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Gingerbread Cookie Cups w/ Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

October 23, 2014 by Kayley 29 Comments

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

 As I’ve mentioned before, I happen to have the BEST GINGERSNAP COOKIE recipe in the world. No joke. They are soft, but perfectly chewy and a little spicy and are my absolute favorite cookie ever. I make them all the time, but sometimes I like to use the dough for more than just a simple cookie.

For things like this party perfect bite sized dessert:

GINGERBREAD COOKIE CUPS W/ PUMPKIN MOUSSE & CIDER CARAMEL

3 of my favorite fall flavors in one perfect bite(or four).

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

Obviously, the cookie cups are, as mentioned above, a soft and chewy, spicy gingersnap cookie. The cookie cups are filled with a super easy, quick Pumpkin Mousse. If you have 5 minutes, you have creamy, light and fluffy pumpkin mousse.

The topping is a cider caramel, spiced with cloves, cinnamon, and allspice and made with apple cider instead of heavy cream for a glossy caramel reminiscent of a cup of seasonal apple cider.

 

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

These cookie cups make a great treat for a holiday party. All components can be made ahead of time and assembled whenever you need them. The caramel can even be made weeks in advance, if needed, and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t know about you, but I always have a jar of some sort of caramel in my fridge. Browned Butter Caramel, Cinnamon Caramel, Peach Caramel, you name it. Caramel and I are good friends.

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

I topped a few of these cookie cups with chocolate leaves made from orange chocolate melts for a little extra Autumn flair.

TO MAKE CHOCOLATE LEAVES:

Melt orange chocolate melts( I used Wilton brand) in a small, microwave safe bowl, microwaving at 30 second intervals, stirring after each until melted. Find a handful of small leaves, and gently wash and dry them. Paint the melted chocolate  on top of each leaf, enough to cover the surface of the leaf, and set on a plate covered in parchment paper. Refrigerate until set. Carefully peel the leaf off of the chocolate and use the chocolate leaf as a garnish.

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider CaramelGingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

 

Still craving Gingerbread and Pumpkin? Me too. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

 Browned Butter Caramel Glazed Mni Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cakes 6

Browned Butter Caramel Pumpkin Spice Mini Bundt Cakes

Gingerbread Cream Cheese Doughnut Muffins | thekitchenmccabe.com

Gingerbread Cream Cheese Doughnut Muffins

Soft & Chewy Gingersnap Cookies | thekitchenmccabe.com

Soft & Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

Gingerbread Cookie Cups w/ Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel
 
Print
Serves: Makes 36 Cookie Cups
Ingredients
  • 1 recipe Soft & Chewy Gingersnap Cookie Dough
  • FOR THE MOUSSE:
  • ¾ C. Pumpkin Puree
  • ¼ C. Sour Cream
  • 1 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • ½ t. Lemon Juice
  • 2 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ½ C. Sugar
  • ½ t. Vanilla
  • FOR THE CARAMEL:
  • 1 C. Sugar
  • ¼ C. Water
  • ¾ C. Apple Cider
  • 2 T. Butter
  • ½ t. Cinnamon
  • ⅛ t. Allspice
  • ⅛ t. Cloves
Instructions
  1. Make the gingerbread cookie dough according to recipe directions, including dividing the dough into 36 pieces, rolling into balls and coating in sugar.
  2. Place each sugar coated cookie dough ball in a well of a mini muffin pan. Using your fingers, press a hole in the middle of each dough ball and press the dough up against the bottoms and sides of each well, forming a cup. Sprinkle a little bit of sugar in the cookie cup while pressing if you find it is too sticky.
  3. Bake according to recipe directions, upping the bake time to about 11-12 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and let cool.
  5. Remove cookie cups from tin by pressing each cup down lightly with your fingers as you gently twist. Pull out.
  6. While the cookie cups are cooling, make the mousse:
  7. Place the pumpkin, sour cream, pumpkin pie spice, and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. In another bowl, add the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla and whip to very stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, scoop the whipped cream into the bowl with the pumpkin mixture and fold in gently, until thoroughly combined.
  8. Scoop the mousse into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the mousse onto the cooled cookie cups.
  9. Drizzle cider caramel over the mousse in each cookie cup.
  10. FOR THE CIDER CARAMEL:
  11. Place the sugar and water in a medium non-stick saute pan. Stir together until all the sugar is moistened. Place on medium heat, swirling the liquid on occasion, until sugar is dissolved. Run a pastry brush dipped in water over the sides of the pan to dissolve any remaining sugar crystals.
  12. Meanwhile, place the cider and spices in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute.
  13. Up the heat to medium/high and let sugar continue to cook until it turns a medium amber color, swirling the sugar lightly with the handle of the pan to help it caramelize evenly.
  14. Pour the hot cider and spices into the caramel. Mixture will bubble intensely. Add the butter.
  15. Stir with a heat proof spatula and continue to cook until the mixture settles down and caramel is smooth. Remove from heat and pour into a glass mason jar. Let cool. Can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks.
  16. If caramel is too hard when needed for drizzling, microwave for 20-30 seconds and stir.
3.2.2925

You Might Also Like:

  • How To Roast & Puree a Pumpkin
    How To Make Pumpkin Puree (or any squash!)
  • Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized Apples and Apple Spice Syrup
  • Cardamom Spiced Whole Wheat Apple Cake + Honey Caramel
    Cardamom Spiced Whole Wheat Apple Cake + Honey Caramel

Filed Under: Cookies and Whoopies, Cupcakes and Minis, Desserts, Holidays, Puddings Custards and Mousse, Seasonal/Autumn Tagged With: apple, caramel, cider, cookie, gingerbread, mousse, pumpkin, spice

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Comments

  1. Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen says

    October 23, 2014 at 6:03 PM

    These cookie cups are adorable AND delectable! I esp love those little candy melt leaves – you are too creative, girl!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 23, 2014 at 8:23 PM

      Thanks so much, Tina!

      Reply
  2. [email protected] says

    October 23, 2014 at 7:57 PM

    oh my gosh .. I LOVE the fact that you combined pumpkin and apple! Why does this almost never happen?! You’re so smart and these cookie cups are so adorable. 😉 Pinned!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 23, 2014 at 8:23 PM

      Thanks Justine! My thoughts exactly! Pumpkin and apple are good buddies 😉

      Reply
  3. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says

    October 23, 2014 at 9:50 PM

    These are adorable. And I too always have a jar of caramel in my fridge. Life is way too short not too!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 23, 2014 at 10:21 PM

      Amen, Liz! And thanks!

      Reply
  4. Yvonne @ Tried and Tasty says

    October 24, 2014 at 12:44 PM

    Oh me, oh my! These look crazy delicious!!!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 24, 2014 at 2:25 PM

      Thanks Yvonne!

      Reply
  5. heather @french press says

    October 24, 2014 at 3:15 PM

    I LOVE this idea – these will be on my Thanksgiving table

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 24, 2014 at 3:49 PM

      Awesome! Thanks Heather!

      Reply
  6. CakePants says

    October 24, 2014 at 8:55 PM

    Wow, these look and sound phenomenal!! I’ve been looking for a good gingersnap cookie recipe, and with this recipe, that’s only just the beginning! YUM 🙂

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 25, 2014 at 4:22 PM

      Thanks so much! It really is the best gingersnap recipe I’ve ever found! Hope you get to try it!

      Reply
  7. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    October 25, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    Definitely craving a couple of these cookie cups to devour right now.. even more so with all that mousse and caramel ontop!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 25, 2014 at 4:22 PM

      Thanks Thalia!

      Reply
  8. Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T says

    October 25, 2014 at 10:49 AM

    These cookie cups are gorgeous! Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors. Pinned!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 25, 2014 at 4:22 PM

      Thank you Julie! Gingerbread is one of my favorites too =)

      Reply
  9. whatjessicabakednext says

    October 25, 2014 at 7:35 PM

    These cookie cups look gorgeous! Love the warmth from gingerbread, so good!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 25, 2014 at 10:46 PM

      Thank you Jessica! =)

      Reply
  10. Min says

    October 26, 2014 at 3:11 AM

    I know what you mean, Kayley! When I find a perfect dough recipe, I continuously think of new innovative ways to enjoy it ;). Love the you took your best gingersnap cookie dough to make this delightful cookie cups! These are just so perfect! Would love to see you at work 😉

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 27, 2014 at 5:10 PM

      Thanks so much, Min! Haha…me at work is a bit…spaztastic 😉

      Reply
  11. Baby June says

    October 27, 2014 at 4:35 PM

    wow what an incredible-looking dessert! Love all of the fall flavors in here! 😀

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      October 27, 2014 at 5:06 PM

      Thanks so much Baby June!

      Reply
  12. Sarah says

    October 28, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    I just can’t get over how every single one of your recipes makes me SWOON. I just ate my first gingerbread cookie of the season the other day and now I’m thinking about it all day everyday. I can imagine your perfect gingersnap cookie and I want a batch. Holiday cookie swap?! 😉

    Reply
  13. Rachel Rockwell says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:32 PM

    These look awesome! Perfect for Thanksgiving!!!

    Reply
  14. Jil says

    January 12, 2016 at 2:16 AM

    Have you tried to making gingerbread men out of this recipe? I was told to add 1/2 cup extra flour to the dough but I still couldn’t get them off of my counter and onto the pan. My on will be coming home from his mission soon and I want to make missionary gingerbread men cookies for the homecoming. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,
    Jil

    Reply
  15. Erika says

    November 21, 2014 at 5:43 AM

    Wait so is it gingerbread or gingersnap?

    Reply
  16. Kayley says

    November 22, 2014 at 5:39 PM

    Haha…oops! Gingersnap.

    Reply

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My name is Kayley! Welcome To The Kitchen McCabe, a blog based on wholesome recipes, beautiful food and photography. More >>

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