Go Back

Pumpkin Lush

Pumpkin lush is a dreamy no-bake layered dessert with a buttery pecan shortbread crust, sweet cream cheese layer, spiced pumpkin pudding layer, and whipped topping. Creamy pumpkin-spice filling chills into clean slices with a crunchy pecan finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
chill time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 38 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crust
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.5 cup chopped pecans
For the Cream Cheese Layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 cup whipped topping divided
For the Pumpkin Layer
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 box instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4 oz each
  • 3 cup cold milk
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
For Topping
  • 2 cup whipped topping
  • 0.25 cup chopped pecans toasted
  • 1 ground cinnamon for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make and bake the pecan crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix all-purpose flour, softened unsalted butter, and chopped pecans until a soft dough forms, then press evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bake the crust for 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden, then let cool completely.
Assemble the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping.
  2. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
Cook and layer the spiced pumpkin pudding
  1. Whisk canned pumpkin puree, instant vanilla pudding mix, cold milk, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves together until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  2. Spread the pumpkin layer evenly over the cream cheese layer.
Finish and chill
  1. Top with the remaining whipped topping, spreading to the edges.
  2. Sprinkle with toasted chopped pecans and a dusting of ground cinnamon.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before slicing and serving.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, chill the assembled dish overnight so the pudding layer sets fully. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because whipped topping and pudding can break down after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese while keeping the whipped topping and pudding mix as written.