Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. Time to dig out Aunt Martha’s stuffing recipe, iron the tablecloth, and get ready for the annual family feast.
This year, instead of a traditional pumpkin pie, try this easy, no-bake dessert. It has all the pumpkin flavor without the agony of making a pie. This also a great dessert to have ready in the freezer when friends drop by.
No-Bake Pumpkin Squares
Course: DessertDon’t feel like making something with the oven for Thanksgiving dessert? Well, this recipe will do nicely. You can make the base days in advance and just add whipped cream at the last minutes. No oven, no problem!
Ingredients
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
16 ounce can pumpkin
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
whipped cream (optional)
toasted coconut flakes (optional)
Directions
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften. In a small dish, melt the butter or margarine.
- Place about 11 large graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush to make 1 ½ cups of crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter and mix well. Press this evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Fold in the softened ice cream and stir until smooth. Spread this evenly onto the graham cracker base. Cover and freeze until firm, about two hours.
- Twenty minutes before serving, remove the pan from the freezer and allow to thaw on the countertop. Cut into nine 3-inch squares. Serve with a dab of whipped cream and optional toasted coconut flakes.
- To Toast Coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a thin layer of coconut on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Stir and bake another 2-3 minutes until the coconut begins to turn golden. Watch this closely because it can burn quickly. Coconut may be toasted in advance and kept in an airtight container for later use.
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