Pumpkin Parfait-in-a-Jar

Just in case you need another pumpkin fix... I have got a dessert for you!  Perfect to prepare ahead...it is a combination of gingersnap goodness and pumpkin cheesecake.  I used 1 cup (250 ml) wide-mouth Mason jars but these also make up nicely in the mini Mason jars (125 ml).

Crumbs:

• 1 1/2 cups ginger-snap cookie crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

 Cream Filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream*
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 oz. / 125 ml cream cheese
• 1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

 Pumpkin Filling:

• 1 - 14 oz (398 ml) can of canned pumpkin 
• 1 cup milk
• 1 package (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup whipping cream (whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla)*

1. To prepare the base, combine cookie crumbs and butter.  Pack crumbs into the bottom of 8-10 Mason jars.
2. For cream filling...combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff.  In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and icing sugar; beat until smooth.  Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and whip to combine well.  Carefully spoon cream cheese layer over gingersnap crust.
3. In a medium-sized bowl combine canned pumpkin, milk, pudding mix, and spices. Mix slowly with electric beater until blended, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream. Add pumpkin layer carefully to parfaits.   
4. Refrigerate. (Even better made the previous day!) 
5. Just before serving, top each parfait with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a ginger snap. 

*Whip all the cream at once (with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla) and use half for cream layer and half for pumpkin layer. 

**Put fillings into large Ziploc bags and cut off tip of a corner off for mess-free dispensing!

Yield: 8-10 (1 cup / 250 ml) Mason jar parfaits.