Individual Pumpkin Pies without Crust (aka Pumpkin Custards)
Mini Pumpkin Pies without a crust are a creamy, perfectly spiced way to enjoy the best part of the pie. A simple but delicious pumpkin pie filling is poured into ramekins and baked into individual custards that are the perfect size to keep all to yourself. Whether you don’t like to make or eat crust, or need an easy gluten free Thanksgiving dessert, this crustless recipe is the on you need.
These are definitely one of Fall’s best gluten-free pumpkin recipes and the video will show you just how simple it is to make!
Originally published in November 2014. This post has been updated over the years to add newer photos including process shots, a video, and even more tips and information about the recipe.
Being born on November 27th, my birthday usually falls on 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 to eat leftovers, my family birthday celebration was usually done on Thanksgiving. This meant my candles went in the pumpkin pie, since apple pie is not the best support system for birthday candles. One problem…
I didn’t like pumpkin pie and really just wanted an ice cream cake. Heck, I might have preferred my candles to go in the Corn Pudding!
Sometime later in life, I actually started liking it. 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 it either happily eats it every year. The first year he tried it, I’m sure he just said it since he was trying to impress me and my family. But even now he still eats it, so I’m going to keep convincing myself it is because mine is exceptionally good.
How does Martha Stewart make pumpkin pie?
I don’t know if it is her use of brown sugar instead of white sugar to give it that hint of molasses flavor, the perfect amount of spices, or the evaporated milk and cornstarch that ensure it holds together while still staying creamy. But it is the best.
And it does not involve anything more than whisking the ingredients together in a bowl.
The only thing I have done is use a full can of pumpkin and a full can of evaporated milk. Her recipe calls for exact measurements which are slightly less than a full can. But I have done it this way for years and never had a problem.
Back in the day, I followed Martha’s crust recipe, as well. But 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.
And I make individual ones because then you can eat an entire pie yourself!
No-Crust Mini Pumpkin Pie 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 any time you want to satisfy your pumpkin pie craving but don’t want to deal with making a 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.
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 along with all of the other ingredients are as well, are gluten free.
You can either make a batch of these to share with the family. But if you are the only member of the family who needs a gluten free Thanksgiving dessert, you have the option of just filling one custard cup. Then pour the rest of the filling in a crust and baking like you would a regular pumpkin pie.
How to make mini pumpkin pies
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.
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!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree – this is not pre-made pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient should be pumpkin.
- Light brown sugar – lightly packed. I have used dark brown sugar and it works, but I recommend sticking with the light brown as it does not overwhelm the other flavors, and dark brown sugar gives a darker pie.
- Cornstarch
- Kosher salt
- Pumpkin pie spice – you can buy it in a bottle already made, or use the spices in my pantry to make this Pumpkin Pie Spice from How Sweet It Is.
- Eggs
- Evaporated milk – NOT sweetened condensed milk.
To make this recipe, you will also 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.
- Large glass baking dish at least 9×13 inches – you’ll be baking these in a water bath so you’ll need to set the ramekins in this baking pan.
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk – whisking ensures you get the ingredients thoroughly mixed and smooth before adding the evaporated milk.
- Spatula – I prefer to stir the evaporated milk in with a spatula to avoid too many bubbles which can lead to bubbles on the top of your pies.
Directions overview – scroll to the recipe card for the full set of instructions
You’ll be baking these in a water bath, so before you get started, start heating a pot or teapot of water for the water bath. Place ramekins in a large glass baking dish.
Combine all of the ingredients except the evaporated milk together in a bowl. Then whisk make sure it is nice and smooth and there are no lumps of brown sugar.
Then gently stir in the can of evaporated milk. The can will say to shake it, but since you are using all of it, I recommend just swirl it a bit and pour it all in. Then fold in gently. These two tips will help keep a bunch of small bubbles from forming. These aren’t really a problem, but you could end up with a bubbly top to your pies instead of it being nice and smooth.
Pour the mixture into ramekins. Then pour the hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins. You can do this after you set it on the oven rack if you don’t want to carry a heavy dish filled with boiling water.
Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until barely set. 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.
Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.
You can also make a standard size crustless pumpkin pie.
Common questions
Do you have to refrigerate pumpkin pie?
Yes, since it is a custard with eggs and milk, you do have to store it in the refrigerator to avoid the growth of bacateria.
Can you freeze cooked pumpkin pie filling?
Yes, after baking, you can freeze these pumpkin custards. I would not recommend freezing it before baking. But after baking, they to freeze and thaw nicely if wrapped thoroughly in plastic wrap. Just remove them from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator.
How do you serve pumpkin custards?
- Is it even pumpkin pie without whipped cream? While I love fresh whipped cream as 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. There are plenty of gluten free options, like these gluten free grahams.
- If you like ice cream with your pie, Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream is an easy option for vanilla with a tangy twist.
- And if you want to know what to do with leftover pumpkin pie filling, try these Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt Parfaits!
More gluten free pumpkin recipes
- Pumpkin Pie Pudding
- Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Mini Brownie Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits
- Nutella Swirl Pumpkin No-Churn Ice Cream
- Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
- No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse from Snixy Kitchen
More gluten free pie recipes
- No-Bake Banana Cream Pie with Dulce de Leche
- Mini No-Bake Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse Pies
- S’Mores Chocolate Pudding Pie
- Snickers Monster Cookie Pie
- Shepherds Pie (OK, so that’s a loose definition of pie, but it is delicious!)
Individual Crustless Pumpkin Pies (aka Pumpkin Custards)
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
Enjoy!
This recipe was originally published on November 27, 2010, and was updated with new photos and a video on November 17, 2016.
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Elise MacEwen says
These were perfect. A they were a slightly softer and smoother texture than the normal pie. I used 8 oz custard cups so it took a bit longer for the bake. I liked that the recipe didn’t call for specialty ingredients.
I made them for my mother who can’t have solid foods right now but had a craving for pumpkin pie.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Oh that is so sweet and I am glad she was able to enjoy what she was craving. I always try to keep my ingredient lists simple and accessible!
Toni says
Could you use heavy cream in place if the evaporated milk?
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I have not tried it, but I know some pumpkin pie recipes call for heavy cream.
KB says
I’ve made this recipe and more recently made one with heavy cream. I actually liked the cream better. This is a great go to recipe though.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’ve never tried with cream, but now I will.
Jim says
Is the cornstarch absolutely necessary? Wouldn’t reducing the amount of liquid in the overall recipe also thicken the custard? For example, pumpkin puree has a lot of water in it, so I usually spread it on paper towels to soak up the water before adding other ingredients. The pumpkin and paper don’t stick. Or, just use egg yolks? Wondering what you think. Regards.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I have not tried it without the cornstarch, so I don’t know how it would turn out.
Hannah Flack says
I made this yesterday and it was a hit. I will definitely make again and again.
Regards Hannah Flack
Jeanetta says
These are wonderful. I was out of eggs, so I used applesauce, instead. I wasn’t sure that would work, but they were awesome. I’ll be making these again.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Oh wow, that’s so good to know!
Barbara says
Made this about a week ago. Making a double batch for Thanksgiving. Since we’re Weight Watchers members I used a 2% evaporated milk and use Splenda brown sugar (1/4 cup of Splenda Brown sugar/ it’s sweet enough)
Enjoy this very much. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Yay! Thanks for sharing and glad it has helped you!
Jennifer Jones says
So creamy, tasty and overall amazing!
This recipe is a keeper for sure. Whipped these up and baked them in the oven tonight while baking potatoes for dinner.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thanks so much! I actually just baked some myself!
Audrey Klock says
Hi. I want to try this, but I want to be sure I have it right. Is it evaporated milk or condensed milk (like Eagle brand)? Thanks.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Sorry for the late reply. Got a little behind on my comments. But it is evaporated milk.
Linda M Bell says
Excellent recipe. Exactly what I was craving. I substituted coconut mile for the evaporated (because that is what I had) and it worked perfectly. I also put a layer of walnuts in the bottom of each dish. Perfect addition. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
That is such a great idea! I’m going to try it out myself because it would be great to share gluten- and dairy-free options with my readers. Thanks!
Catrina says
Have you tried freezing these?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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.
mel says
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!
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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.
Patti Grimm says
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
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
SD White says
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!
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Shelli! Thanks for your comment.
Liz says
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.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’m so glad that you can now have your Thanksgiving pie… and eat it, too! 🙂
AMY says
I don’t have any ramekins. Could I put it in a pie dish?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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.
CLYDE REED says
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.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
John Rolli says
Could these bake in large cupcake liners in the oven without the water bath? maybe????
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
Karl says
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
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Karl, I made the pumpkin pie custards in 1-cup ramekin dishes.
ECS Mama Lydia says
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?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
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!
Barbara Schieving says
Love having a little pie all to myself!
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Really, who DOESN’T, Barb?! 😉
GiGi Eats says
Those look heavenly and I also love “individual” because I don’t have to SHARE! he he he!
Bharat Sharma says
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.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thank you so much, Bharat!
Spinnin Jenny says
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
Janet Fazio says
This looks yummy! Perfect solution for gf-ers and those who don’t like the crust anyway.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Yep! Exactly!!
Rebecca Ouellet says
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!!
Brianne Izzo says
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?
Lexy says
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.
Brianne Izzo says
Oh but you will (or should) get an answer :-). I cooled them in the fridge and they slid right out!
Dee Fedor says
Eating this right now. GREAT RECIPE. I have never liked crust, and we need to be gluten free. Perfect!
Brianne Izzo says
So glad you like them! The easiest way to make gluten free pie is to skip the crust altogether 🙂
Shari says
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!! 🙂
Brianne Izzo says
Haha! There are the crust people and the filling people. I guess we are on the same team 🙂
The Farm Girl says
What a great idea! I eat gluten free and have never thought to try this. So excited!!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks! I have never been one for crust anyway, so making these little custards is perfect for me.
Margaret Grunseich says
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!”
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Margaret, what browser are you using? I am on Firefox on my Mac, and it is working fine. If you let me know, I can follow up with the maker of the recipe plugin. Thanks for letting me know!
Margaret Grunseich says
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!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Sorry for the delay. Sounds like Internet Explorer. I am waiting on a response to see if it is something on my end or your end. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Pamela Blue says
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.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I hope you love the pumpkin custards, Pamela! I have a great gluten free dessert recipe that uses apples! Make these gluten free no-bake apple cheesecake bars!
Dani Duck says
You are so missing out not using real whipping cream! Hmm can’t rate it from my phone. 4 stars!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Oh I love real whipped cream, but for some reason I love the fake stuff with my pumpkin pie!
Angie @ Big Bear's Wife says
Hey now, It’s your Birthday (party) and you can cry… I mean have cool whip if you want to, have cool whip if you want too. lol. I don’t normally care for the crust on anything, so I love these!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
It is so funny how strongly people feel either for or against crust 🙂
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Happy Birthday to yooooou! These crustless pies look phenom!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thank you so much!
Family Foodie says
I looooooove these and what a perfect way to celebrate your birthday with some deliciousness!!!!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thank you, Isabel!