This simple crustless pumpkin pie recipe is an absolutely delicious pumpkin dessert that’s easy to make and surprisingly healthy!
Table of Contents
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)
Hummmm, I must have done something wrong, the pie didn’t rise at all. The only thing I did was use 1 cup of milk instead of the oil as suggested in the recipe. Yes, my baking powder is new doesn’t expire until Oct. 2015. Can anyone suggest what could have happened. Would like to try again. Thanks!
It’s not supposed to rise. But if you want it to rise, you can always put it in a deeper pan.
This was amazing! I used 1/3 cup almond flour and an egg + 2 tsp arrowroot flour and coconut sugar. Seriously delicious! Yum!!!
Delicious! I made this for dessert for tonight and it was a hit! I used brown sugar.
Yum! I’m going to try this for sure 🙂 For the choice of flour, you’ve said “Almost any will work”. Could that include oat flour?
Instead of energ powder or ground flax, can I use xanthan gum?
Will almond meal work for the flour?
Hi Katie i was just wondering if I could make this with whole wheat flour?
what do you mean by a ‘pinch’ of stevia? And what is uncut stevia? Is it just the powder?
Also, would erythritol work instead of xylitol?
I really don’t get how your nutritional calculations work. If you write things like “milk/flour of choice” and “uncut stevia OR 2 extra tbsp brown sugar”, how on earth can you then provide information about calories being 55/slice? It must depend COMPLETELY on whether you choose this or that??? Best regards
She explains how her information is calculated here: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/faq-page/recipe-questions-and-troubleshooting/
I wanted to try the crustless pumpkin pie recipe you featured last week (week before?) but was away from home on vacation. On returning home and attempting to print I was redirected to a page full of logos and never could get this to print. I love pumpkin pie and don’t need the crust so this was so perfect–please help!
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/11/08/crustless-pumpkin-pie/comment-page-2/#comment-3198051
Try this link Donna B
I can get to the print button. Are you able to print now? Maybe it was a temporary glitch?
I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS! Last year, I baked pumpkins-did it right; my dog needed it. I tried it just cooled peeled out of rind. I didn’t need ANYthing else with it-it was perfect by itself. 2 that I baked this year, I baked wrong, and taste is very different-Dog loves it, but it’s lacking that boom for me. Your recipe looks about perfect-I can’t make a crust anyway. It looks very low calorie-therefore perfect! Thanks for printing this
I made this with an egg, almond milk, and a mix of ww and all purpose flour and 1 tbsp of oil and it tasted soo good. I felt great eating it and it tasted like a warm pumpkin pie. seriously!! coming from someone who loves pie crust
Oh my! I just whipped up this recipe only to realize I can’t find my round baking pan!!! Is there another pan size I could use in square? I have an 8×8 and 9×13. Please help, I don’t want to waste all these ingredients and I’m not enough of a baker to recover this on my own.
Love your site Katie amd you’re pretty awesome yourself! Thanks for all the great tips!
Thanks anyone who can reply fast!
Kathleen
Awe….I’m so disappointed. I held off the entire meal last night (cranberry stuffed turkey breast) that was going to go with this pie with the hopes someone would’ve responded with some help to my question above. I guess scrolling through so many comments to get to the newest posts is daunting so nobody is. Oh well, can’t say I didn’t try. I guess I’ll be buying a new pie pan and hopefully try this again. 🙂
Gosh, no one has checked in yesterday or today to help me! 🙁
I guess I’m going to make it in my square 8×8 and simply try baking it longer. I’m NOT a baker and have no confidence in this choice, but I not hearing from the forum or you Katie, so I have no choice but to step our and hope for the best. I hate wasting these ingredients I’d it’s a fail. Please? Anyone?
Lesson Learned: Always assemble all your tools (bowls, baking dishes, ingredients for the recipe BEFORE starting to prepare a recipe, then you won’t find yourself in this dilemma. (My mother taught this to me and I think I may have been taught the same thing in the one year I took home economics in grade 8).
Thank you, Marilyn. I’d obviously said the same thing to myself AFTER the fact. I just moved and knew I had the pan, I just couldn’t find it. I did eventually find it and will go this route in the future. Indeed, lesson learned. 🙂
Sorry for the delayed reply. This is a very old post and I only noticed your comments now. But I’ve never tried a different size pan and therefore wouldn’t have been a help anyway… so at least I guess that’s some consolation. If you experiment, be sure to report back on how it goes. Good luck! 🙂
Thank you, Marilyn. I’d obviously said the same thing to myself AFTER the fact. I just moved and knew I had the pan, I just couldn’t find it. I did eventually find it and will go this route in the future. Indeed, lesson learned. 🙂
Hi Katie! Thanks for responding.
I made the pie in a 8×8 and simply baked it a little longer, like an extra 10 minutes. I was nervous having to wait 6 hours for it to set….but when the meal was done and I served it up….a SMASH HIT!!! Oh my, this is so delicious and easy! A sure hit and a healthy dessert I know I can serve in the future.
I’m really enjoying your site and plan on making many more of your healthy recipes! Thanks Katie and God bless you! 🙂
Crustless pumpkin pie is a wonderful idea. The crust is what makes pie not so healthy for us. This way, we get the wonderful flavour and texture of the pumpkin filling and the ice-cream or whipped cream topping too. Yum!
Just found this site via stumble. I’ve recently become interested in baking and have tried a couple of other crustless pumpkin pies. This is, by far, the best that I’ve tried to date. I hate to admit it, but I ate the entire pie by myself (extra workout tonight, but well worth it). I secretly made a second pie for the kids. Thanks, Chocolate-Covered Katie, for sharing your recipes. My daughter and I were able to whip up the first one together in less than 15 minutes. The second one took me about 10 minutes. This has to be one of the easiest recipes that I’ve ever done. I also love the deep dish chocolate chip cookie pie recipe that you have on this site. I already have a few variations in mind for that recipe (whiskey soaked cranberries and almond pieces instead of chocolate chips). I’m planning to review your site much closer this week to see what other gems I can find. Keep cooking and posting these great recipes.
-jryuhas
this is my new favorite pie. I made it a couple of times for my husband and myself and we split it into quarters. sometimes we even have it for breakfast