Last March, my sweet friend Dorothy from Crazy for Crust invited a few of us food bloggers over to her house for an afternoon of fun, laughter, and lots of sweet treats. We all love to bake, so there were plenty of desserts!
Eventually, we wandered out of the kitchen and towards the comfy couches. Amy sank down onto the sofa next to me and began flipping through Glory’s new cookbook, Glorious Layered Desserts. I gaped at every single page… I thought parfaits were only for breakfast!
Don’t laugh! Up until then, I had only seen (and eaten) fruit and yogurt parfaits sprinkled with granola, like the ones sold at Starbucks and in airport terminals. I spent most of my freshman year of college making my own in the dining hall when the “chicken” dinner dishes looked suspiciously unrecognizable.
I had no idea parfaits could be made sweet for dessert!
The following weekend, Glory hosted a launch party where she served four or five elaborate parfaits from her cookbook. We food bloggers barely moved 10 feet away from the buffet table and constantly helped ourselves to the different glasses. It was so tempting to eat my weight in those chocolate and peanut butter mousses!
While packing up our house last month, I started flipping through Glory’s cookbook again before placing it into a cardboard box with the other ones from my shelf. Realizing I hadn’t sampled a dessert parfait since June, I decided that needed to change, so I created these…
Oreo and Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits! Deliciously cozy with the flavors of fall, these sweet treats taste like pumpkin pie in a glass… With rich chocolate cookies. Does life get any better than that?
Although they look sophisticated, these lightened-up parfaits are so simple to make! You just need 6 ingredients and one bowl. That’s it!
To make the pudding, you’ll beat everything together in that bowl except the Oreos before chilling for a few hours. Do NOT skip the chilling step! It really helps the pudding thicken to a more custardy, pie-like consistency. If you’ll be running short on time the day you want to serve the parfaits, make the pudding a day or two in advance and simply store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Wait to crush the Oreos until just before serving the parfaits. This helps preserve their crunchy texture. Otherwise, the crumbs become stale and soggy while sitting on the counter or in between sweet layers of pudding, and that’s not the crisp textural contrast we’re looking for!
Tip: To make these parfaits gluten-free, look for special boxes of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies in your grocery store. Trader Joe’s sells them, as does Glutino and Newman’s Own. Safeway even offers their own Eating Right brand, so you don’t have to miss out on these sweet treats while on a gluten-free diet!
I found these cute servings glasses at Party City. They’re called Mini Slanted Tumblers, and even though they’re plastic, they’re surprisingly sturdy. As a klutz, I don’t have to worry about dropping and breaking any—always a huge plus! (Yes, that just happened to my favorite tiny white porcelain cup… So bummed!)
You want something that holds about 2-3 ounces—just a little bit bigger than a shot glass. If you only own larger serving dishes, that’s fine too. Nobody should complain about a double serving of dessert!
Lightly spiced and perfectly sweet, these Oreo and Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits are a fun finishing touch to any fall- or winter-inspired meal. As the weather started cooling down this week, my mom and I enjoyed a serving (or two) after dinner a few days ago, and we both scraped the sides, trying to sneak out every last bite.
We just might break tradition and serve these at Thanksgiving this year too!
These fun layered desserts taste like pumpkin pie in a glass! For a fun twist, try replacing the chocolate sandwich cookies with gingersnaps. The pudding will keep for up to a week if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- To prepare the pudding, beat together the pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, Splenda, and pudding mix for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (If chilling longer, cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap.)
- To assemble, roughly crush the Oreo cookies. Divide half of the cookie crumbs between six 2- or 3-ounce serving glasses. Top with a layer of pumpkin pudding, then another layer of cookie crumbs, and a final layer of pumpkin pudding. If any cookie crumbs remain, sprinkle on top to garnish.
Notes: Non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, etc.) can be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
Wait to assemble the parfaits until just before serving. Otherwise, the crumbled cookies will turn soggy and stale.
{gluten-free, low fat, low calorie}
Hey Amy, I love your recipes! I write the food column in my school newspaper and I wanted to ask if I could put this recipe in our issue. I would of course write that it came from your website.
I’m so honored that you’d ask, Joseph! I’d be thrilled if you included my recipe in your school newspaper column. If you credit my website and could just make sure the recipe doesn’t appear anywhere else, that’d be great. 🙂 I wish I could read your column — something completely dedicated to food sounds amazing!
Thank you so much Amy for allowing me to use this recipe in my column! I will of course credit your website and if you have a business address or another address, I would be delighted to send you an issue!
I would love that Joseph! If you’ll just send me an email at amyshealthybaking (at) gmail (dot) com, I’ll give you the mailing address. Thank you so much!
Do you need dry non-fat milk? Or liquid…
Liquid! Just the dry instant pudding mix. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the parfaits Marisol!
Not a fan of Oreo cookies; can I use another kind. Thinking, ginger snaps.
Gingersnaps sound great Linda! 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the parfaits!
Amy;
I love your Oreo pumpkin parfaits and I am going to make your parfaits before Halloween at the end of this month.I just bought a large can of pure pumpkin,but I have to buy the other four or five ingredients so that I can make your Oreo pumpkin parfaits.I can buy the instant vanilla sugar free pudding,the ground cinnamon,my natrel milk,and the Oreo cookies.
I was wondering if the ground Oreo cookies in a box will work in your parfaits.the grocery stores in my town have boxes of Oreo crumbs,and graham crumbs that I can use.
Kim
I really appreciate your interest in this recipe too, Kim! I haven’t tried those pre-ground crumbs, but I’m pretty sure they’ll work. The nutrition info will be different because those store-bought Oreo crumbs still include the filling, from what I understand. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these parfaits!
Amy;
Hi,I am going to make your Oreo&pumpkin pudding parfaits sometime today after I buy the sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix,I have the rest of the ingredients to make your parfaits.I will let you know how much we love your parfaits after we finish eating your parfaits.I am going to ask my aunt and three cousins if they want to come to my house and have the last three parfaits this evening.
Kim
I’m so honored that you’d want to share these parfaits with your aunt and cousins, Kim! That means so much to me. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what everyone thinks of them!
Amy;
Hi,I just made your Oreo&pumpkin parfait,mom and I couldn’t wait for 2 hours for it to get chilled,we are now eating your parfaits and they taste so good,we both love eating your parfaits.it is our #1 fall dessert parfaits.
Do you have a healthy chocolate parfait dessert recipe that I man make at home that is sugar free fat free?
Kim
My aunt and cousins haven’t come to our house to have our new parfaits yet.
I’m so glad you and your mom enjoyed these parfaits Kim! That means a lot to me! 🙂 If you’d like a chocolate parfait recipe, I’d recommend using this frosting recipe of mine (sounds strange — but trust me, it works!!) as the parfait “base.” I’d love to hear what you think if you try that!
Amy;
Hi,I just copied down your chocolate frosting recipe and I will make it when I decide to make your pudding parfait.I still have your pumpkin pudding in the frigerator without the Oreo crumbs.I will make another pudding parfait tomorrow ,and the next time I make the pumpkin parfait I am going to try the caramel pudding mix in the parfait with the crushed Oreo in it as well.
The instant dry pudding mix has aspertane in it,for some reason I am sensitive to aspertane.the pudding in the container that is prepared has splenda in it but no aspertane,and the pudding that I buy and eat is no sugar added.
It worked in your Oreo&pumpkin pudding recipe,and mom and I really enjoyed your fall parfait pudding recipe.
Kim
Can I use the chocolate frosting recipe on your chocolate muffin recipes?
I love your idea for the caramel pudding mix! That sounds fabulous Kim! I’d love to hear how that turns out. 🙂 Yes, you can easily use my chocolate frosting on top of my chocolate muffins! I’m all for adding as much chocolate as possible to treats! 😉
Amy;
Hi,mom and I have only madr your pumpkin oreo parfait dessert and it tasted so good with ground oreo that we are going to make it again at the end of this month after I buy more groceries to make this dessert,but this time I am going to make it with ground graham wafers and then make it the same way as the pumpkin oreo parfait,and I will let you know that tastes and how much mom and I love and enjoy eating your fall pumpkin parfait ok amy.
Kim
Kim, you sweet comments always make my day! I’m SO glad you and your mom enjoyed these parfaits! That’s the best kind of compliment if you’re already planning on making them again. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂