and froze the leftover pumpkin you can use it in this recipe. It will, most likely be a bit watery but it doesn't matter. Just thaw it and bring it to room temperature. Whisk it before using.
Always dissolve the gelatin in cold liquid - in this case water. Add the gelatin to the water and make sure to use a very small bowl as there is less than 2 tablespoons when mixed. Set aside and then microwave for about 5 seconds to liquify it.
Heavy cream should be used. Regular whipping cream will not hold up as well. The cream should be very cold when whipped. It should be slightly firmer than the soft peak stage and just begin to hold its shape when folded together with the pumpkin mixture. For use as the decoration, it should be about a medium peak but not to the stiff peak stage.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & Instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Pretzel Crust
Step 1. Place the pretzels, pecans and powdered sugar in the bowl of a processor. Step 2. Process until fine crumbs form. Step 3. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and add the melted butter. Step 4. Toss with a fork to make sure all the crumbs are moistened and the mixture starts to form crumbs.
Step 5. Take the specified amount of crumbs and arrange them evenly and loosely around the edge of the pan. Step 6. Press them firmly against the rim of the pan. Step 7. Pour the remainder of the crumbs in the bottom of the pan and spread them evenly over the bottom. Step 7. Press them firmly against the bottom of the pan and firmly agains the crumbs on the rim of the pan. Bake as directed.
Pumpkin Filling
Step 9. Add the gelatin to the water and stir to completely mix. Set it aside. Whip the cream until it starts holding its shape. Set aside. Step 10. Place the remainder of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them together. Step 11. Heat the gelatin in a microwave for 4 to 5 seconds until liquid. Add it to the pumpkin ingredients and whisk together immediately. Step 12. Fold the cream into the pumpkin ingredients. Pour it into the baked crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before continuing.
Releasing the Tart
Step 13. Place the tart on a short can. Step 14. Slide the rim down to the table. Step 15. Place a metal spatula between the tart and the bottom of the tart pan that is sitting on. Go around the bottom to loosen the crust. Step 16. Place the tart on a cake board or cake plate.
Decorating the Tart
Step 17. With a small, plain tip, (I used an Ateco 801 which is about ⅛"), pipe 6 lines of cream horizontally from edge to edge. Step 18. Turn the tart 90° so the lines are now vertical. Step 19. Pipe a second set of lines diagonally across the tart forming a lattice design. Step 20. Finish the edges with a wreath of cream around the edge of the tart (I used an Ateco 825 open star which is about ⅜").
Recipe FAQS
The pumpkin pie is made in a pie pan which is slanted on the side and usually about 2" or more deep. The pumpkin tart is made in a tart pan that is usually shallow but can be deeper. Both have fluted side. The tart pans usually have removable sides.
No. The pumpkin pie filling has ingredients added to the puree to be used by pouring into a pie shell. It generally weighs about 30 ounes. Canned pumpkin is only pumpkin puree. It usually comes in 15 ounce cans.
While pumpkin puree is specified on the label, kabocha squash, which is also known as Japanese pumpkin, is also used as it is very much like pumpkin. They are interchangeable in baking.
Expert Tips
- The tart can be frozen for several months, without the decoration, if kept in the tart pan and wrapped well in foil. Thaw in the refrigerator and decorate up to 1 day ahead of serving. Serve directly from the fridge.
- Heavy cream is preferable as it needs no stabilization. At my bakery, we froze cakes finished with whipped heavy cream, as well as filled and decorated with no problem when thawed. See my post on Salvaging Over Whipped Cream, Heavy Creams The Work Horse of Creams, as well as Freezing Cream.
- This tart uses canned pumpkin puree. There is some confusion between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin puree is just that and usually comes in 15 ounce cans. The pumpkin pie filling has additional ingredients so all that is need is a crust. It usually comes in 30 ounce cans. Also, if you made the Really Easy Pumpkin Muffins and froze the leftover puree you can use that. I used frozen puree. It will be a little looser but that is fine.
- Make sure to use a very small bowl to soften the gelatin. There will be only about 2 tablespoons.
More Holiday Desserts
If you love this Almost No Bake Pumpkin Tart, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
(Almost) No Bake Pumpkin Tart
Equipment
- 9" tart pan with removable bottom
- ⅛" plain piping tip
- ⅜"open star piping tip
- Piping bags
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 3 cups salted waffle pretzels (125 grams)
- ½ cup pecans (60 grams)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (35 grams)
- ½ cup butter, melted (114 grams or 1 stick)
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 ½ teaspoons gelatin
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (45 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Whipped Cream Decoration
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (35 grams)
Instructions
Pretzel Crust
- If using a different shape pretzel it may take more or less of them. It is best to weigh them and then it doesn't matter what shape they are. If you don't have a scale then process the pretzels until they are finely ground and measure 1 ¼ cups.
- Spray a 9"x1" tart pan with a removable bottom. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the pretzels (or pretzel crumbs), pecans and powdered sugar. Process them until they are fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl.
- Pour almost all of the butter in and toss with a fork until the crumbs are all coated and they begin to look like crumbs. Take a bit and press it between your fingers. If is sticks together well you don't need extra butter. Otherwise, add it to the crumbs and toss again. If in doubt, use all of the butter.
- Press half the crumbs (about 160 grams) firmly into the sides of the tart pan. Press the remainder of the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the pan connecting with the crumbs on the side.
- Bake the crust for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly browned and crisp when cold. Cool completely before continuing.
Pumpkin Filling
- Add the gelatin to the water in a very small bowl. Stir well to make sure they are completelyl mixed. Set aside.
- Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, add the cold cream and whisk until it begins to hold its shape. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk all the remaining ingredients together. Microwave the gelatin for about 5 seconds until it is liquid. Whisk it immediately into the pumpkin mixture.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Pour into the crust. Spread it out evenly, smoothing the top. Refrigerate overnight to set up.
Releasing the Tart
- Place the tart on a short can. Gently pull the sides of the tart pan down. If they don't release easily, go around the edges of the pan with a hot hair blower briefly. Place the tart on the table.
- Place a metal spatula between the bottom of the tart and the metal bottom of the tart pan. Go all the way around to make sure the bottom is free. Transfer to a cardboard cake circle or onto a cake plate.
Decorating the Tart
- Add the cream and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip to medium peaks.
- Using a small round pastry tip in a pastry bag ( I used an Ateco 801 which is about ⅛") , fill it with some of the cream, pipe 5 horizontal lines across the tart.
- Turn the tart 90° so the lines are now vertical. Pipe 5 lines on the diagonal to create a lattice design.
- Using a ⅜" open star tip (I used an Ateco 825 open star), pipe a wreath around the edge of the tart. Refrigerate until serving.
- The tart can be made and frozen without the decoration. Leave it in the tart pan, freeze it hard, then wrap it well in foil and freeze for several months.
- Thaw it in the refrigerator. Follow the instructions above for releasing the tart when thawed. Decorate as called for.
- The tart should be kept in the refrigerator and will keep for 3 or 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Oliver says
Are the 3 cups waffle pretzels salted?
Thanks
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Oliver, yes they are.
Irene Douma says
Pumpkin filling recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of ginger twice. I presume it is only 1/4 and not 1/2 teaspoon.
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Irene for letting me know. Yes, it is 1/4 teaspoon. It has been corrected.
Lynette Pruett says
Thanks, Helen, for sharing another of your inimitable tart recipes! I’ve save this recipe to make over the holidays at some point. I must always make your amazing Chocolate Cranberry Curd Tart every Christmas…and often the family requests it for New Year’s as well! I’m quite sure that this pumpkin tart will be another annual tradition.
Wishing you and yours happy holidays for the rest of the year. I’m also thinking of you as you transition from your professional baking career to a new phase in life come 2025!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hy Lynette - Sorry to have gotten back so late. I thought for sure things would slow down as I got older but seems nothing has but me! I'm excited to be retiring and looking forward to spending more time on the blog and a possible podcast, "20 Minutes to Better Baking". The Pumpkin Tart would make a great addition to the Chocolate Cranberry Curd Tart. Take care.
Laurie says
The recipe doesn’t say when to add the gelatin once you put it in water and set it aside.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Laurie - Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. It does now. I have redone the entire pumpkin filling collage to make sense. I so appreciate your letting me know.