Get ready for fall with this irresistible Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip! Creamy, sweet, and full of warm pumpkin spice flavor, it's the perfect dip for your favorite cookies, crackers, or fruit. Whether you're hosting a party, heading to a potluck, or just craving a festive treat, this easy-to-make dip recipe brings the cozy flavors of autumn to the table.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat pumpkin cream cheese dip
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with pumpkin dip
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Pumpkin cream cheese dip
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- This fun dessert dip tastes like spiced pumpkin pie but it's super quick and easy.
- Perfect for after-school snacks, family movie nights, and Halloween parties.
- You can swap acorn squash, hubbard squash, or sweet potatoes for almost any pumpkin-based recipe.
I just love a good, no-bake dessert, especially one that's as satisfying as this one is!
Even if you're not crazy about autumn and pumpkin-spice-mania, you'll agree that this delicious pumpkin dip recipe is one of the best things about the chilly fall season—maybe even better than Halloween candy!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Visited the pumpkin patch already? You can use homemade pumpkin puree in place of canned.
- Swap some sweet potatoes, acorn squash, or Hubbard squash in place of the pumpkin and enjoy the subtle variety of fall flavors!
- Instead of using separate spices, substitute one to two teaspoons of a pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Some people like to fold in a little Cool Whip before serving to make an even lighter, fluffy pumpkin dip! It's a little less stable for refrigeration this way, but delicious.
- Fall party for adults only? Add a few teaspoons of bourbon!
- Instead of vanilla extract, use vanilla paste, pure maple syrup, or local honey for a different touch of flavor.
- After spooning the pumpkin dip from the
mixing bowl into your serving bowl, sprinkle it with an additional dash of cinnamon, powdered sugar, or festive fall sprinkles to really wow your guests—or just impress the kids!
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Be sure to check out the full length video below. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
This recipe just couldn't be easier to throw together! It's the best for potlucks and other fall gatherings because you can make it ahead of time!
- Blend room-temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a large bowl then beat in the sour cream.
- Add the pumpkin, vanilla extract, and the spices.
- Beat well.
- Grate fresh nutmeg into the dip.
- Beat until completely blended.
- Refrigerate 8 hours or more and serve with your favorite cookies, fresh fruit, and other fun dippers.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Use whole nutmegs when this spice is called for. The flavor is FAR better than ground nutmeg and it only takes a minute to grate it on a microplane or other grater. Trust me on this one, y'all!
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
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🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat pumpkin cream cheese dip
Put leftover pumpkin cream cheese dip in an airtight container, or just cover the bowl with plastic wrap! It'll last refrigerated for about four days.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Just don't let it sit out too long since it's made with a dairy/cream cheese base.
Freeze for up to 3 months. If it gets watery when thawed just give it a good stir.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Don't use pumpkin pie filling. Make sure you buy a can of pure, real pumpkin, sometimes labeled as pumpkin puree. If you're unsure, look at the ingredients! The only item listed should be pumpkin.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Whatever you do, don't use light cream cheese—I'm warning ya now! Full-fat cream cheese is best for a perfect, creamy pumpkin dip.
- Use regular sour cream, not light. The low-fat version is too watery to hold up in this no-bake recipe.
- Forget to let your cream cheese soften? No worries. Grab a large glass (an 800 ml canning jar works great.) Fill it with steaming hot water, let sit for a minute or so, then dump the water out. Stand the cream cheese packet on its smaller end and set the hot glass upside down over the top of the cream cheese. It'll soften in five or ten minutes like magic!
- Freshly grated nutmeg tastes best—trust me, it's worth it!
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yup! This easy pumpkin dip recipe goes by a lot of different names. I've heard it called creamy pumpkin cheesecake dip or pumpkin fluff dip, too. Sometimes I call it the pumpkin lover's dream!
Sure! I love easy recipes that refrigerate well. So, mix it up a couple of days beforehand, and ta-da! The perfect fall dessert is ready whenever you are.
Oh, just about everything! I take it to potlucks and fall gatherings, girls' nights, and fall kids' parties. It's a great addition to the holiday dessert table or an easy way to serve a sweet element on game day.
But, really—this time of the year, do you even need a reason? Sometimes the "event" is just relaxing by a fire in your PJs with the family.
You can if you absolutely have to, but make sure that it's full-fat greek yogurt. Non-fat varieties, just like low-fat sour cream, will make the dip watery.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
This is actually better on day 2 so don't feel bad about making it a day or so ahead of time!
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- A gingersnap crust is the perfect foundation for ultra creamy and decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake—plus, tips for no cracks, guaranteed!
- Dunkaroo Dip is made with sprinkles and cake mix to give you that nostalgic, after-school snack feel—great for parties with or without kids!
- Complete with a pastry crust crumble and creamy, spiced filling, Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes deliver big-time pumpkin pie flavor but in an easy-to-grab personal dessert.
- Pineapple fluff is light and creamy and you can get away with calling it a salad!
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with pumpkin dip
Don't forget to serve this pumpkin cream cheese dip recipe with your favorite dippers! We like to make a big plate of goodies and enjoy it as "dessert charcuterie" with a sweet dip to top it all off!
Here are some great ways to get started:
These are the best rolled sugar cookies for making cutouts! Use Fall themed cookie cutters and sprinkles.
Macadamia nut shortbread is SO buttery and good! Just leave the white chocolate dip off (or not).
Molasses crinkles are spicy and delicious - perfect with pumpkin cream cheese dip.
Here are some more great dippers!
- Graham crackers or vanilla wafers
- Gingersnap, shortbread, or homemade oatmeal cookies
- Apple slices, pear slices, bananas, or other fresh fruit
- Bagels or bagel chips
- Flat pretzel dippers
- Cubes of pound cake or easy pumpkin spice cake
- Mini vanilla, chocolate, or spice cupcakes
- Add a few of these Halloween Rice Krispie Treats.
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Cozy sweaters, comfy jeans, and vividly painted leaves - who's ready for fall?
It's easy to get so caught up in our lives that we forget that sometimes our biggest moments are the little ones.
Spending time with loved ones. Watching a movie together. Moments that are best attended wearing soft flannel shirts and worn-to-perfection jeans.
Recipes like this pumpkin pie dip are the center of priceless moments and memories. Easy, delicious, and meant to be shared.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 15 oz pumpkin
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch chipotle powder, optional
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and well blended.
- Add the remaining ingredients and beat until completely mixed.
- Spoon into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
- Serve with cookies, sliced apples, and other foods for dipping.
Notes
- Be sure you get solid pack pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. If you look on the ingredients listed the only one should be pumpkin.
- Cream cheese should be at a warm room temperature to make mixing it in easier
- Do not use low fat substitutes for these ingredients
- Bananas, apple slices, pear slices, gingersnaps, oatmeal cookies, 'Nilla Wafers, graham crackers all are great with this
- Use it as a spread for quick breads or bagels
- Make a cookie "charcuterie" board by arranging a variety of cookies and fruit around a bowl of the dip. Kids love it!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published August 11, 2020. Last updated October 23, 2024 for minor structural improvements and readability.
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Mary Ann Naylor says
I used to be able to jump to the recipe and enter my email address to save your recipes. Now I am unable to do so. What happened?
Marye says
There was a glitch. It's fixed now. thanks.
ELIZABETH says
Typo?
"Substitute pumpkin pie filling for the spices." Shouldn't that be "pumpkin pie spice"?
Sounds delicious, and easily adapted for my diabetic diet. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, etc. I often wonder I reserve those favorites for fall and the holidays?
Marye says
Yes! I've fixed it. It should have said pumpkin SPICE