Eggless Pumpkin Pie (Gluten Free)

This easy crustless Eggless Pumpkin Pie without evaporated milk is a creamy pumpkin custard baked in two ramekins so you can eat your Thanksgiving pie without leftovers. Bonus points for being a gluten free pumpkin pie for two.

Dessert for two is something I know well because of experience.

Truth is I’ve been cooking for myself since 2007 (minus when my parents and brother visit).

I never thought much of it until I was at my first big girl job after college from 2010-2014 where everyone who worked there had a family to feed.

Coworkers mentioned to me time and again about how they couldn’t do what I do, how they couldn’t make mashed potatoes for one person and would get bored with too many leftovers.

They also thought I drove 2.5 hours home to my parents every single weekend like I’m back in college.

Funny how lifestyles can vary so much. I may have felt alone at my previous job, but I know you’re reading this right now because you, too, bake for 1-2 people.

Sure, Thanksgiving is about family get togethers, but the thing is not everyone has a huge family.

That’s why I wrote about Thanksgiving Dinner For Two so you can still cook a traditional dinner at a much smaller scale.

Or perhaps travel plans didn’t work out this year and not everybody will be eating holiday dinner together.

After you’re done eating your turkey tenderloin with turkey gravy, you do NOT want to skip this Eggless Pumpkin Pie for dessert.

It’s an egg free pumpkin pie in ramekins. I took my small pumpkin pie and scaled it down to make two mini pumpkin pies.

I even found a substitute for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie. That way you don’t have to open a whole can for a tiny amount!

I also skipped the pie crust as I felt it wasn’t necessary for pumpkin pie ramekins (but I do provide options if crust is your favorite part).

Because it’s crustless, that means it’s also a gluten free pumpkin pie.

I’ve heard from multiple readers they make my eggless pumpkin pie because someone they know has food allergies.

Whatever the reason for making my recipe for pumpkin pie without eggs, I got you covered.

What are ramekins?

Ramekins are round ceramic baking dishes with a fluted exterior.

I used 6-ounce ramekins, which you can buy online, buy in stores, or find at a thrift store.

If you use a different size, you may need to adjust the baking time. If the ramekin is bigger, it may need less time. If the ramekin is smaller, you may need more time.

Once you have ramekins, check out these other ramekin dessert recipes.

Ingredients For Eggless Pumpkin Pie

To make my egg free pumpkin pie, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Canned Pumpkin Puree: It’s ready-to-use pumpkin puree without having to roast a fresh pumpkin. Make sure it doesn’t say pumpkin pie filling.
• Heavy Cream: Instead of evaporated milk, use a combination of heavy cream and milk.
• Whole Milk: Use whole milk because of the fat content. Do not use low fat or fat free.
• Sugar: Used to sweeten the pumpkin
• Cornstarch: . Used as a thickener, you still get the consistency of pumpkin pie without cutting an egg in half.
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Clove: Sometimes referred to as pumpkin pie spice, these ground spices gives pumpkin pie its iconic flavor.
• Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer and will only make everything taste better.
• Vanilla: Vanilla is another flavor enhancer. Use real vanilla and not imitation vanilla.

Looking for more egg free desserts? Check out my full list of Eggless Desserts for two including no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars.

What can I substitute for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie?

Every pumpkin pie recipe calls for evaporated milk. However, opening a can for a small amount can be annoying.

Luckily, you can substitute heavy cream and whole milk for evaporated milk. This combination ensures there’s enough milk fat in the filling.

Chances are if you’re like me, you have them in your fridge anyway.

Of course if the reverse is true and you do want to use evaporated milk, replace both the heavy cream and whole milk with evaporated.

Does pumpkin pie need a crust?

I was debating on whether I could even officially call this pie because there is no dough involved.

However, the filling is the same so I’m calling them crustless pumpkin pie (which automatically makes it gluten free pumpkin pie).

Of course if you’re missing the crust, mix together 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (gluten free brand, if necessary) with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Or make my small pie crust, use some of it for the ramekins, then freeze the rest.

How To Make Eggless Pumpkin Pie

Because this egg free pumpkin pie has no crust, making the filling is super easy:

1. Whisk together pumpkin, heavy cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, spices, and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, which activates the cornstarch so it’ll thicken.
3. Stir in vanilla then divide between two 6-ounce ramekins.
4. Bake at 350F 20-25 minutes or until the center is mostly set with some wiggling and internal temperature reaches 160F degrees.

Cool for 1 hour then refrigerate until cold before serving with homemade whipped cream.

Refrigerate leftover pumpkin pie for up to 4 days.

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie

One question I get often is can you substitute almond milk for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie to make it vegan?

Answer is yes you can use most dairy free milks with some adjustments.

Because most vegan milks don’t have as much fat as evaporated milk, you will need to add an extra 1 teaspoon cornstarch to help thicken the filling.

You may also need to adjust the sugar as some dairy free milks such as almond milk can be a bit sweeter than dairy milk.

What To Do With Leftover Canned Pumpkin

One downside to small batch baking is you often have leftover ingredients, especially if it comes from a can like pumpkin puree.

Here are some recipes using leftover pumpkin:

• Small Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
• Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars
• Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
• Small Pumpkin Cake

Originally published November 25, 2013