Looking for an EASY and crowd-pleasing gluten-free thanksgiving dessert? These gluten-free crustless pumpkin pie cupcakes are it!
With dozens of 5-star reviews, this recipe continues to be a treasured reader and family-favorite. It’s my #1 thanksgiving recipe!
This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated with new photos and step-by-step instructions in 2022. I hope you enjoy the crustless pumpkin pie as much as we do!
If you’re yet to master the art of gluten-free pie crust making, these pumpkin pie cupcakes are for you! Even if you have mastered the art of gluten-free pie crust making (tell me your secrets…) these cupcakes are amazingly delicious.
They are a cross between pumpkin pie and a cupcake. Skeptical? You’ll have to taste to believe it!
VIDEO: See how to make it!
(Original photo from 2015!)
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
These gluten-free pumpkin pie cupcakes are perfect for gluten/dairy-free guests at Thanksgiving.
Coconut milk replaces regular milk, but nobody will notice or taste the coconut. All they’ll taste is creamy, custardy, spiced pumpkin deliciousness.
These are so easy to make and can be made a day in advance, which is always a lifesaver at holiday gatherings.
I didn’t think anything could ever compare to traditional pumpkin pie, but these cupcakes are right up there with the best pumpkin desserts I’ve ever tasted!
For more gluten-free thanksgiving dinner recipes, check out this gluten-free gravy, gluten-free stuffing, gluten-free rolls and gluten-free cornbread stuffing.
Feel like making crust? Check out this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie! You also might like these collections of gluten-free thanksgiving recipes or gluten-free thanksgiving desserts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make this crustless pumpkin pie recipe:
- Canned pumpkin: I like to use canned Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin. Any can of pumpkin will work. Just do NOT use pumpkin pie filling!
- Coconut milk: Coconut milk makes a delicious pumpkin pie custard! I also love using coconut milk to keep these gluten and dairy-free! You could also use evaporated milk if you prefer.
- Sugar + brown sugar: Brown sugar adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor — the perfect compliment to the pumpkin spices. I don’t find these to be overly sweet but if you’d like to reduce the sugar I suggest reducing the white sugar to 1/4 cup. Check the comments for information about sugar substitutes!
- Gluten-Free flour: A little gluten-free flour gives these crustless pumpkin pie cupcakes some structure. Any brand you have on hand will work!
How to Make Gluten-Free Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (or silicone muffin liners).Generously spray the bottoms and sides of the liners with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and egg yolk, vanilla, and coconut milk until smooth.
- In another bowl, sift together the flour blend, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to fully combine.
- Scoop the pumpkin filling into the prepared muffin pan. The cups will be fairly full. Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Nothing better than creamy pumpkin pie! Top with coconut milk or use heavy cream to make homemade whipped cream and a dusting of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
SILICONE MUFFIN PAN: Lately I have been loving baking these in a silicone muffin pan. They bake up perfectly and are so easy to pop out of the pan!
MUFFIN LINERS: The kind of cupcake liners you use for this recipe matters. I like using a higher quality liner (this kind) because nothing sticks to them! You can also spray the liners lightly with nonstick cooking spray for extra guarantee they won’t stick.
THEY WILL SINK – THAT’S NORMAL: These are not a true cupcake or a true pumpkin pie. They’re a wonderfully delicious cross between the two, so set your expectations right. They will sink slightly in the middle as they cool and that’s totally normal. Fill that hole up with whipped cream and nobody will complain!
Make-Ahead/Storage
MAKE-AHEAD: For best results, recommend making these in advance! They are best when they’ve chilled overnight.
STORAGE: Cover any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or on a plate tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
MORE GLUTEN-FREE THANKSGIVING DESSERTS
I hope you enjoy these gluten-free crustless pumpkin pie cupcakes as much as we do! If you try this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. Have a happy holiday season!
Gluten-Free Crustless Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes (Dairy-Free)
Video
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
For Topping:
- Coconut milk whipped cream I use So Delicious CocoWhip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (or silicone muffin liners).Generously spray the bottoms and sides of the liners with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and egg yolk, vanilla, and coconut milk until smooth.
- In another bowl, sift together the flour blend, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to fully combine.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. The cups will be fairly full. Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with coconut milk or regular whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- COCONUT MILK: For best results, use full-fat canned coconut milk in this recipe. Do not use boxed or refrigerated coconut milk in place of the canned coconut milk.
- MUFFIN LINERS: Lately I have been loving baking these in a silicone muffin pan. If you use muffin liners, the kind of cupcake liners you use for this recipe matters. I like using a higher quality liner (this kind) because nothing sticks to them! You can also spray the liners lightly with nonstick cooking spray for extra guarantee they won’t stick.
- THEY WILL SINK – THAT’S NORMAL: These are not a true cupcake or a true pumpkin pie. They’re a wonderfully delicious cross between the two, so set your expectations right. They will sink slightly in the middle as they cool and that’s totally normal. Fill that hole up with whipped cream and nobody will complain!
Make-Ahead/Storage
- MAKE-AHEAD: For best results, recommend making these in advance! They are best when they’ve chilled overnight.
- STORAGE: Cover any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or on a plate tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Easy to make and the family loved them. I did add 8 minutes to the bake time until a knife inserted in the center came out mostly clean. This will go into the favorites file!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear the recipe was a hit with your family, Jeanine! Thanks for sharing your positive experience with us!
I made them in a snowflake-shaped silicone muffin pan and they came out perfectly. I sprinked a mix of cocoa, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and granulated sugar to “powder” the bottom of each mold on top of the oil to help them release. It was delicious, but I don’t even think it was needed. They all popped out so easily.
That sounds adorable, Cathy! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
What type of salt?
Hi Ashley, we typically use kosher salt. We hope you enjoy the recipe! Happy baking!
Do you think these could be baked on top of the crust recipe here – https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-cheesecake/
Either as cupcakes or in a pie sheet?
Can’t wait to try!
Hi Kate, we haven’t given that a try before. These aren’t a true pumpkin pie texture, but they’re not completely like cupcakes either — they’re a cross between the two so it’s hard to say if the texture would pair well with the crust. If you decide to give it a try, it would probably work best as cupcakes, rather than a pie sheet. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Can I use regular baking flour?
Hi Ashita, we haven’t tried regular flour, but it should work as a 1:1 swap. We’d love to hear how it goes!
What size cupcakes does this make? You said you used a certain cupcake liner and I checked on it and it showed ‘large” size? If I use my silicone pans which size should I use?
Hi Carol, this makes standard sized cupcakes. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’d like to make these in a mini cupcake pan, how long would you say to bake them? Thank you
Hi Alana, mini cupcakes would probably only need 12-15 minutes in the oven at the same temperature. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
What is flour blend? Thought these were gluten free.
Hi Kathy, we recommend using King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour for this recipe. It’s gluten-free and works really well to get the right texture! We hope this helps!
Can you freeze floutless pumpkin pie cupcake?
Hi Cameron, these don’t freeze very well unfortunately. You can make them up to 5 days in advance and store them in the fridge though. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can we use something other than cocanut milk. We have nut allergies.
Can you use regular milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi Eva, we recommend using evaporated milk in place of the coconut milk, if wanting to make a dairy version. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
It says in the section under storage “Cover any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or on a plate tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.” When it says, “..or on a plate tightly covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.” Does this mean they do not have to be refrigerated?
Thanks so much for your help in this!
Hi John, to store the cupcakes for 5 days it would be best to refrigerate the cupcakes either in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. They should only be left out at room temperature for 1-2 days. Thank you for your question! We will make note of this needed clarification for future updates of this post. Happy baking!
I made these today and they are delicious. I am wondering if when you use the silicone muffin pan, do they pop out easily without sticking? Thanks
Hi Ann, we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! When using silicone muffin pans, they should pop out easy and shouldn’t stick. Be sure to let them cool completely before trying to get them out to avoid sticking. We hope this helps!
These are phenomenal!!! Our whole household is gluten free and so happy to have found the better alternative for pumpkin pie. I shared these with other family members and friends and everyone devoured them. These have been requested for Thanksgiving.
Wow, thank you for such a kind review, Keily! We’re so glad the recipe was such a hit with your family and friends. Happy baking!
Would it be possible to use maple syrup or honey in place of the sugar?
Hi Suzanne, we don’t typically bake with sugar substitutes so it’s hard to say if those substitutions would change the taste/texture. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
I need to use something in place of the eggs to make them for vegans? Any suggestions? I don’t know much about the vegan or gluten-free world so I don’t know what is available.
Hi Kristi, thank you for your question! We wouldn’t recommend egg replacers in this recipe as they play a big part in the texture/structure, especially since these set up differently than typical cupcakes. We’re sorry about that!