Caramel Pumpkin Whip Dip

I brought this dip to a party last weekend and it vanished.

As in, gone-zo.

In about 15 minutes.

People were raving about it and it was one of those things that I just threw together.

I had a little bit of leftover pumpkin puree from a batch of Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars (Vegan, GF)…

…And since I always have Cool Whip on hand in the freezer, I figured what the heck.

And this dip was whipped up in 15 seconds flat.

A little Cool Whip (you could also use real homemade whipped cream, TruWhip, homemade coconut cream, ReddiWhip, or even yogurt or cream cheese) and a pinch of seasonings and a few stirs later and this Whippy Dippy was the hit of the party.

The dip upstaged my new dress.  I hate it when that happens.

And the whole “recipe” takes about 15 seconds to make.  Just grab a bowl, dump everything in, stir, and be a hit among your friends.

And it’s a very loose recipe at that.  Just get the pumpkin and the white stuff in the bowl and take it from there based on your own taste preferences and what you have on hand.

No need to go out and buy anything, but I’m pretty sure all the pumpkin hoarders have cans and cans of pumpkin puree on hand.

And more than likely you’ve got a freezer full of Cool Whip like I do you have yogurt or cream cheese on hand and that will be just dandy.

You could dip rotting broccoli stalks in this stuff and make them taste amazing.

Or dip crackers, bread, sugar snap peas, a microwave banana oat cake, carrot sticks, apple wedges, or whatever into it.

Or use it as a topping, i.e. like a butter or spread, on things like toast, muffins, on top of a bowl of oatmeal, on pancakes, whatever.

I even froze some and made “Pumpkin Ice Cream”.

Scott begged me to make it again and he’s not even that into pumpkin stuff.  He’s not a blogger, after all.

It will make anything better.  Promise.

It’s like hard street drugs: Dangerous, addictive, and don’t start using because you won’t quit until you’ve run out.

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Caramel Pumpkin Whip Dip (With Vegan, Gluten Free options)

1/2 c pumpkin puree

1/2 c Cool Whip (alternatives include: TruWhip, ReddiWhip, Cream Cheese, Toffuti Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Soy Yogurt, homemade whipped cream, homemade coconut milk whipped cream, etc.  Or, you can add those in addition to the Cool Whip but you may need to increase the amount of pumpkin puree and other sweeteners/spices)

1/4 c brown sugar (to taste; can also omit or use maple syrup, stevia, agave, etc.)

1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp cinnamon, optional

1/8 tsp vanilla extract, optional

2 tbsp caramel sauce, optional (if using, you can add it to the mixture or drizzle over the top of the finished dip)

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until incorporated.  Keep extra chilled in the refrigerator or the freezer (it turned into wonderful “ice cream”).  Keeps for many days in the refrigerator (use common sense) and I am sure you can make it and freeze it in batches and then defrost as necessary.

Suggestion:  Double, triple, quadruple the recipe as needed.  One 15-ounce can of pumpkin is about 2 cups so if using 1 can of pumpkin puree you’d want to use about 2 cups of Cool Whip and increase the other seasonings in proportion or to taste.

To Keep Vegan: Use homemade whipped cream with coconut milk and/or vegan caramel sauce (Google for recipes, there are lots)

To Keep Gluten Free: Make sure the whipped cream/whipped topping that you’re using and the caramel sauce if using it are GF

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This stuff is beyond good.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Grab a spoon and get busy.

No wait, grab a ladle.  Grab the biggest scooping device you have.

And go to town just scooping in on everything.

Or just eat it straight from the ladle.  You don’t even need to spread it on anything.  The “eating peanut butter by the spoonful at midnight in front of your refrigerator” method works very well with this dip, too.

Questions:

1. Do you like Cool Whip?

I know some people don’t like Cool Whip and they prefer real whipped cream or dairy-free/vegan alternatives such as making their own “whipped cream” with coconut milk, but I do love Cool-Whip.

I also really like Miracle Whip.  I love Vegenaise and like mayo but there is something about the tangy zip of Miracle Whip that I love.   Cool Whip, Miracle Whip, whippin’ good.

2. Do you like Pumpkin?

Yes, I have gotten into pumpkin this year:

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars (vegan, GF)

Pumpkin Spice Latte (vegan, GF)

Caramel Maple Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (easy vegan, GF adaptations)

…to name a few.

But I wasn’t always as into it as I am now.  I think the blogosphere is rubbing off on me.

But I am ready for pepperminty, chocolatey, Christmas-season flavors now.

3. What do you like to bring to parties that just vanishes?

The other thing that I bring and that no one ever suspects is even remotely “healthy” is Chocolate Mousse.  It just happens to be vegan, gluten free, raw/no-bake but I don’t bother telling anyone that until the bowl is licked clean.

No one ever guesses the secret ingredient.  I don’t even tell anyone that it’s not full of butter, sugar, eggs or that I didn’t slave away on it until they are begging for more and for the recipe.

When I tell them what they ate, everyone’s jaws usually drop and there’s lots of “No Ways!”

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