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Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies (Pumpkin Custards)

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Pumpkin Pie filling, baked in individual ramekins, for those that aren't crust-lovers.
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Individual Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies, aka Pumpkin Custard

Crustless Pumpkin Pies are the perfect size to keep all to yourself. And since it’s basically an individual gluten free pumpkin pie recipe, it’s definitely one of Fall’s best gluten-free pumpkin recipes! Since everybody knows the best part of the pie is the pumpkin pie filling, there is no need to bother with crust. Just make these mini pumpkin pies baked in ramekins for a pumpkin custard you can keep all to yourself. Don’t wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy an easy version of your favorite holiday dessert! Check out the video to see how easy it is to make this Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe!

 

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Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies recipe

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Being born on November 27th, my birthday usually falls or within a day or two of Thanksgiving. As a kid, since we were already getting together as a family on Thanksgiving, and often on the next day for consumption of leftovers, my family birthday celebration was usually done on Thanksgiving. So this meant my candles went in the pumpkin pie, since apple pie is not the best support system for birthday candles. One problem…

I hated pumpkin pie. I really just wanted a Fudgie the Whale, or something. Heck, a Funfetti ice cream cake would have been awesome. But I got pumpkin pie.

Sometime later in life, I actually started liking pumpkin pie. So I began making it, and I always made the Martha Stewart pumpkin pie. Her filling is always perfect. In fact, the Hubby, who claimed to never really like pumpkin pie happily eats it every year.  Or he just wants to keep up the facade, since the first time he said he liked it was the first time he spent Thanksgiving with my family.

And he was trying to impress everyone, because he also did the dishes – first man to ever do that in our house. I’m going to keep convincing myself it is because I just make an exceptionally good pumpkin pie.

Except now, since I don’t really like crust, have a gluten allergy, and really don’t want to fiddle with gluten free pie crust, I stick with no crust pumpkin pie.

Why make Mini Pumpkin Pies?

Because then you can eat an entire pie yourself!

Kidding, sort of. I actually made these for my birthday. I had thought of making myself a birthday cake to post, since Gluten Free Golden Fudge Cake is pretty much my ultimate birthday cake. But, between the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies for two I found in the freezer, the gluten-free pumpkin snack cake I made, and half of a Monster Snickers Pie I managed to consume in just two sittings, I thought the towering pile of cake and frosting that I dream of would be a bit excessive and dangerous to have in my kitchen.

But this is actually built-in portion control.

Plus making these individual pumpkin pies means you can keep some separate gluten free pumpkin pie for those that can’t or don’t want any crust and leave the regular pumpkin pie for the rest of the family.

Taking a bite of this Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies recipe

Pumpkin Pie without a Crust

These mini pumpkin pies are not much more than pumpkin pie filling baked in little ramekins. By skipping the crust, I suppose you could just call them pumpkin custards, but Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies sounds way more festive, and it’s always more fun to eat your own single serving dessert. Just mix up a perfectly sweet and spice pumpkin pie filling, pour it into custard cups or ramekins, place them in a water bath, and pop them in the oven. If you avoid gluten or just don’t want to deal with making pie crust, this mini pumpkin pie recipe is what you need for fall.

How do you make Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies? Here are some recipe tips…

  • You’ll need 4 oz. ramekins or custard cups to bake these mini pumpkin pies. Set them in a larger glass baking dish so you can later add water to bake in a water bath.
  • Speaking of the water bath, while you prepare the filling, start heating some water in a pot or tea kettle.
  • As mentioned, this pumpkin pie filling is from the Martha Stewart Pumpkin Pie recipe. She uses light brown sugar, which I think gives a nice caramelized flavor versus using white sugar.
  • The pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is whisked with the brown sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs until smooth before stirring in evaporated milk. Note that this is NOT sweetened condensed milk.
  • You can buy pumpkin pie spice, but I usually used the spices in my pantry to make this Pumpkin Pie Spice from How Sweet It Is.
  • After pouring the mixture into the ramekins, pour the hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins. You can do this ofter you set it on the oven rack if you don’t want to carry a heavy dish filled with boiling water.
  • You’ll bake them for about 35 to 45 minutes. The crustless pumpkin pies will still be slightly jiggly when done. They will firm up as they sit in the ramekins and cool. Overbaking is not the end of the world, but they might crack in the middle.
  • Is it even pumpkin pie without whipped cream? While I love fresh whipped cream like I make for my Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake, I’m a sucker for Cool Whip on my pumpkin pie. #dontjudge
  • If you are missing the crust or want something crunchy with the pie, sprinkle some graham cracker or gingersnap crumbs on top.

Is Crustless Pumpkin Pie gluten free?

Yes, this is a perfect option for a gluten free pumpkin pie recipe. Rather than trying to make a gluten free crust, there is no crust at all, which takes that out of the equation. And the pumpkin custard is made with cornstarch as a thickener, which is gluten free. All of the other ingredients are gluten free as well, making this a perfect gluten free Thanksgiving dessert.

Mini Pumpkin Pies without a crust

What are some other gluten free pumpkin recipes?

Pumpkin Pie Pudding sqPumpkin Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Tart 5 titlePumpkin Cheesecake Flourless Chocolate Cake RollMini Brownie Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits recipe, with a no bake gluten free dessert recipe option | CupcakesAndKaleChips.comPumpkin no-churn ice cream, with a swirl of Nutella! This easy no-churn ice cream recipe brings together pumpkin puree and chocolate-hazelnut spread into a 6-ingredient frozen treat!

And if you want to know what to do with leftover pumpkin pie filling, try these Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt Parfaits!

Individual Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies, aka Pumpkin Custard

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To make this recipe, you will need:

RAMEKINS – The most common question I get is what size ramekins to make these mini pumpkin pies in. I use 4 oz. ramekins like these. You could make them smaller or bigger, but you would have to adjust the baking time. I find that this is actually the perfect serving size.

Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies Recipe

Who needs crust when you can enjoy the best part of the pie in your own single-serving dessert? These mini pumpkin pies are perfect to serve for Thanksgiving or any time you want to satisfy your pumpkin pie craving but don’t want to deal with making a crust. A sweet pumpkin pie filling with the warm spices of cinnamon and ginger is baked in ramekins for a creamy pumpkin custard. I guarantee these are going to be a hit with your friends and family.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and give it a FIVE STAR rating or share a photo on this pin on Pinterest!

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Individual Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies, aka Pumpkin Custard
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5 from 5 votes

Individual Crustless Pumpkin Pies (aka Pumpkin Custards)

Pumpkin Pie filling, baked in individual ramekins, for those that aren't crust-lovers.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Dessert, Pie
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crustless pumpkin pies
Servings: 6
Calories: 248kcal
Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips (Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Traditional Pumpkin Pie)

Ingredients

  • 15 ounces pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 large eggs
  • 12 ounces evaporated milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 6 ramekins or custard cups in a large baking dish. Heat a pot or teapot of water to boiling, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs.
  • Whisk to combine thoroughly.
  • Add evaporated milk, and stir to combine.
  • Fill the ramekins with the pumpkin mixture. Pour the hot water in the baking dish around the ramekins.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until set in the middle.
  • Remove from the oven, and let cool in the pan until cool enough to handle.
  • Remove the ramekins from the water bath. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 226% | Vitamin C: 5.1% | Calcium: 20.8% | Iron: 10.3%

Enjoy!

This recipe was originally published on November 27, 2010, and was updated with new photos and a video on November 17, 2016.

 

Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies - this individual pumpkin pie recipe without a crust is the best fall dessert. Everything you love about pumpkin pie without the work of making a crust for a naturally gluten free dessert for autumn and especially Thanksgiving. #cupcakesandkalechips #pumpkinpie #pie #crustlesspie #glutenfree #thanksgiving #glutenfreedesserts #pumpkin
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Comments

    • Hi Catrina,
      I have not tried freezing these. However, I know that people have had success freezing pumpkin pie. I suggest making sure that the mini pies are well chilled first. Then, wrap the ramekins tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent any freezer burn.

      Reply

  2. Thanks for the spice suggestion! I made a pie (DF and GF from scratch, starting with roasting a pumpkin!) and it’s good, but I followed the instructions to use pumpkin pie spice and it definitely needed more ginger and cloves. Wasn’t a fan of the crust, so I’ve been scraping the filling. I thought “sure some internet person has a recipe for pumpkin pie custards.” Voila!

    Reply

    • I’m so happy to hear that you’ve found a pumpkin pie recipe that meets all of your needs, Mel! Thanks for your comment.

      Reply

  3. My daughter-in-law is GF and this is just what I have been looking for for Thanksgiving! Is it ok to use the pumpkin pie mix and just add the eggs and evaporated milk as the recipe calls for and bake according to your instructions? Thanks so much! patti

    Reply

    • Hi Patti,
      If you’re needing a gluten free recipe, be sure to check the pumpkin pie mix to make sure that it’s gluten free. I’ve never tried making the recipe with a pumpkin pie mix before, so I can’t guarantee any results one way or the other. Please let me know how it turns out for you!

      Reply

  4. What a treat, I love pumpkin desserts! I used the suggestion of adding the crushed ginger snap on top of the whip cream. So yummy!

    Reply

  5. Thank you for a great way to eat pumpkin pie without the crust. I am severely gluten intolerant and the thought of Thanksgiving without the traditional things like pumpkin pie, well… I know there are worse things in life but… I am just glad
    to know there are ways around those things. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Amy, if you want to keep them individual sized, you could use oven safe coffee mugs instead of ramekins. If you use a pie dish, the baking time will be longer.

      Reply

  7. Looks similar to a recipe my mother made for my school lunches. Big differences were (1) eggs were separated and whites turned into meringue and (2) they were baked without placing in water bath. And when we had a bumper crop of cooking squash, pureed squash was substituted for pumpkin. That was plenty flavorful for a hungry schoolkid! I even learned how to make them while I was still an elementary school kid.

    Reply

    • I’m happy to hear that you’ve found a recipe that brings back some great food memories for you, Clyde. I love the idea of adding meringue to the pumpkin pies, too!

      Reply

    • John, I am afraid that the custards will be dry and cracked without a water bath. If you don’t have a large enough pan to use as a water bath, you can just take a cake pan or sauce pan with water in it and place it on the rack below where the custards are baking. That will at least help a little bit. Good luck!

      Reply

  9. What size ramekin dishes? There are 4 x 2.2” and 2 x 3.4” or 4.1 x 2.2” or 3.9 x 2 the. There are mini ones too in sets of 6

    Reply

  10. I don’t have the ramekins and I know that if I used them, it would only be with this recipe. Is it possible to line your muffin pan with those cupcake liners to bake them? If so, would you bake them for the same amount of time and at the same temperature?

    Reply

    • Lydia, I understand your concern with having to purchase something that you may only use for one recipe. However, in the case of a pumpkin custard, I’m sorry to have to say that a muffin pan would not be a suitable replacement. Custards are eaten directly from the container in which they are baked. If you have any pint sized mason jars, you may be able to use those as a replacement for the ramekins. In that case, the baking time and temperature would be the same. Good luck!

      Reply

  13. First of all, advance Happy Birthday. I am not good with remembering dates, and I may miss it in future.

    As far as pumpkin is concerned, I am not a big fan of it. For me, eating pumpkin is like “it’s end of the world”. I never liked it. However, this looks different and delicious. It could be due to the magical effect of these photos ( which you have added to the post) that invites me to give this recipe a try.

    Reply

  14. Where has this recipe been all my life?! For several years I’ve been looking for this exact same recipe. My kids never liked the crust of pumpkin pies. They would eat the filling and leave the crust. I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! It’s very similar to the recipe I use for my pumpkin pies. I used the spices from my pumpkin pie recipe, instead of store bought or the one linked to this recipe.

    These spices are enough to make 2 recipes of Pumpkin Custard. I don’t use store bought pumpkin pie spices. You can divide this spice mix in half if you like.

    1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp. ground cloves
    1/2 tsp. ground allspice
    1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
    1/2 tsp. ground ginger
    1/2 tsp. salt

    Reply

  16. Hi! I really want to make these for my son who loves pumpkin pie and is also gluten intolerant! Unfortunately he’s also dairy intolerant, so do you think these would work with almond milk or coconut milk? Thanks!!

    Reply

    • I asked one of my vegan bloggy friends and this is what she said “The better option is almond, soy, or coconut milk creamer. I replace 12 ounces of evaporated milk with 8 ounces of coconut milk creamer + 1 tbsp white flour.” Now I know flour is an issue, so perhaps a bit more cornstarch?

      Reply

  17. Can’t wait to bake my Pie in a custard cup….makes sense to me.
    Question – How did you get the “pie” out of the cup and have it look so perfect.
    PS….wish you had a box to click to have “them” let me know when there is an answer.

    Reply

  19. You are my new BFF!! Oh my gosh. I LOVE pumpkin pie but I hate the crust. The family always laughs at me because I eat the filling out of the pie and leave all the crust. I am definitely trying this!!! Yum! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂

    Reply

  21. I tried to print this recipe out several times by clicking on the button, and I keep getting “Oops! This link appears to be broken!”

    Reply

      • OK, Brianne, here is where my stupidity shines through…I’m not sure what browser I’m using! I click on the blue e on my desktop which brings me to MSN. I originally found you in Facebook. So…did I answer your question? I’m sorry for my lack of knowledge!

        Reply

    • Easy enough to copy out on a piece of paper. That’s what I did. 🙂 I personally love the crust, but hubby has now decided to eat gluten-free, so I’m scrambling for ideas. The main meals are usually no problem, as I cook from scratch most days, so I know what is going into the food, but he occasionally likes a dessert, so I thought these looked great.

      Do you have anything with apples? He loves those.

      Reply

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