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Home Recipes All Dessert Recipes Puddings & Custards
Posted:9/17/2018
Updated:11/18/2019

The BEST Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 hr 10 mins
Easy
Puddings & Custards
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This Crustless Pumpkin Pie pudding is so satisfying and silky smooth that you won't miss the crust at all! It's Gluten free and refined sugar free too. 

This Crustless Pumpkin Pie is refined sugar free and gluten free, and deliciously creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. And you wouldn’t believe how EASY it is to make! Read the post for tips that will guarantee PERFECT results every time. 

This crustless pumpkin pie pudding is so satisfying and silky smooth that you won’t miss the crust at all. Plus, you can make it all in ONE bowl!

This Crustless Pumpkin Pie pudding is so satisfying and silky smooth that you won't miss the crust at all! It's Gluten free and refined sugar free too. 

Ladies and gentlemen, this here is THE BEST Crustless Pumpkin Pie in the world! God daammnn, it’s goooood. 🙂 No exaggerations really, as far as no crust pumpkin pies go, this one takes the um… pie.

Let me first say that I’ve got nothing against pie crusts. In fact, I love pie crust so much that I could eat it on its own. But let’s face it, pie crusts can be a pain in the ass to make. And if I’m making this for family on Thanksgiving day or for friends and guests, I’d rather make my life easier by not having to worry about a finicky pie crust.

A slice of crustless pumpkin pie slice with a bite take out, served on a white plate with a spoon next to it.

So why is this the BEST crustless pumpkin pie?

  • Simple ingredients.
  • Super simple to make, can make it all in one bowl.
  • Gluten free and refined sugar free.
  • Foolproof recipe that guarantees delicious, creamy, silky smooth, absolutely perfect results, every time (no weeping or curdling).
  • Flexibility to make this either as one large pie to feed a crowd. Or in smaller/individual portions as personal pumpkin pie custards (which is even faster to make).
  • Don’t need to worry about pie crusts.

All the ingredients needed for a crustless pumpkin pie pudding for Thanksgiving.

I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times. Made all the mistakes while trying to perfect this gluten free pumpkin pie, so that you don’t have to! 🙂 It’s sweetened with maple syrup which makes this no crust pumpkin pie even more flavorful in my opinion (and also refined sugar free). But you’re welcome to use honey or white sugar or brown sugar if you prefer.

My favorite way to serve this crustless pumpkin pie is to slice it like a pie (duh), and serve with whipped cream. You can do the same. Or let your guests scoop it like a pudding into cups. Afterall, this tastes and feels like a really creamy pumpkin pie pudding too.

The spices mixed in with the cornstarch first.
Mix the spices with cornstarch first.
Mix in the cornstarch and spices with the maple syrup
Then dissolve the cornstarch in the maple syrup to make it easier to be mixed in.

For even better results, you can flavor your whipped cream for even more flavor. Use maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon or any other flavor you like. My husband likes it with slightly sweetened whipped cream, I prefer it with a drizzle of extra maple syrup on top.

But the best part is that this no crust pumpkin pie is healthy enough for breakfast too! Just add some granola and Greek yogurt and you have yourself a pumpkin pie parfait.

The eggs, pumpkin puree added to the maple syrup, in a bowl.
Next add the eggs and pumpkin to the maple mixture.
The pumpkin, maple syrup, spices and eggs whisked in a bowl.
Whisk until nice and smooth.

My first attempt at making this gluten free pumpkin pie was to follow the famous Libby’s no crust pumpkin pie recipe with the refined sugar as well.  So I followed the pumpkin pie recipe on the Libby pumpkin can, without the crust. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed with the results, even after following the recipe precisely as stated. 

Here’s the one thing you need to keep in mind when making no crust pumpkin pie. Without the crust, the pumpkin pie filling is essentially a pumpkin flavored custard. Therefore it relies on eggs to set it into a creamy, smooth filling.

The evaporated milk being stirred into the pumpkin mix in a bowl
For the last step, stir in the evaporated milk.
The evaporated milk stirred into the pumpkin mix and ready to be poured into a pie dish.
Make sure the evaporated milk is stirred in well.

The two biggest problems I had with some crustless pumpkin pie recipes including Libby’s recipe were,

  1. Weeping (technical term for that is syneresis)
  2. Curdling

When a custard is baked at a high temperature, the eggs in the custard bake too rapidly. This leads the eggs to coagulate and separate into curd and whey. That’s because the egg proteins form a very tight network (curds). This tight network causes the water to be “squeezed out” (whey), causing the baked custard to weep. This also makes the custard taste and feel like it’s curdled.

A baked crustless pumpkin pie in a white pie dish. Gluten free and refined sugar free, easy and fool proof.

The original Libby’s famous crustless pumpkin pie recipe tests the doneness with a knife inserted into the custard. Then checking whether it comes out clean. I followed this recipe against my better judgement, hoping that the custard would somehow come out OK. But my gut feeling was correct. The problem is, your custard is already overbaked by the time you reach this level of doneness (or will be overbaked by the residual heat).

A close up of the side view of the gluten free pumpkin pie slice showing how creamy the filling is. Served with whipped cream on top.

So here are my solutions to prevent weeping, curdling and overbaking of this no crust pumpkin pie

Solution #1 – Reduce the oven temperature. Baking this crustless pumpkin pie at 350°F as suggested in the original recipe will most definitely cause the eggs in the custard to cook too quickly. This will lead to a curdled texture and weeping pumpkin pie custard. I cook this crustless pumpkin pie at 300°F, so that it cooks low and slow. Allowing for more even baking, and reducing the chances of the eggs overbaking. You can lower the chances of weeping and curdling even more by baking this custard in a water bath. But it’s not necessary. Also remember to preheat oven before placing the crustless pumpkin pie inside. 

Solution #2 – Adding cornstarch to the custard. The starch molecules expand as they cook with the water in the custard. Then they can act as a buffer to prevent the eggs from curdling. The result is a creamy, pudding like pumpkin pie.

Solution #3 –  Don’t wait until the “inserted knife comes out clean” stage. I always remove this pumpkin pie pudding while the middle is still a bit runny or jiggly. The residual heat will continue to cook the custard to perfection.

Solution #4 – Allow the crustless pumpkin pie to cool completely after baking. It’s important to let the pumpkin pie cool completely, before covering it with plastic wrap and refrigerating it. Let the excess water evaporate while it cools down, uncovered, to prevent the water re-entering the pumpkin pie pudding.

Solution #5 – Use of a thermometer. Since every oven and baking dish can transfer heat differently, it’s hard to say exactly when the custard is done. The foolproof way to know when the custard is perfect and is ready to come out, is to use a thermometer.

Cooking this crustless pumpkin pie to an internal temperature of  165°F – 170°F ensures that you get perfect, creamy, smooth results. I prefer a good medium of 167-168°F, and NEVER over 175°F.

The same recipe made into individual crustless pumpkin pie custards made in ramekins.
An individual serving of the crustless pumpkin pie pudding, made in an individual pie dish.

More tips to make a perfect gluten free crustless pumpkin pie

  • Do not add the pumpkin pie spice mix into the egg mix. The eggs are gloopy and can cause the spices to clump up and not distribute evenly.  So I prefer to always mix the spices with the cornstarch and maple syrup first. Make sure it’s well mixed through. Then add this to the egg mix and whisk. This way, the spices will disperse more evenly through the custard.
  • By following the order of ingredients added that’s indicated in this recipe, you can make this no crust pumpkin pie pudding using only 1 bowl!
  • Butter the baking dish or pie plate with a very thin coating of butter.
  • Pour the custard into the dish and knock it on your kitchen counter-top a few times to knock out any excess air. Air bubbles on the surface of the custard can be removed easily. Use a blow torch to gently flame the surface of the custard.
  • I prefer making this in a 9 inch glass porcelain pie plate / dish. It guarantees consistent results every time. I’ve made this in 1/2 cup ramekins and in individual pie dishes (1 cup capacity) as well (see pictures in the post).
  • I usually place the pie dish/dishes on a baking tray and bake them in a preheated oven. This way it’s easier to remove the dishes from the oven and even to rotate them half way through the cooking process.
  • When the baking is done, I remove the baking tray (with the pumpkin pie dish) from the oven first. Then immediately transfer the pumpkin pie dish/dishes on to a cold surface. Otherwise, the residual heat from the baking sheet/tray will cook the custard further.
  • When the crustless pumpkin pie custard has been transferred to a cooler surface, let it cool completely to room temperature. This can take 15 minutes on a very cold day, or up to 1 hour on warmer days. Only then, transfer it to the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap. Otherwise the condensation will cause the pumpkin pie to “weep”.

A creamy and smooth gluten free pumpkin pie custards served in individual ramekins.

Can I make this with canned pumpkin pie filling?

I wouldn’t recommend it. This is made with 100% pumpkin puree, and this is different from the canned pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already spiced, and yet somehow less flavorful! 

So stick with 100% pumpkin puree and add your own spices to get the best results. 

Can I make this dairy free? 

YES! I have had some readers who have made this pie dairy free. They used coconut milk instead, with great results. 

I do prefer evaporated milk because it’s so creamy. But if you use a good quality coconut milk with a higher fat percentage you should be OK. Do NOT use light coconut milk though. 

This refined sugar free, gluten free crustless pumpkin pie is guaranteed to be a hit at your Thanksgiving spread. And you can make it any time you want to whip up some simple, delicious pumpkin pie! It’s incredibly creamy, smooth and perfectly sweet, and just so satisfying that you won’t miss the crust at all.

A close up of the inside of the crustless pumpkin pie pudding slice with whipped cream on top. The filling is creamy, smooth, and has no weeping or curdling.

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This Crustless Pumpkin Pie pudding is so satisfying and silky smooth that you won't miss the crust at all! It's Gluten free and refined sugar free too. 
5 from 13 votes

Crustless Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Cuisine: American, Thanksgiving
This Crustless Pumpkin Pie Pudding is so satisfying and silky smooth that you won't miss the crust at all! It's gluten free and refined sugar free too. 
EASY - This is an easy recipe with minimal equipment and effort required.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Serves 8 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Print Rate

Ingredients:

  • Butter or coconut oil to butter the pie dish/dishes
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin puree 1 can
  • 12 fl oz evaporated milk 1 can

To Serve

  • Sweetened whipped cream optional
  • Maple syrup optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 300°F and butter a glass porcelain 9 inch pie dish, OR 5 mini pie dishes (1 cup capacity), OR 9 ramekins (½ cup ramekins).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch. Whisk this mix until there are no lumps in the cornstarch.
  • Add half of the maple syrup and whisk it in until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and there are no lumps. Then add the rest of the maple syrup and the vanilla and mix well.
  • Add the 2 eggs and yolk, and whisk to combine.
  • Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until it's mixed in well.
  • Stir in the evaporated milk. Make sure that the evaporated milk is also mixed in well.
  • Pour the prepared pumpkin custard into the 9 inch pie dish. Knock the pie dish on a hard surface like your kitchen countertop firmly (don't break the dish though!), a couple of times, to remove any air bubbles. See recipe notes on how to bake this crustless pumpkin pie in smaller dishes. 
  • Place the pie dish in the preheated oven and bake for 60 - 70 minutes, rotating the pie dish halfway through the cooking time (30 minutes).
  • If you have a thermometer, check for an internal temperature of 165 - 170°F in the middle of the pie. If you don’t have a thermometer, remove the pie from the oven while the middle still seems a bit runny or jiggly, but the edges are set - this should take between 60 - 70 minutes.
  • Remove the pie dish from the oven and keep it in a cool, dry place to cool down, UNCOVERED. When the pie has completely cooled to room temperature, cover the pie dish and refrigerate it overnight. Keep the pumpkin pie pudding in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
  • Slice the crustless pumpkin pie pudding into 8 - 10 servings, and serve with sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup (optional). 

Tips & Tricks

Notes for baking this crustless pumpkin pie in smaller dishes.
  • Measure the pumpkin pie custard into the smaller ramekins using a measuring cup. Add ½ cup of the custard into the ½ cup ramekins, and 1 cup of the custard into the mini pie dishes.
  • It’s easier to move the dishes in and out of the oven if you place them all on a larger baking sheet/tray. I use a half baking sheet.
  • Bake the ½ cup ramekins for about 22 - 25 minutes. The ramekins I used are the flat ramekins, where the pumpkin pie custard only fills up about 1 1/2 inches deep. If it's a taller baking dish, the custard will take longer to bake. 
  • Bake the 1 cup mini pie dish for about 30 minutes (the pumpkin pie custard only fills up for about 1 1/2 inches.)
  • Remove the baking tray from the oven, and then transfer the smaller dishes onto a cold surface to let the individual pumpkin pie puddings cool completely.
 
Calories in 1 individual pumpkin pie ramekin - 140 kcal
Calories in 1 individual pumpkin pie (mini pie dish) - 270 Kcal
 
Notes for cooling down the crustless pumpkin pie pudding.
It’s important to allow the pumpkin pie puddings to cool completely before covering them. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the dishes in a water bath (where the water level travels halfway up the dish). The residual heat will continue to cook the custard, while the excess water evaporates.
If you cover the pumpkin pie pudding with plastic wrap before it’s completely cooled down, there'll be condensation that will drip back into the pie and make it watery.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 169kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 79mg (26%)Sodium: 144mg (6%)Potassium: 313mg (9%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 18g (20%)Vitamin A: 8475IU (170%)Vitamin C: 3.1mg (4%)Calcium: 171mg (17%)Iron: 1.1mg (6%)
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:American, Thanksgiving
Keyword:Custards, Pie, Puddings, Pumpkin, Thanksgiving
Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.

 

NEED MORE THANKSGIVING RECIPES?

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Slow roasted turkey breast roulade with sage and rosemary

Maple roasted brussels sprouts

Easy Cranberry sauce

Slow roasted turkey breast with Cajun spices

Slow cooker turkey breast with sage garlic butter

Pear and sausage stuffing

Pecan Pie Bars

 

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  1. Courtney says

    November 27, 2019 at 21:30

    Excited to make this! I realize I only have half of the maple syrup I need.. do you think I could leave it out or use honey or just use the extra egg white to make up the texture?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 27, 2019 at 21:41

      Hi Courtney!
      You can absolutely use honey instead 🙂
      The rest of the recipe will stay the same!

      Reply
  2. Christina Avila says

    November 27, 2019 at 17:57

    5 stars
    Hi I just made this 2 pies using this recipe. It really is an amazing simple recipe. But I have ran out of maple syrup and was wondering if I could substitute for anything else.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 27, 2019 at 18:24

      Hi Christina!
      Yes! You can use 3/4 of a cup of regular granulated sugar / brown sugar or 1/2 cup of honey instead of maple syrup 🙂

      Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  3. Gina says

    November 27, 2019 at 00:22

    Hoping to make the recipe for thanksgiving. Only have 5oz of evaporated milk on hand and was hoping not to go back to the store. Can I substitute the remainder of evaporated milk for whole milk?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 27, 2019 at 10:19

      Hi Gina
      I would recommend using heavy cream instead of regular milk if you don’t have evaporated milk. Regular milk won’t have a high enough fat content to keep the custard creamy.
      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  4. Vivian H. says

    November 22, 2019 at 22:34

    This crustless Pumpkin pie is absolutely awesome. I made a different one last week, and it was nowhere near as good as this one. At first I wasn’t sure about what the maple syrup would be like, but this recipe is the best!! I will make this one for Thanksgiving for sure.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 23, 2019 at 13:54

      Thank you so much Vivian, so glad you liked the recipe, happy thanksgiving! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Dianna Bell says

    November 22, 2019 at 20:42

    5 stars
    After freezing 2 cup portions of pumpkin mash from our first ever pumpkin patch a month ago, I made multiple batches of this recipe tonight,… putting 1/2 of 1 into a ceramic pan and other 1/2 into a gluten-free graham cracker crust…. the other 2 batches went into regular store-bought pie crusts.
    OMG SO smooth and custard-like! Wow!!! I am SO impressed.
    I have saved this page and will also print this recipe to make sure I will always have it.
    Thank you SO much for making all my hard work worthwhile.
    Love love love 🙂

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 23, 2019 at 13:53

      Thank you so much Dianna! 🙂 I’m so happy you liked the recipe!

      Reply
  6. Lauren says

    November 11, 2019 at 13:22

    5 stars
    I can’t say enough good things about this recipe, but I’m going to try: I love that it’s a one-bowl deal, I love that it’s quick to put together, I love that there’s so many options for baking (pie dish, ramekins, etc.), and I love all the helpful tips for making sure it turns out smoothly. This is honestly the only successful “custard” that I’ve been able to make so far. Really appreciate your time in sharing this with us!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 12, 2019 at 19:42

      Hi Lauren, thank you so much for your lovely words, you made my day! 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the recipe, and the tips were helpful!

      Reply
  7. Deborah Barry says

    October 29, 2019 at 01:23

    Baffled about that extra egg white. If I’m going to be lazy, should I use 3 whole eggs or two?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      October 29, 2019 at 06:50

      Hi Deborah
      I usually use the extra egg white in an omelette the next day.
      You can add three eggs if you really don’t want to separate one egg yolk. The extra liquid from the egg white hopefully shouldn’t have any impact on how the pumpkin filling will set.

      Reply
  8. Kate says

    October 10, 2019 at 17:23

    5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely phenomenal. I’m not a super-skilled baker and it comes out perfect every single time I make it (ok, one time there was a crack in the top but I just put whipped cream over the whole thing and pretended it didn’t happen). The tips and tricks included are also fabulous and helped me solve the cracking problem after the first go around. I made it last Thanksgiving the first time and have now had to remake it at Christmas, Easter, and two birthdays after special requests. I also made a sugar-free mini version in a ramekin for one sugar-free, low-carb guest by omitting the maple syrup and replacing it with sweetener and it still came out great! Thank you, Dini, for the lovely recipe!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      October 11, 2019 at 08:34

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment Kate! 🙂 I’m so happy you liked the recipe and found the tips and tricks helpful. I find myself making this a few times a year too! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Dawn says

    January 21, 2019 at 18:24

    I am dairy free, so how could I make this delicious sounding custard, without the sweetened condensed milk?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 21, 2019 at 19:37

      Hi Dawn!
      I don’t use sweetened condensed milk in this recipe, it’s actually evaporated milk. I have had some readers who have substituted the evaporated milk with full cream coconut milk and have had good results. It won’t be as creamy as with evaporated milk, but should still be delicious!
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Dawn says

        January 22, 2019 at 08:39

        Thanks ! We’ll give it a try!

        Reply
        • Kaitie says

          March 2, 2019 at 08:51

          I made this pie last night, dairy- free for my husband and keto-friendly for me. I reduced 24oz of full fat coconut milk to about 20oz, sweetened with 1/4 cup equivalent of sweetener, and omitted the maple syrup. I’m super pleased to report it turned out amazing, really nice and velvety and not much coconut flavour at all.

          Reply
  10. Daniela says

    November 22, 2018 at 15:45

    5 stars
    Hello!
    Amazing recipe
    Is it possible to do the recipe with fresh pumpkin? Any tip?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 22, 2018 at 18:03

      Hi Daniela!
      Thank you! 🙂
      This recipe can be made with fresh pumpkin puree, but make sure to choose the right kind of pumpkin for the job too. I’ve read that Jarrahdale or Blue Hubbard is a good pick for pie making. Since fresh pumpkin puree has a higher water content than canned pumpkin puree, it’s important to cook out the liquid as much as possible. Or it can make the pie watery.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. joyce says

    November 22, 2018 at 13:45

    I have pumpkin pie MIX, so Can I still use this in foe a crustless? I realize its short notice but thats ok…. thx

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 22, 2018 at 14:08

      Hi Joyce!
      Yes, you could make this with the pumpkin pie mix. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of pumpkin pie mix, so I haven’t used it to make pies before. However, the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie mix is the addition of spices in the pie mix, so you can leave out the spice mix here and follow the rest of the recipe. Good luck and happy Thanksgiving! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Lamideel says

    November 21, 2018 at 19:48

    5 stars
    Made this for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Looks great, tastes great. Seems very light. Very easy. Had a little too much mix for my pie plate so I made the extra in small ramkin, which means I got to taste it – delish.

    The only thing I change is that I used agave in the place of maple. Took 60 minutes to bake.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • Leslie A Schmitz says

      November 1, 2019 at 13:48

      yay! thanks for your comments-i was scrolling to see if anyone used agave!! woo hoo!

      Reply
  13. Andrea says

    November 21, 2018 at 09:01

    What about using a conventional oven? Would I have to subtract 5 min and 5 degrees to the oven? And I wouldn’t need to turn the Pie, correct?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 21, 2018 at 09:41

      Hi Andrea,
      I also have a conventional oven (i.e. no fan, and not convection), so you can bake this pumpkin pie as specified in the recipe here. You don’t have to change anything. I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions.

      Reply
    • Andrea says

      November 21, 2018 at 11:58

      I had meant convection. Sorry.

      Reply
      • Dini says

        November 21, 2018 at 14:41

        Hi Andrea
        I haven’t baked in a convection oven before, so I can’t be sure what steps should be taken to convert this recipe. From the articles I have read, they do mention that the oven temperature should be reduced by 25 degrees (farenheit), and that recipes may also take a shorter time to bake. Since this custard is already baking at a low 300°F, I’m not sure if an even lower temperature could be recommended. The main thing is to keep an eye on the pumpkin pie, and check on it from time to time to make sure it’s baking evenly and not overbaking, which can lead to a rubbery result.

        Reply
  14. Mary says

    November 20, 2018 at 20:11

    5 stars
    I was wondering if this recipe could be used in a crust? I have several pies to make and would rather not make separate batches of pumpkin.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 20, 2018 at 20:28

      Hi Mary
      Unfortunately, I haven’t baked this particular filling with a crust before. Usually with pumpkin pies with a crust, you have to bake it at a very high temperature first, and then lower the temperature to ensure the filling bakes through. Since I haven’t done that with this filling, I cannot tell you the baking times for certain. But technically there is no reason why you couldn’t use this filling in a crust, because it is almost identical to a regular pumpkin pie filling. You will have to check the doneness half way through baking to make sure. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  15. Marylyn Jones says

    November 20, 2018 at 13:38

    I’ve got it ready to go tomorrow due to time constraints. Can be baking while I load the car for a trip to my daughters and glutent intolerant son in law.

    However, I have a big enough batch for two pies. Can I put the mix into a baked pie crust and freeze? Or, can I freeze the mix and thaw later to put into a pie crust for my pie crust loving family.

    This is going to be the best ever…..thanks for taking the time to perfect it for all of us.

    Happy Thanksgivijng.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 20, 2018 at 21:27

      Hi Marylyn!
      Unfortunately, I haven’t made this pumpkin pie filling in a crust, so I can’t give you a proper answer 🙁 I usually don’t like to freeze my custard pies, either, but if you do freeze them, they NEED TO BE THAWED OUT IN THE FRIDGE, because if they thaw out too quickly, they will make the crust very soggy.
      You could technically put the filling in a par baked crust, and bake it until the filling is set, but I wouldn’t be able to provide you the precise baking temperature, because I haven’t done this with this filling.
      But I CAN say for certain that if this filling is frozen, it will weep as it thaws out, and to minimize the weeping, it needs to thaw out VERY SLOWLY IN THE FRIDGE.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  16. Kelsey says

    November 19, 2018 at 08:03

    Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 19, 2018 at 08:21

      Hi Kelsey,
      Yes, you can use honey in place of maple syrup.

      Reply
      • Taylor says

        November 20, 2018 at 08:49

        5 stars
        Could you use traditional granulated sugar instead of maple syrup?

        Reply
        • Dini says

          November 20, 2018 at 09:12

          Hi Taylor,
          Yes, you can use 3/4 of a cup of regular granulated sugar instead of maple syrup.

          Reply
  17. Kristin says

    November 16, 2018 at 06:23

    5 stars
    This recipe looks awesome! Can I substitute almond flour for the cornstarch or do you have any recommendations? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 16, 2018 at 19:27

      Hi Kristin!
      The purpose of cornstarch is to act as a stabilizer for the pumpkin custard, so unfortunately almond flour won’t work as well as cornstarch. However, you can instead use potato starch (not potato flour), or AP flour (you will need to double the amount if using AP flour, and it won’t be gluten free either then). I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        November 22, 2018 at 01:54

        5 stars
        Thanks! Just pulled this out of the oven and it looks fantastic! I used cream instead of evaporated milk like you mentioned to another person. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving!!! 🙂

        Reply
  18. Alyssa says

    November 15, 2018 at 12:05

    I would love to make this for Thanksgiving next week! However, I won’t be able to get all those individual spices, but I do have McCormick’s pumpkin pie spice mix here already. Could that be used instead and if so, how much would you suggest using?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 15, 2018 at 19:21

      Hi Alyssa!
      You can easily use Pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices 🙂 Just add about 1 1/2 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice. I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        November 20, 2018 at 18:35

        Great! Thank you so much!

        Reply
  19. Betty Biggs says

    November 13, 2018 at 19:51

    Can I freeze it to ship to my daughter, thought it would be easier than shipping whole pie

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 14, 2018 at 19:49

      Hi Betty!
      Unfortunately, I don’t recommend freezing custard based pies like this, because they don’t freeze well. They will become watery as they thaw out, which will affect the texture and possibly the flavor as well.

      Reply
  20. Janis says

    November 6, 2018 at 17:00

    Well…I found your recipe 2 days ago after doing exactly what you did…and getting the same curdly results, lol. Too bad I didn’t find your post beforehand? I followed the famous and reliable Libby’s recipe. Thanks for the tips, looking forward to round 2. I also used flat/shallow ramekins. I don’t do dairy, so used coconut milk. I noticed someone asked about using coconut cream. For consistency’s sake, does it matter which? I prefer the coconut milk because the one I buy has no guar gum.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 6, 2018 at 21:32

      Hi Janis!
      Yes you can use coconut milk, but it’ll be a little less creamier than using coconut cream or evaporated milk. You don’t have to change the amount, because adding more coconut milk without increasing the eggs will cause the custard to be runny. If you’re using the shallow creme brulee ramekins to make this, then it might take less time for them to bake, but as long as you keep an eye on them, and take them out when they are mostly set, you should be fine! I hope that helps! Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with 🙂

      Reply
  21. Peggy says

    November 4, 2018 at 03:10

    Sounded great till the evaporated milk was added. I live in Italy and it’s not a common or easy item to find. What can we use to sub it? Thx!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 4, 2018 at 07:12

      Hi Peggy,
      You can absolutely substitute the evaporated milk with cream. Evaporated milk is concentrated milk, so it gives the dessert a creamier texture. So a creamier cream (with around 30% fat content) can be subbed at a 1:1 ratio without an issue.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Peggy says

        November 4, 2018 at 07:20

        Yes super! That helps a lot. I really want to try this for my Thanksgiving feast here. I love pumpkin pie but love the idea of a sort of pumpkin custard pie even more. Thanks so much!

        Reply
  22. KJ says

    November 3, 2018 at 19:18

    can we sub coconut cream instead of condensed milk?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 4, 2018 at 07:06

      Hi Kj,
      Yes you can use coconut cream instead. Just make sure it’s unsweetened coconut cream 🙂
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  23. Karen Derbes says

    October 29, 2018 at 18:36

    5 stars
    This crustless pumpkin pie custard is THE BOMB!!!! So delicious, I guarantee you will not miss the crust!!!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      October 29, 2018 at 20:44

      Thank you so much for letting me know Karen! I’m really glad you liked the pumpkin pie recipe! 🙂

      Reply
  24. Wilhelmina Wessel says

    October 4, 2018 at 21:31

    5 stars
    I am pinning this yummy pie for later!

    Reply
  25. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

    October 4, 2018 at 19:16

    5 stars
    I love crustless pumpkin pie! It’s the perfect fall dessert and I cannot wait to make it!

    Reply

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