Vegan Pumpkin Mousse with Silken Tofu, Maple and Almond Butter
A silky vegan pumpkin mousse blended from silken tofu, pumpkin, maple syrup and almond butter, warmly spiced and chilled until spoonable. No baking needed.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- 4 h
- Serves
- 4
Vegan Pumpkin Mousse with Silken Tofu, Maple and Almond Butter is a vegan dessert recipe made with silken tofu (firm or extra-firm silken), pumpkin puree (plain, maple syrup. It takes 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus 4 hours resting, serves 4, and each serving has 208 calories, 10 g of protein and 4 g of fiber.
Silken tofu gives this mousse its body and most of its protein, while almond butter adds the richness that cream would normally bring. Cooking the pumpkin puree with the spices for a few minutes drives off water and takes away the raw, canned edge, so the mousse sets thicker and tastes more like pie filling. Everything else happens in the blender, then the fridge firms it up.
Ingredients
Mousse
- 12⅓ oz349 gsilken tofu (firm or extra-firm silken), drained, one shelf-stable box; a 14–16 oz refrigerated tub works if you drain it well and use about 12 oz
- 1 cup245 gpumpkin puree (plain, not pie filling)
- ¼ cup80 gmaple syrup, plus 1–2 tsp more to taste
- 3 tbsp48 gsmooth almond butter, well stirred
- 1½ tsp6.3 gvanilla extract
- 1 tsp2.6 gground cinnamon
- ½ tsp0.9 gground ginger
- ¼ tsp0.6 gground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp0.3 gground cloves
- ¼ tsp1.5 gfine salt
Topping
- ¼ cup25 gpecans, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 pinch0.3 gground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)
Kit: blender or food processor, small saucepan, silicone spatula, 4 small glasses or ramekins
Tips
- Firm or extra-firm silken tofu (the shelf-stable box kind) sets thickest. Soft silken tofu works but gives a looser, pudding-like result.
- Check the can: you want 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- If your almond butter is stiff or from the bottom of the jar, warm it for 10–15 seconds in the microwave so it blends in without leaving specks.
- The mousse keeps thickening overnight, so making it a day ahead gives the best texture and a rounder spice flavor.
Swap ideas
- Cashew butter or tahini instead of almond butter
- Cashew butter is milder and a little sweeter; tahini adds a pleasant bitter, halva-like edge, so add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup.
- Sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter, pumpkin seeds instead of pecans
- Makes the mousse nut-free with a slightly earthier flavor.
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the four separate spices
- Same flavor profile with one jar; the balance varies by brand.
- Blend in 2 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 extra tablespoon maple syrup
- Turns it into a chocolate-pumpkin mousse that is darker and slightly firmer.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
208kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 1.1 g 6%
- Sugars
- 15.5 g
- Sodium
- 159 mg 7%
- Potassium
- 372 mg 8%
- Calcium
- 182 mg 14%
- Iron
- 2.4 mg 13%
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg 3%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Tofu, soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari), Pumpkin, canned, without salt, Syrups, maple, Nuts, almond butter, plain, without salt added, Vanilla extract, Spices, cinnamon, ground, Spices, ginger, ground, Spices, nutmeg, ground, Spices, cloves, ground, Salt, table
Method
Open the tofu and pour off any liquid. Set the block on a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels or a clean dish towel, cover with another layer and leave it to drain while you cook the pumpkin, about 10 minutes. Don't press hard; silken tofu crumbles easily.
Put the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a small nonstick or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom almost constantly, until the puree is steaming, a shade darker and thick enough to hold a trail when you drag the spoon through it, 4–5 minutes. Scrape onto a plate and spread thin to cool for 5 minutes.
If using the pecans, wipe out the pan and toast them over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and a shade darker, 3–4 minutes. Tip onto a plate so they don't keep browning.
Add the drained tofu, cooled pumpkin, maple syrup, almond butter and vanilla to a blender or food processor. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice, until completely smooth with no white flecks of tofu.
Taste and adjust: blend in another 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup if you want it sweeter, or a small pinch of salt if the spices taste flat. It will taste slightly less sweet once cold.
Divide among 4 small glasses or ramekins (about 3/4 cup each), cover and refrigerate until cold and thick enough to hold a soft mound on a spoon, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, top with the toasted pecans and a light dusting of cinnamon.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. A little liquid may collect on top; stir it back in or pour it off. Keep the pecans separate and add just before serving so they stay crisp. Not recommended for freezing, as the tofu turns grainy once thawed.
Questions
- How much protein is in vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter?
- Each of the 4 servings has 10 g of protein, 4 g of fiber and 208 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking, so 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus 4 hours of unattended resting.
- Can you make vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter ahead?
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. A little liquid may collect on top; stir it back in or pour it off. Keep the pecans separate and add just before serving so they stay crisp. Not recommended for freezing, as the tofu turns grainy once thawed.
- What can I substitute in vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter?
- Cashew butter or tahini instead of almond butter — cashew butter is milder and a little sweeter; tahini adds a pleasant bitter, halva-like edge, so add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup.. Sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter, pumpkin seeds instead of pecans — makes the mousse nut-free with a slightly earthier flavor.. 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the four separate spices — same flavor profile with one jar; the balance varies by brand.. Blend in 2 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 extra tablespoon maple syrup — turns it into a chocolate-pumpkin mousse that is darker and slightly firmer..
- Does vegan pumpkin mousse with silken tofu, maple and almond butter contain tree nuts?
- Yes — the ingredient list includes tree nuts, in some cases as an optional ingredient you can leave out. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 20, 2026 ·American