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This easy Crustless Pumpkin Pie is deliciously creamy, perfectly spiced, and naturally gluten free. Plus, it has only 7 ingredients! It’s the perfect way to enjoy fall flavors and indulge in a classic Thanksgiving dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
One of my favorite fall desserts is pumpkin pie. Give me a creamy slice of perfectly spiced pumpkin pie anytime, with a generous dollop of whipped cream on top please! When I decided to go gluten free, getting my pumpkin pie fix became something of a challenge since traditional pie crust is not gluten free. That’s where this recipe comes in – it’s crustless!
Technically, yes, pumpkin pie without a crust is actually a pumpkin custard. But I think anything you bake in a pie plate and cut into slices qualifies as pie, don’t you? So if you are looking for an easy gluten free dessert idea for Thanksgiving, or just want to enjoy some fall baking, here is why you should give this recipe a try…
- Incredibly simple. Yes, the easiest way to make gluten free pumpkin pie is to make it with no crust. It’s truly the best option if you want to minimize fuss or just don’t like crest. And if you really want the pumpkin to shine.
- Fast to prepare. When you have a million other dishes to make or if you are short on time, you only have to stir together seven ingredients and pop it in the oven.
- Wonderful flavor. I started with my all-time favorite pumpkin pie filling. The one that my husband, who never liked pumpkin pie before, actually enjoys every holiday season. It has the creamy custard you love with the perfect balance of rich sweetness from brown sugar instead of white sugar and cozy pumpkin pie spice.
Want to make pumpkin pie with the crust? Try my gluten free pumpkin pie recipe!
What You’ll Need
Are you ready to make pumpkin pie? There are only 7 ingredients in this no-crust recipe! Here is a brief overview so you can see just how easy it is to make. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full quantities and details. But don’t skip my Pro Tips below!
- One can of pumpkin puree. Just unsweetened and unseasoned pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
- Light brown sugar. I do not recommend dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar gives a nice molasses flavor that really makes this the best pumpkin pie filling ever. But dark brown sugar will make the pie a little too dark and almost give it a burnt sugar flavor.
- Cornstarch. This is how you thicken and set the custard without needing flour to keep it gluten free.
- Salt.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Buy it or make your own homemade pumpkin spice blend.
- Eggs.
- Evaporated milk. Despite what the can says, you don’t need to shake your evaporated milk since you are using the entire can. Swirl it around a bit, so that anything that is settled doesn’t stay stuck in the bottom of the can. But if you shake too vigorously, you can end up with tiny bubbles that float on the top of your pumpkin mixture and then end up on top of your baked pie.
How to Make a Crustless Pumpkin Pie
It’s so easy to make this mouthwatering dessert.
- Make the pumpkin mixture. Start by combining the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs in a bowl and whisking it until smooth.
- Finish the custard. Then gently stir or fold in the evaporated milk with a spoon or spatula, being careful not to let it incorporate it and form a lot of bubbles. Otherwise, you will end up with a bubbly texture on top of your pie. It tastes fine, but doesn’t look as pretty.
- Fill the pan. Pour the entire mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.
- Bake the pie. Bake it at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until it is still slightly jiggly in the center. It will set as it cools. Let it cool and you have the easiest gluten free pumpkin pie ever.
- Mix well: While I like to whisk the first six ingredients vigorously to make it smooth, I gently stir or fold in the evaporated milk, again to avoid those bubbles.
- Don’t make a mess: I use a standard 9-inch pie plate. While I do place it on a baking sheet just in case, when you don’t have a crust, you don’t really run into problems with it overflowing. Though if you only have a deep dish pie pan, it will bake in there just fine too.
- Have leftovers? It’s time to have pumpkin pie for breakfast with these Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Parfaits.
FAQs
No, pumpkin puree contains only pumpkin. You can make your own by roasting pumpkins, or, as I do, simply buy canned pumpkin puree. That is what you will use to make this recipe. Canned pumpkin pie filling already has the thickeners, sweeteners, and spices added. Starting with pure pumpkin puree gives you full control over the flavor and sweetness of your pie.
Yes, pumpkin pie can be overcooked. Typically it won’t affect the flavor, though the texture might not be as smooth and creamy. However, over baking a pumpkin pie can cause it to weep liquid or crack in the middle. Again, unless you really leave it in way too long, it will still taste delicious, and cracks are nothing that a little whipped cream or no-churn vanilla cheesecake ice cream can’t fix.
To avoid overcooking it, make sure your oven temperature is accurate (an inexpensive oven thermometer helps with this) and check the pie at 45 minutes.
It should still be a little jiggly in the middle and will not look quite set all the way to the center. You don’t want it liquidy, but it should not be completely firm. It will continue to cook a bit as it cools and then will firm up in the refrigerator.
Yes! If you don’t have any gluten issues, you can use your favorite homemade pie crust or, what I always used to do, just pick up a package of pie dough from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I also have a gluten free pie crust recipe that works really well with this pumpkin pie filling!
While a standard pie plate is fine if you are making a pumpkin pie without crust, once you add a crust I do recommend using a deep dish pie plate to avoid it spilling over while you bake it. And place the pie plate on a baking sheet so that if it does spill over, you don’t have to clean a burned-on mess in your oven.
Baking temperature is exactly the same as the crustless pumpkin pie, though it might need a couple of minutes longer in the oven. Check the pie after about 40 minutes and if the crust is getting too brown, cover the edges with aluminum foil or a pie shield.
How to Store
Once your pie has cooled completely cover it with cling wrap and store it in the fridge. It will keep for 4-5 days. For Thanksgiving, you could definitely make your gluten free pumpkin pie a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in.
Make It a Meal
Since pumpkin pie is the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert, complete your holiday feast with an Herb Roast Turkey and my favorite gluten free Thanksgiving side dishes…
- Gluten Free Corn Pudding has been a family favorite for nearly three decades.
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes takes the classic side and makes it even better.
- Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce adds a little zing to perfectly sweet and tart cranberry sauce.
- Cheddar Bacon Gluten Free Stuffing is not your mama’s stuffing, but it’s so much better.
- Gluten Free Cornbread is so easy to mix together in just one bowl.
- Cranberry Orange Glazed Green Beans are a fresh and flavorful alternative to green bean casserole.
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch glass pie plate
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs
- 12 oz evaporated milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 9-inch glass pie plate on a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs and whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add evaporated milk, and stir gently just until combined.
- Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie plate.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until it is still slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool to room temperature.
- Chill for at least two hours in the refrigerator, or until ready to serve.
Did you make this?
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I put this in a 8×8 glass baking dish. Diabetic so i used Monk fruit instead of the sugar and kept everything else as written. I did spray baking dish with no stick spray before I added the pumpkin pie mix. It might not of needed the spray but didn’t want to find out the hard way. It came out very good, but next time I will add a little more pumpkin pie spice to my taste. Thank you for this recipe.
Cani it be Frozen if left over
Technically yes, but with anything custard-based, the texture can be affected when freezing and thawing.
Am I missing something about pie plate prep? I’m concerned about it sticking or burning…
It looks so good and it’s been years since I’ve had pumpkin pie!
You can give it a little coating of cooking spray. But it’s not necessary.
Could this be made in individual servings cupcake-style? How would you adjust the bake time?
I have a recipe for baking it in ramekins. I haven’t tried a cupcake pan, but I expect it would work. I’d just add a water bath, like in the ramekin recipe, because the metal pan might cause them to cook too quickly. Maybe check it after 15-20 minutes?
Could this be made in Graham cracker crust?
Absolutely!
So I forgot to add the evaporated milk and it tastes amazing! I’ll have to try the evaporated milk next time to see the difference, but didn’t even seem like something was off. It taste so good!! Thanks for the recipe!
I made this pie and substituted canned coconut milk for the evaporated milk. Best pumpkin pie I have ever tasted.
Thanks for the tip! Glad you enjoyed it!
Great. Pumpkin pie without a soggy crust after a few days. I didn’t want to waste pumpkin so I doubled the recipe. Used 2- 9 inch pie plates. I used the knife in pie comes out clean method To test doneness. Next time I will use a deep dish pie plate and put it all in one pan. Tastes great, a really nice texture. I might add a little more spice but just because I really like pumpkin pie spice.
I used canned coconut milk and turned Out amazing!!!
I made this with my pumpkin loving kiddos. It was an easy recipe for kids to help with, it smelled amazing baking, and tasted even better!!! I recently had to go gluten free, and I am so glad to have found such a great dessert.
So happy to hear this!
Made this last night. Really good with whipped cream.
Love it, so happy to hear.
Best low calorie dessert ever. I substituted golden monk fruit sugar substitute (1\2 amount as indicated for brown sugar) and it tasted fabulous. Calories went down to 113 per slice. Thanks for a great recipe!
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed it!
Best gluten free pie ever! I sometimes will sub sweet condensed milk for evaporated milk and leave out the sugar. This seems to make the pie thicker. Yum either way!!
Great idea to try that. I’ll have to do that, though I do love the flavor of the brown sugar. So happy you enjoyed it!
Do you need to grease the pie plate?
No, it shouldn’t be necessary to grease it.
I love this! So fresh and tasty.
This recipe is delicious and easy to make. Thank you.
So happy you enjoy it!
Can I substitute a non- dairy for the evaporated milk? And, if so can you recommend one?
I have not tried it. Sorry, I don’t bake with non-dairy products very often.