Pumpkin Spice Dessert Dip

Five Ingredients or Less

The first recipe I made entirely on my own was a brown sugar apple dip.  My mom was gifted a cookbook called “Five Ingredients or Less” which was full of recipes, you guessed it, that were five ingredients or less.  Everything in there was meant to be simple and whipped up in no time.  As a book-obsessed child with a curiosity for cooking, I remember sitting at our kitchen table and reading through each page of that book.  I found the apple dip recipe, brought it over to my mom, and asked if I could make it.  She was very supportive of my new-found goal of making a dessert on my own and added the ingredients to the next week’s shopping list. 

Once the cream cheese, brown sugar, and apples were procured, I set myself up at the kitchen counter and whipped together my masterpiece.  I believe I had some assistance with slicing an apple (no knives allowed for the nine-year-old), dug into my creation, and damn was I proud of myself.  I had created a dessert that was completely new to me with ingredients I’d seen all the time.  I spent the next few days eating my apple dip after dinner, thoroughly reveling in the pride that was this perfectly created dip.  I’ve never attributed this moment to the start of my love of cooking, but it was absolutely the first step to being comfortable in the kitchen. 

The Recipe Details

In true “five ingredients or less” fashion, this recipe is so incredibly easy to whip up.  It’s essentially that apple dip I made as a child, but a bit more grown-up and seasonally appropriate with the addition of vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.  For the most part, the ingredients are pantry staples or easily found in a hurry at the grocery store, making this a perfect snack or dessert to whip up for friends, family, or a cozy movie night in.

The directions are equally as simple as buying the ingredients.  Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature in a glass bowl, for about 30 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. I’ve recommended using an electric handheld mixer, but you can definitely do this by hand or in a stand-mixer using the whisk attachment.  I like this dip to feel really fluffy, so I stand there for a while and really get some air mixed in to make it that much lighter. 

This pumpkin spice dessert dip is best served with apple slices and pretzels, but you can definitely get creative!  It would taste great with vanilla wafer cookies, graham crackers, or crushed ice cream cones.  If you try this recipe, let me know! Tag me in your photos and tell me what you think!