Pumpkin pudding recipe inspired by Magnolia Bakery, with 1 tasty secret ingredient

Although the weather has yet to fully transition to autumn, October is here, which means it's time for all things pumpkin -- from decorations to desserts. And even if you're not a baker, this recipe has all the fall flavors, and no cooking required.

"There is some kind of magic in the cold air of fall because the second it hits everyone craves fall dessert," The Palatable Life creator Mallory Jones Oniki told "Good Morning America" about how desserts with warm spices add a "cozy and magical" feeling.

Oniki transformed her 2017 hobby of food photography and recipe development into a full-time gig in 2021, sharing her delicious dishes all over social media. Her latest soon-to-be viral sensation: pumpkin pudding.

"This pudding is a great one because it combines two of the best fall flavors -- pumpkin and Biscoff. The Biscoff cookies soften slightly in the pudding and the cookie butter swirl hardens up so it creates the perfect balance of textures," she said of the dessert, which was inspired by Magnolia Bakery's pudding.

"They are best known for their banana pudding, but they also make seasonal puddings that they rotate through throughout the year. Every fall they bring back this pumpkin pudding flavor and I had to recreate it," Oniki said, with the caveat that Magnolia uses vanilla wafers. "I'm going to be honest: I think that swap makes mine better than the original."

Check out the full recipe below. Also, Oniki says, "Make sure you use instant pudding mix -- that is the biggest mistake people make with this recipe."

"If you don't use instant pudding, the pudding won't set up and the whole recipe won't work," Oniki explained.

Pumpkin Pudding with layers of Biscoff cookies

Ingredients
1 3.4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix (Oniki uses Jell-O brand)
1/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 cups heavy cream
1 package Biscoff cookies
1 cup cookie butter

Instructions
Add the pudding mix, water, pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, and pumpkin pie spice to a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps! Cover and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least four hours, or overnight until it sets up.

Once the pudding has set up, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. Use a rubber spatula to lightly fold the whipped cream in. Add the remaining whipped cream and mix until combined.

Add the cookie butter to a bowl and microwave for 20-40 seconds, until melted and smooth.

In a trifle bowl, add a layer of pudding. Top with Biscoff cookies, then add another layer of pudding, then drizzle on plenty of cookie butter. Continue to layer until you use all the pudding mixture!

Refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tip: Go crazy with the layering! More is more when it comes to mix-ins with this pudding. Add as much cookie butter and Biscoff cookies as your heart desires!

Recipe reprinted with permission, courtesy of The Palatable Life.