{"id":948,"date":"2025-11-25T15:42:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=948"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:42:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:42:03","slug":"my-favorite-3-ingredient-no-bake-thanksgiving-appetizer-doubles-as-dessert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=948","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite 3-Ingredient, No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizer Doubles As Dessert"},"content":{"rendered":"


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If you think about it, serving Thanksgiving appetizers seems unnecessary. You\u2019re about to sit down to a big feast that often leaves you stuffed. But before you feast, you pick at the charcuterie board, dip chips into pumpkin hummus, and pop cranberry Brie bites like you don\u2019t fully comprehend the table full of food to come, plus the dessert that follows.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s not think about it too deeply because appetizers are a favorite part of the eat-too-much day. Guests need something to munch on as they sip their drinks while waiting for the \u201c3 p.m.\u201d meal that won\u2019t be ready until 4:30 p.m. (Or is that just at my house?)\n<\/p>\n

When hosting Thanksgiving, there\u2019s one appetizer I always put out that everyone loves, and it\u2019s almost too easy. But when juggling turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole, throwing something easy into the mix is really smart.\u00a0This 3-ingredient, no-bake appetizer is that something easy.\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An Appetizer That Tastes Like Dessert <\/span> <\/h2>\n

Thanksgiving is when something sweet can be served as an appetizer, a side dish (looking at you, sweet potato casserole), or dessert. This simple 3-ingredient appetizer falls into the dessert-as-appetizer category.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

I discovered this flavor combo at the farmers market when a vendor from an orchard had samples of a pumpkin spread and pieces of ginger snaps to dip in it. The two together were delicious.\n<\/p>\n

When I asked how to make the pumpkin spread, I was handed a jar of pumpkin butter and told to mix it with a block of cream cheese. That\u2019s it. Of course, I bought the jar and boom! I had one of my Thanksgiving appetizers planned.\n<\/p>\n

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Blaine Moats\/Dotdash Meredith<\/p>\n

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How to Make My Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip <\/span> <\/h2>\n

Ingredients<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened<\/li>\n
  • 4 ounces pumpkin butter<\/li>\n
  • 1 box ginger snaps (such as Sweetzels Spiced Wafers)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Directions<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Beat cream cheese and pumpkin butter together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Transfer dip to a serving dish; cover and refrigerate until serving.\u00a0<\/li>\n
    2. Remove dip from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to soften.<\/li>\n
    3. Serve with crispy ginger snaps for dipping.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      That\u2019s it. You can mix the cream cheese and pumpkin butter up to 2 days before, turning this easy appetizer into a make-ahead one.\n<\/p>\n

      The appetizer was such a hit the first year I made it that now it\u2019s a staple whenever I host Thanksgiving. It would be an excellent appetizer for any holiday event, but buy the crispy ginger snaps before Thanksgiving. They tend to disappear from store shelves after the holiday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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      If you think about it, serving Thanksgiving appetizers seems unnecessary. You\u2019re about to sit down to a big feast that often leaves you stuffed. But before you feast, you pick at the charcuterie board, dip chips into pumpkin hummus, and pop cranberry Brie bites like you don\u2019t fully comprehend the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/948\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}