This simple crustless pumpkin pie recipe is an absolutely delicious pumpkin dessert that’s easy to make and surprisingly healthy!
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The best crustless pumpkin pie
This is the original recipe for crustless pumpkin pie, first published over a decade ago.
It currently includes more than five hundred positive reviews from readers who’ve made and love the perfectly spiced flavor and ultra smooth custard texture of this homemade pie.
Over the years, the fan favorite pumpkin pie recipe has developed something of a cult following. Many commenters write in to tell me that they bake it not just for Christmas or Thanksgiving dessert, but all year round!
Some even eat it for breakfast.
And hey, why not? The fancy orange winter squash pie is low in calories, high fiber, low fat, and packed with vitamin A, calcium, and healthy ingredients.
Trust me, this will be love at first bite.
Also make these Sweet Potato Brownies
Crustless pumpkin pie recipe video
Above, watch the step by step video.
This is amazing. It is like eating the inside of the pumpkin pie, but more custardy. I like it better.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Tastes like pumpkin custard. The texture and flavor are so rich, decadent, and impossibly smooth. Each bite melts on your tongue, like a custard or mousse in the form of a pie.
Low calorie. You could actually eat the entire eight servings of pumpkin pie and still consume less fat and fewer calories than just one slice of many traditional pies.
Not that I recommend eating an entire pie in one serving… But you could.
Great use for canned pumpkin. One of the best things about this recipe is that it calls for a whole can of pumpkin puree. So there’s no need to worry about how to use up leftover canned pumpkin when you’re done.
No sweetened condensed milk. Unlike other crustless pumpkin pie recipes, this one does not require condensed or evaporated milk or heavy cream.
Oil free and low fat. The favorite holiday dessert also includes soy free, nut free, paleo, gluten free, added sugar free, low carb, and dairy free options. It’s a great choice for a Weight Watchers diet too, because the pie is very low in points.
Readers also love these Snowball Cookies
Crustless pumpkin pie ingredients
Pumpkin Puree – The recipe calls for a standard 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree. This can be the classic Libby’s or any generic or organic canned pumpkin.
Be sure to not accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling, because canned pumpkin pie filling already includes extra sugar and spices. In contrast, the only ingredient in pumpkin puree is cooked pumpkin.
Flour – I’ve made the pie successfully with whole grain spelt flour, oat flour, white all purpose flour, sorghum flour, and almond flour or almond meal. Clearly I’ve made this recipe more than a few times!
If you wish to use coconut flour, it needs much less flour, because coconut flour soaks up liquid like a sponge.
Milk – I love the extra creaminess you get from using coconut milk or oat milk. Whole milk, skim milk, soymilk, or unsweetened almond milk also work.
A few of the comments mention swapping some of the milk for Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to get more protein. I haven’t tried these substitutions, but please feel free to leave feedback if you experiment.
Spices – Ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add warm Fall coziness to the homemade pie. Your entire kitchen will smell deliciously like autumn.
Sweetener – Granulated sweeteners, such as sugar or unrefined date or coconut sugar, give you the best consistency in my opinion. Pure maple syrup and honey do also work. Or use your favorite sugar substitute (erythritol, monk fruit, stevia baking blend) if you want keto crustless pumpkin pie with no sugar added.
Egg – The original recipe called for ground flax or cornstarch, but so many readers made it with eggs that I’ve now included that as an option. You can still make it without eggs if you prefer.
Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract enhances the comforting spice of the pumpkin recipe. Do not substitute imitation vanilla flavoring.
Other Ingredients – Two teaspoons of baking powder help the pie to set without a crust. Salt balances the sweetness and adds depth of flavor.
Trending recipe: Pumpkin Banana Bread
Frequently asked questions
I like canned pumpkin because it makes the cooking process so easy. Just open the can and you’re done.
However, grocery stores are often out of canned pumpkin, especially around holidays like Thanksgiving. If you cannot find a can of pumpkin puree, an alternative is to buy a fresh pumpkin. (Sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins work best.)
Roast and then puree the flesh to make homemade pumpkin puree.
You absolutely can use roasted or canned sweet potato puree instead of the pumpkin. In fact, I’ve done it already: Crustless Sweet Potato Pie. Butternut squash puree works too.
For an eggless and vegan crustless pumpkin pie, simply choose the egg free option and your favorite dairy free milk.
Almond milk, oat milk, soymilk, or coconut milk are all great choices.
For mini crustless pumpkin cupcakes or bites, pour the filling into cupcake liners instead of a pie pan. Bake 20 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit (204° Celsius) or until the sides are set. Let cool, then refrigerate until centers firm up.
It is! The most magical part about this recipe is its texture. Soft and creamy, yet easy to cut clean slices at the same time, with no crust needed.
I’d recommend one of my other pumpkin pie recipes, already tested to bake successfully in a crust. Try this Vegan Pumpkin Pie or my favorite Healthy Pumpkin Pie.
Oh where to even start? There’s this Healthy Apple Pie, or my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. Apple Bread is great for breakfast or a healthy dessert. And Black Bean Brownies are super popular for any occasion!
If you have time, sift the flour before combining it with the other ingredients. Sifting flour is a great baking trick to distribute ingredients more evenly and prevent clumps of flour in your batter.
Still craving pumpkin? Make 100 Calorie Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkin pie topping ideas
Or try topping each slice of pumpkin pie with homemade whip cream, cashew cream, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, or Air Fryer Apples.
I once served it with a layer of candied pecans arranged on top, and guests raved about it. People said it tasted like crustless pumpkin pecan pie.
You may also opt to simply eat it plain, letting the pumpkin spice flavor profile shine.
How to make pumpkin pie without crust
Step 1: Gather your ingredients. And read through the instructions. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe before realizing you’re missing a crucial ingredient or necessary baking equipment.
Step 2: Preheat the oven. Set the temperature to 400° Fahrenheit or 204° Celsius. Grease a 9 inch pie pan (I use a glass pan), then set this pan aside.
Step 3: Whisk wet ingredients. Combine the pureed pumpkin, milk or plant based milk, pure vanilla extract, and optional egg in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl. Stir well with a fork or wire whisk. No blender required for this one bowl pumpkin pie.
Step 4: Add dry ingredients. Stir the flour, sweetener, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and optional cornstarch into the bowl until well incorporated. (Tip: You can stir the dry ingredients together days in advance to save time. Store the mix in a sealed Ziploc bag.)
Step 5: Transfer to the pan. Pour the pumpkin mixture into your prepared baking pan. Place on the center rack of the preheated oven.
Step 6: Bake the pie. Cook for thirty five minutes or until the edges of the pie are firm and the middle is still slightly jiggly but no longer liquid.
Step 7: Let cool. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Set it on a wire rack on the counter to cool. Then place the still underdone pie uncovered in the refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight. It will firm up considerably as it chills.
Tips for serving and storing leftovers
You can serve the recipe cold or gently warm each slice for a few seconds in the microwave if your friends and family like hot pumpkin pie.
Once the filling sets, cover the pie pan tightly with saran wrap or aluminum foil. Or store individual slices in a lidded container.
It should keep for up to five days refrigerated.
You can also freeze pumpkin pie in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw fully before serving.
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 15 oz pumpkin puree (425g)
- 1 cup milk of choice (240g)
- 1 large egg or 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (12g)
- 1/2 cup sugar or granulated sugar free sweetener (100g)
- 1/3 cup flour (such as spelt, oat, white, sorghum, or almond) (40g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (4g)
- 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
- 1 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice (2g)
- 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit (204° Celsius). Grease a 9 inch pie pan, then set the pan aside.
- 2. Whisk pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, and optional egg in a large measuring cup or bowl.
- 3. Stir in the flour, sweetener, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, salt, and optional corn starch until well mixed.
- 4. Smooth the mixture directly into the prepared pan. No crust required.
- 5. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 35 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle is slightly jiggly.
- 6. Let cool on a wire rack on the counter. Then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, during which time the crustless pumpkin pie will firm up to an easily sliceable texture. Serve cold or hot, with whipped cream if desired.
- 7. Once the pie sets, refrigerate any leftovers covered tightly in the pan or in a lidded container for up to 5 days. Or freeze slices for up to 3 months and thaw before serving.
Video
Notes
More pumpkin desserts
Applesauce Muffins (Use pumpkin puree instead of banana)
katie dear
where do you find xylitol??? not at trader joes or jewel or dominicks or caputos????
please advise
much thanx
happy thanxgiving
you rock
Whole Foods, Central Market, Sprouts, Market Street, online…
can I use one egg white instead of the ener-g powder since im not vegan?
Sorry, no clue.
Katie, do you think this would work with yam instead of pumpkin?
Yes!!
Also, if I chose to put it on a nut and date crust, would it still be ok to bake?
Haven’t tried it with a crust.
I really like crust too. Do you think this would taste good with your graham cracker crust or do you think graham crackers and pumpkin don’t really go together? Thanks and happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. If I do make it with graham cracker crust I might have to make individual muffin tin sized pies because my kids and I couldn’t resist making a few s’mores with the graham crackers so I might not have enough…oops!
Haven’t tried it so I really can’t say!
Hi Katie! I’ve been reading your blog for a few months but this is the first recipe I’ve made. Oh-my-GAH. It was soooo good and everyone wanted seconds.. it was gone in under 15 minutes. I’m making another one tomorrow to bring to Thanksgiving!
I accidentally left out milk (I would have put in vanilla almond milk). I was upset that I went to the effort of making it but I really like it still! I ate a slice while hot and a slice while cool and both were great. I will make it again with milk to see what the differences are, but I was really surprised. It’s pretty thick and maybe almost more cookie or brownie-like than a pumpkin pie. Oh, and my kids kept wondering why the house smelled like cinnamon rolls. 🙂
Love this!! I just made it and i could not believe how good the filling is! I have not actually tried the pie yet but I’m excited to try it tomorrow. It even prompted me to make the snickered doodle bars which are baking now! Thank you for helping me create a healthy option
Made ths tonight, it is chilling in the fridge for now. Licked the spoon from the filling and tasted amazing! Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow, although I did drizzle a little chocolate on top too. I used the Splenda brown sugar mx also.
WOW!!! Thank. You. Katie.
Just baked this and LOVE it. It’s like a cross between pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. I used an egg instead of flax and rice flour for the flour. Yummy! This is my first healthy Thanksgiving and this recipe fits right in with my health plans this season! No guilt.
Just a follow-up…make sure to refrigerate uncovered like Katie says! When I pulled my pie out of the oven it tasted fantastic! The next day it tasted completely different. Why? I covered the thing in the fridge overnight.
Fortunately, the following night I traveled to a different state with the pie and put it uncovered in that family’s fridge. Turned out great! My sister and I loved it.
Oh my gosh. I made this last night for today and I can’t believe how good it was. It is my new favorite treat.
In fact, I don’t want to share….this could be a problem.
Made this today… SO good, and you’d never know it wasn’t the traditional recipe! I used brown sugar, coconut oil, almond milk, and egg beaters instead of the flax (couldn’t find it at the store), and the texture / flavor is spot-on. Unfortunately I forgot to put my coconut milk in the fridge yesterday, so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to try it with coconut cool whip. Great recipe, and happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
I made this for our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was a huge hit! My mom is trying to reduce her flour intake as part of a new diet, so she loved your crustless recipe. (And I’m actually sneaking a second slice right now since everyone else already went to bed!)
Hi Katie! I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that I made this pie yesterday. I had intended to make the cool whip, too, but the pie was such a hit, and was devoured so quickly that I didn’t get a chance! I like coconut milk in my coffee, and so many other ways- including straight up out of the can- so I’m not upset that it’s still in the fridge. 😉 Thanks so much for this recipe. I’ll be making it again for sure!
Normally I love your recipes, but this one was so disappointing! It collapsed until it was super thin and flat, the taste was off (too much spice?), and the texture was rubbery. Did I mess something up? Unfortunately, all the others at Thanksgiving decided that the pie was inherently mediocre BECAUSE it was vegan. 🙁
It sounds like you unfortuantely did something wrong, like maybe mismeasured or forgot an ingredient? Just read the large number of comments above this, for all the people, including me, who had success with this recipe.
Did you forget the baking powder by any chance? Mine settled a little bit after taking out of the oven (slightly less puffy), but was still a normal pie thickness like the pictures. Something definitely went wrong if yours came out that way! Are there any other substitutions or changes you made?
I love you Katie and all your ideas! This pie is amazing! It’s true: I could eat it all at once 🙂 It’s soooo delicous. I think I added not enough flour, it is very thin and goey but I love the taste! Amazing! 🙂