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Smooth pumpkin puree and a creamy custard filling give this Crustless Pumpkin Pie Recipe its tender, sliceable texture, while cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg bring warm fall spice. The filling bakes right in a pie dish, with no crust to prepare. Prep takes just 10 minutes, and the pie makes 8 servings. Plan ahead, since it needs to cool and chill thoroughly before serving.
Why Make a Crustless Pumpkin Pie?
All the familiar pumpkin pie filling goes into the dish without a crust, making this a straightforward way to enjoy the smooth, spiced center on its own. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg give the pumpkin and custard a warm, balanced flavor, while heavy cream and eggs make a silky texture that sets as the pie cools. Don’t expect the center to look completely firm when it leaves the oven: it may still be loose and jiggly, which is normal. It continues to set during cooling and chilling, so allow time for that before slicing and serving it cold.
Ingredients for Crustless Pumpkin Pie
The filling uses a short list of measured ingredients, divided into the dry mixture, the cream-and-egg mixture, and the pumpkin puree.
Sugar, Spices, and Salt
- Granulated sugar: ¾ cup
- Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
- Ground cinnamon: 2 teaspoons
- Ground ginger: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cloves: ¼ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon
- Salt: ¼ teaspoon
Cream, Eggs, and Vanilla
- Heavy cream: 1 cup
- Large eggs: 3
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Pumpkin
- Pumpkin puree: 15 ounces
Crustless Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Warm Fall Spices at Home
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours 5 minutes, including cooling and chilling
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A smooth, warmly spiced crustless pumpkin pie made with pumpkin puree, cream, and a simple custard filling. Chill it thoroughly before serving for the best texture.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spray a 9-inch glass pie dish with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until well combined and lump-free.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add the pumpkin puree and stir until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a food thermometer inserted into the center reads 170°F (77°C). The center may still look loose and jiggly; it will continue to set as it cools.
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover with food-safe plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing.
- Serve cold, with an optional dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
- The pie will look slightly jiggly in the center when it comes out of the oven; avoid overbaking.
- Allow the pie to cool completely, then chill it for at least 8 hours so it can set before slicing.
- Whipped cream is optional for serving.
How to Make Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Prepare the dish first, then mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before combining them with the pumpkin puree. Bake until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 170°F (77°C), even if the center still looks jiggly. The pie needs time to cool completely and chill for at least 8 hours before you slice and serve it cold.
Prepare the Oven and Pie Dish
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) so it is ready when the filling is mixed. Spray a 9-inch glass pie dish with non-stick baking spray, covering the inside of the dish, then set it aside. Preparing the dish before mixing the batter keeps the next steps straightforward: once the filling is combined, you can pour it directly into the dish and transfer it to the oven.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture looks lump-free. Take a moment to break up any clumps as you stir, especially in the cornstarch and spices, so they are well combined before you add them to the wet ingredients.
Whisk the Wet Ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Continue until the mixture is combined; keeping these ingredients in their own bowl first makes it easier to incorporate the dry mixture in the next step. Use a bowl large enough to hold the full filling once you add the dry ingredients and pumpkin puree.
Mix the Filling and Pour It into the Dish
Stir the dry mixture into the cream, egg, and vanilla mixture until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and stir again, bringing the ingredients together into a uniform filling. Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch glass pie dish. Once it is in the dish, it is ready to bake; avoid leaving the mixed filling aside while you prepare other parts of the recipe.
Bake Until the Center Reaches Temperature
Bake the pie for 55 to 60 minutes. Check the center with a food thermometer; it should read 170°F (77°C). The middle may still look loose and jiggly when the pie comes out of the oven, and that is expected. It will continue to set as it cools, so use the thermometer reading rather than waiting for the center to look completely firm. Avoid overbaking.
Cool and Chill the Pie
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature, about 2 hours. Once it has cooled, cover it with food-safe plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing. This cooling and chilling time is part of the recipe, not an optional shortcut: the pie needs it to finish setting for serving.
Serve the Pie
Serve the pie cold after it has finished chilling. Slice it into 8 servings, allowing the chilled filling to hold its shape as you portion it. For a simple finishing touch, add a dollop of whipped cream to each serving if you like; the topping is optional. Keep the pie refrigerated until you are ready to serve it so it stays cold.
Why Cooling and Chilling Matter
The pie’s texture is still developing when it comes out of the oven. Even when the center reaches 170°F (77°C), it may look loose and jiggle slightly; that does not mean it needs more baking. The filling continues to set as it cools, so give it time to reach room temperature before covering and refrigerating it. Slicing while it is still warm or before the chill is complete may not give the filling time to set as intended.
Plan for the cooling and chilling time when choosing when to bake. The pie needs about 2 hours to cool completely, followed by at least 8 hours in the refrigerator—overnight is preferable—before slicing. Since the recipe’s total time includes this rest, it works best to make the pie well ahead of serving rather than expecting it to be ready shortly after baking. Once chilled, serve it cold. Building in that unhurried rest gives the custard time to finish setting and makes the pie ready to portion into slices.
Serving This Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Serve the crustless pumpkin pie cold after it has chilled for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. This gives the custard time to finish setting before you cut it. Slice the pie into 8 portions, in keeping with the recipe’s yield, and serve each slice chilled. Keep any remaining pie refrigerated while serving so it stays cold. For an optional finishing touch, add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice; the pie can also be served without it. If you are preparing it for a gathering, make sure to plan for the cooling and chilling time before serving. The pie is ready to enjoy once it is fully chilled and portioned, with no additional topping required.
