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! Ladies and gentlemen, this here is THE BEST Crustless Pumpkin Pie in the world! No exaggerations really, as far as no crust pumpkin pies go, this one takes the… pie. Let me first say that I’ve got nothing against pie crusts. In fact, I love to make pie crust and I have a detailed tutorial and recipe on how to make the perfect pie crust. I even shared a step by step recipe for the best traditional pumpkin pie with a buttery crust and all. But, there’s something to be said about a pumpkin pie that is this easy and this good. Besides, 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 pie crust. 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.
Recipe ingredients
So, I followed the pumpkin pie recipe on the Libby’s 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.
Two biggest problems with other crustless pumpkin pie recipes (including Libby’s recipe)
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. 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).
My solutions to prevent weeping, curdling, overbaking of this crustless 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 the oven before placing the crustless pumpkin pie inside. Solution #2 Add 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 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 170°F – 175°F ensures that you get perfect, creamy, smooth results. I prefer 170°F, and NEVER go over 175°F.
More expert tips for a PERFECT crustless pumpkin pie recipe
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”.
Serving suggestions
My favorite way to serve this crustless pumpkin pie pudding 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. After all, this tastes and feels like a really creamy pumpkin pie pudding too. For even better results, you can flavor your whipped cream for even more flavor. Use maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, coffee or any other flavor you like. You can also flavor it with spices such as cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (spiced whipped cream). My husband likes it with slightly sweetened whipped cream, I prefer it with a drizzle of extra maple syrup on top. Coconut whipped cream is also a delicious topping for this crustless pie. But the best part is that this no crust pumpkin pie is healthy enough for breakfast too! Just add some granola (for crunch), or Greek yogurt, or some roasted pecans and you have yourself a pumpkin pie parfait. This refined sugar free, gluten free crustless pumpkin pie is guaranteed to be a hit as a Thanksgiving dessert. It’s one of the best pumpkin desserts you can make, and it’s such an easy recipe. And you can make it any time you want to whip up some simple, delicious pumpkin pie! It’s incredibly creamy, smooth, full of pumpkin flavor and perfectly sweet, and just so satisfying that you won’t miss the crust at all.
Storage instructions
In the fridge
When your crustless pumpkin pie pudding has cooled down, and is only warm, you can transfer it to the fridge so that it cools down faster. However, keep it uncovered until it’s at room temperature, as water condensation may otherwise create water puddles on the surface. Once at room temperature, wrap the crustless pumpkin pie with plastic wrap very well. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, this will depend on basic food safety handling. Keeping the baked custard at room temperature for long periods of time, or repeated temperature fluctuations may result in decreased shelf life. Using utensils that are unsanitary to serve the dessert will also decrease the shelf life. So, when eating leftovers, please make sure that the crustless pumpkin pie does not smell or look off (color changes, or looks spotty), or has any textural changes.
In the freezer
It is possible to freeze this no crust pumpkin pie. However, there might be some changes in texture in the baked pumpkin custard once it de-frosts. To freeze, wrap the pie dish with plastic wrap very well. Followed by aluminum foil, making sure that you use as many layers as you need so that the whole dish is wrapped very well. You can freeze this for up to 2 months. If you have leftovers, you can put them in an airtight container, and place this in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let the leftovers de-frost gradually in the fridge over 1 – 2 days. There might be some water that collects on top of the dessert as it de-frosts. Use a clean paper towel to absorb and remove that moisture before serving. If you liked this crustless pumpkin pie (gluten free pumpkin pie) recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, YOU TUBE.
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