PUMPKIN PARFAITS
WITH HOMEMADE GINGERSNAPS

SERVES 8

makes 16 cookies, plus extra for crumbling, and 5 cups mousse

PREP TIME

15 minutes

ACTIVE TIME

45 minutes

TOTAL TIME

4 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling, baking, and cooling time)

MODERATE

These are a great activity for kids: Stretch out a lazy day by having them help make the cookies and assemble these decadent desserts. They’re so rich, three or four bites just might be enough.

FOR THE GINGERSNAPS

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 heaping tablespoon)

¼ cup unsulfured molasses

1 large egg

⅓ cup turbinado sugar, such as Sugar In The Raw

FOR THE PUMPKIN MOUSSE

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

1½ cups heavy cream

½ cup mascarpone cheese (4 ounces)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

1¾-inch-wide pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter

1. Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, cloves, salt, and allspice.

2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan often, until it starts to bubble and foam, about 3 minutes. Cook, stirring continuously, until brown flecks appear, about 2 minutes more.

3. Pour the browned butter into a medium bowl and whisk in the grated ginger and molasses. Let cool for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, then whisk in the egg. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 days. (The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks, then defrosted in the refrigerator 4 hours before baking.)

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Dust a clean work surface with flour, then roll half the cookie dough into a ¼-inch-thick sheet. Use a 1¾-inch-wide pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 16 small pumpkins; reserve the scraps. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving ½ inch between each. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator while you roll out the rest of the dough.

6. Press the dough scraps into the other half of the cookie dough. Place a piece of parchment paper the same size as a baking sheet on your work surface and roll the dough directly on the parchment into a ¼-inch-thick round. Slide the parchment onto a second baking sheet (you aren’t cutting cookies out of this portion). Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and sprinkle the cut cookies and the uncut dough round with the turbinado sugar.

7. Place the baking sheet with the uncut dough round on the lower rack and the cut cookies on the upper rack and bake for 15 minutes, rotating the pans front to back midway through baking, until the cookies have puffed and no longer feel tacky. Remove the baking sheet with the cookies from the oven and move the large uncut cookie to the upper rack; set the sheet of cookies on a wire rack and let cool. Bake the large uncut cookie until puffed and no longer tacky, about 10 minutes more. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, set it on a wire rack, and let the large cookie cool completely, about 2 hours.

8. Break the baked cookie round into large pieces and put the pieces in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cookie pieces into fine crumbs. (Get the kids to do this!) You should get about 4 cups crumbs. You can also use a food processor to pulse the cookie pieces into crumbs.

9. Make the pumpkin mousse: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cream and use the whisk attachment to whip on medium speed until the cream forms medium peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mascarpone and whip until the cream forms stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer half the mascarpone whipped cream to a medium bowl and set aside. Add the maple syrup and pumpkin to the mixer bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes.

10. Make the parfaits: In eight short 8-ounce juice glasses, layer 3 scant tablespoons of the pumpkin mousse, 2 heaping tablespoons of the cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons of the whipped mascarpone cream, 2 heaping tablespoons of the cookie crumbs, 3 scant tablespoons of the pumpkin mousse, and about 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone whipped cream. Top each with a pumpkin-shaped cookie and serve.

These cookies are so good, you may want to make them as a stand-alone recipe.