Joy the Baker

Almost No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie with Maple Whipped Cream

by 158 Comments

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I feel like Thanksgiving is an experiment in just how many things you can jam into your oven in a two day period.

Turkey.  Other birds.  Stuffing.  Yams.  Green beans.  Pie.  Cakes.  Owls.  Ash trays.  Lasagna.  Kittens.  Ravioli.  Squashes.

I mean…. Seriously.  That’s a full oven.

Because I only want to partially horn in on that oven action, I’ve made an Almost No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie.

When you call it Aaaaalllllmost No-Bake Pie, it’s actually a Not No-Bake Pie.  We’re working with a passive aggressive double negatives here.  My apologies.

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This pie is exactly what I want it to be.  Pretty.  Delicious… and full of my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice.  The crust is crushed up crisp ginger snaps mixed with a bit of sugar and butter.  Divine.  The filling is creamy pumpkin comfort.  The topping is Maple Whipped Cream.

That’s exactly three layers of Autumn flavors.

Win.

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I made this pie in a standard pie dish, but after I struggled so much getting the crust and the slices out in decent looking pieces… I think a tart pan with a removable bottom or in eight individual ramekins would work wonderfully.  Just thought you might like options.

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Also!  If you buy one of those pre-made graham cracker pie crusts from the grocery store, then this pie is totally a No-Bake situation.  Are you into that sort of thing?  No judgement.

Face it.  Pies are pretty.

Almost No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie

makes one 9-inch pie or tart or 8 individual ramekin pies

Print this Recipe!

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers or crisp ginger snap cookies

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

pinch of salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the Filling:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon molasses

2 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

For Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

For the Crust:

In a medium bowl, combine crushed graham crackers or ginger snaps with sugar, salt and melted butter.  Toss together to coat the entire mixture in butter.  Press into a 9-inch baking dish, a tart pan with a removable bottom or 8 individual ramekins.  I like making these no bake desserts in a tart pan or in individual ramekins so I don’t have to fuss with fighting to remove the sliced pie from the pie pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely before adding the filling.

To make the Filling:

Beat cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until smooth and creamy.  Both fats should be well softened to ensure the filling is lump free.  Add the powdered sugar to the mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy.  Add the vanilla extract, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree and beat until thoroughly combined.  If you find that your filling is lumpy, pass it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.  I did that.  No shame in that game.

Spoon the filling into the cooled pie or tart shell, or divide into individual ramekins.  Let pie chill in the fridge overnight.  This is actually important… the pie won’t be settled enough in 2 hours.  Overnight is best.

To Make the Topping:

Beat together heavy cream and maple syrup until cream is in soft peaks.  Spread over the chilled pie and sprinkle with more maple syrup just before slicing.  Slice and serve.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robyn

    Made this for the first for my book club today. So delicious- everyone loved it. The only thing was it is a bit sloppy, next time I would serve the cream on the side. X

    Reply

  2. Barbara

    I made this today as a kind of “deconstructed” pie – spooned the filling into china teacups, topped with the maple whipped cream, and finally poked a couple of small, fresh ginger-snap cookies into each serving. Easy and really delicious. Will be making again and again!

    Reply

  3. Karla

    Very excited to start this recipe. Do you make the whipped cream topping just before serving or how far ahead of serving can it be done?
    Love your site and thanks for your inspiration!
    Karla

    Reply

  5. Sierra

    I made this pie and it was really delicious. However I’m wondering if there would be any way to make the filling slightly sturdier? I’m going to try to make some slight changes next time and see how it turns out.

    Reply

  6. Krystina

    Definitely just made this bad ass pumpkin pie into pumpkin pie bites. Pre-baked up some buttery phyllo dough in a mini muffin tin, piled in this delicious pie filling into my pastry bag, and went to town! Topped with the maple whip? Amazeness. Bringing them to a bridal shower tomorrow, and I know these little pockets of yum are gonna be gone in a minute. Totes maj, Joy. Totes maj. <3

    Reply

  7. Sophie @ Happyspinach

    Joy! My aunt recently introduced me to the delicious wonders of pumpkin pie. I fell in love. Unfortunately, my oven is completely ruined, and I really can’t afford a new one. This recipe is perfect! Now I can have pumpkin pie (even though it’s only July)! (With a few mods to make a no bake crust.)

    Reply

  8. Nicolle

    Joy!

    Thank you for this recipe. I just made this for Remember-urkey (or Turk-brance) (it’s Remembrance day in Canada and I wanted to a cook a turkey dinner with all the fixen’s). I had a brined turkey from Alton Brown, stuffing (dressing?), scalloped corn from Tracy (of Shutterbean fame) and for dessert this amazing pie. The meal was fabulous but people went nuts-o for this pie… and I mean nuts-o. A girl who wasn’t sure if she liked pumpkin or creamcheese ate two pieces!! Nuts-o.

    You rock.

    Reply

  9. Ana Fernández

    Dear Joy,

    Why don´t you try this awesome cake with some Spanish cheese, I baked one a few days ago with my family and I have to say it was really nice and creamy, they all loved it, (normally I´m useles at cooking), so why don´t you give it a try, I´m sure you´ll love it, just have a look at this website and let me know what do you think.
    Kind regards
    Ana
    http://www.asturiascheese.com/spanish-cheese/abredo-2

    Reply

  10. mendomamma

    Hi Joy,
    As many others, I am hopelessly addicted to your blog…thank you. My question is this: I made your insanely delicious pumpkin cream pie, used the tart pan which worked perfectly but my filling did not set….not so pretty. I followed the directions to a tee but noticed that on the ingredients list you have 1tsp of molasses but in the baking instructions it does not say to add it…I added it, it sounded yummy… but am wondering if this contributed to its loose consisitency…any thoughts? Love, your devoted disciple

    Reply

    • Heidi

      Same here…I just made this pie and the filling turned out very loose (although delicious). More than it’s suppossed to be, I think. Any luck with it? The recipe DOES say to add the molasses, so I don’t think that has anything to do with it. Oh well….

      Reply

  13. Jessica Bates

    Baking this now to eat tonight as a celebration for finally getting Christmas decorations up. Can’t wait! I’ve licked the beaters, the spatula, the bowl, and I can’t stop sniffing my homemade pumpkin pie spice. Love it!

    Reply

  14. Anna

    Success! I’m a convert, after recently discovering your site. I made this (in a tart pan with removable bottom, as you suggested) for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. I’ve had to promise to make it again next year!

    I’m very particular about my pumpkin desserts and don’t usually care for the standard pie, so this was a refreshing and delicious change. Thank you!

    People were licking plates. Seriously.

    Reply

  16. Hayley

    Joy,
    I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and it was a HUGE hit! I had people chasing me for some to take home on the way out the door! Everyone loved the crust and the awesome flavor from the pumpkin pie spice. I told my cousins I got the great recipe off your blog, and they said they’d definitely check it out :) You made our Thanksgiving unforgettable! (and very yummy!)

    -Hayley

    Reply

  17. Natasha

    AMAZING!!! I loved it so much! Adding it to my blog tomorrow, because everyone needs to try it. And, I’m so glad I made your pumpkin pie spice and didn’t just buy the pre-made kind, because I think it really is the key to this pie’s deliciousness. :)

    Reply

  18. Erin O.

    I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was awesome! It got rave reviews from my family members, and they are tough critics!

    I added a bit more maple syrup to the whipping cream to give it a stronger flavor, and it was awesome, and instead of more syrup, I sprinkled cinnamon on top. I will make this again and again!

    I just wrote a blog post about this pie, and I’d be honored if you checked it out! :)

    Reply

  19. Becky

    I made this for my cozy-two-person Thanksgiving. It was superb. Both of us are not huge pumpkin pie fans, but this recipe has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor and has a nice lighter texture compared to typical pumpkin pie. I totally loved making/using the homemade pumpkin pie spice! My husband, who usually prefers a fruit pie, asked me to keep the recipe to make it again next year. He’s hard to please, so this is the highest praise. I usually don’t post, but I really enjoy your website. Thank you for both the recipes and your cheery attitude! (I had, “Make this happen,” in my head the whole time I was making the pie.)

    Reply

  20. Sabah saeed

    JOY!!

    I made two of these pies tonight for Thanksgiving and there was not a crumb left over. People were in love. I felt bad for the other pies because NO ONE touched them. Seriously, my mom (the biggest dessert hater in the world) even went back for seconds. I of course told everyone to check out your blog because they too will fall in love with your awesome recipes just like I did. :) Just thought you would appreciate hearing how much everyone loved this recipe!!

    Reply

  22. Hayley

    Hey Joy, I’m in the middle of making this and noticed you forgot to put in the directions where the molasses goes! I’m guessing you add it to the filling when you add the pumpkin, vanilla, etc.?? That’s what I’m gonna do so I hope it’s right!

    Reply

  23. Brittany

    I just made this… I’m saving the whipped cream for tomorrow… I cant stop licking the filling out of the bowl!!! I typically hate pumpkin pie… but this is irresistible!

    Reply

  26. joi

    This is awesome! I’m whippin’ this up right now and can already tell from the several times I dipped my pinkie in to take a taste drive — we are gonna L O V E this! This might just make the lates addition to the tradition menu list!

    Thanks! Joy

    Reply

  28. Anna

    This recipe looks and sounds great!! Every year I try a different pumpkin pie recipe. This year it is yours. The only thing that I do different is I have my kids help out by cutting up our pumpkins, scooping out the seeds and baking our pumpkins to use the insides for our pies and cakes for the next few weeks. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

    Reply

  46. Liz

    That looks fabulous. But please don’t put the kitten in the oven. Please DO include more pictures of the kitten with the yummy things!

    Reply

  49. Trevor

    Hey Joy!

    Ohmiword, I have been a reader of yours for a couple months now and I adore your wordy wit and lovely food pictures. Sad news is the majority of your things keep me limited to what I can make. You see, I’m working as a missionary in Peru and the supplies we have here are rather limited… when I say limited I mean measuring cups are hard to come by. It’s things like that you don’t realize you appreciate so much.

    This recipe looks so outrageously delicious and I envy anyone that can try it! We don’t have molassess, ginger snaps, nor maple syrup in South America. In fact, I have two pieces of Zapallo roasting in the oven… that is South American pumpkin… I haven’t seen anyone make pumpkin pie yet from this stuff but I’m willing to kill to get a taste of home here. I will be using your Pie Spice recipe!!!!!

    -Trevor

    Reply

  50. Meg H.

    I make something like this but in a parfait glass. I use crushed ginger snaps, this filling, and whipped cream to make all the layers. Perfect for fall!

    Reply

  51. Melissa P.

    The pie looks deelish..but im already making 2 desserts for Thanksgiving..hmm..I’ll add it to my X-mas dinner menu. Genius!! :o) Who says pumpkin’s just for Thanksgiving anyway?! And I love readin your posts during my lunchbreak b.t.w. i could use the laugh whilst I’m in this horrid place lol

    Reply

  54. Jenna

    Mmmm–pies ARE pretty! Especially when photographed by you, obviously. =) This looks awesome, and dare I say better than traditional pumpkin pie? Dare I??

    Reply

  55. Sushi Girl

    Yum, maybe I can talk my hubby into making this for me! Sorry I haven’t been around, I’ve been in hospital with a pissed off appendix since Friday. All gone now. But Thanksgiving is canceled :’o(
    *love*

    Reply

  57. Julie

    I’m feeling thankful that my life is such that the current “tough” decision is whether to make this pie or pumpkin whoopie pies for Thanksgiving. If everyone were so lucky…

    Reply

    • Julie

      Turns out I made this pie. Hot Damn!! Dare I say that this is so much BETTER than standard pumpkin pie?? My dad, who isn’t a fan of pumpkin pie, LOVED this & went back for seconds even when there was another pie option. Now I’m trying to conjure up a reason to make it again. It may just be enough that I have 1/2 a box of ginger snaps that need to be used…Thanks Joy!! You continue to be my favorite blogging-foodie girl-crush. My husband is getting a bit envious. :)

      Reply

  59. Mary at n00bcakes

    Thanks so much for posting a pumpkin pie recipe; I was actually looking for one on your blog yesterday and was saddened to find none. I had just about resigned myself to random recipe Googling when low and behold, you have one up!
    Thanks, Joy! I can’t wait to try this out today. ^_^

    Reply

  61. Jen

    This looks great. I’m going to try this instead of a pumpkin pie.
    I have to travel on the morning of Thanksgiving.
    If I whip the cream in the morning & put it on the pie then, do you think it’ll
    survive a 3 hour car ride? I’d put it in the fridge when I get there?

    Reply

  63. Chrissy

    Oh, I LOVE to try out new Pumpkin Pie (cake, bread, etc) recipes out every year at Thanksgiving! I can’t wait to try this one out on the family! YAY! This year, I am thankful for you, Joy, and your endless amounts of baking genius!! :)

    Reply

  65. penandra

    Okay. I’m thinking that I can forget the crust, put the filling into individual (small) ramekins! For the ramekins I can use the ones the Trader Joe’s chocolate lava cakes come in — I have a bunch of those stashed in a cupboard somewhere from a party a while back — what an easy dessert! Thank you.

    Reply

  66. Sus

    Yay! I’m making the desserts for Thanksgiving and didn’t want to bake another one! Now I can have pumpkin pie for everyone who loves it (I’m not a huge fan) without using my oven again!!!! Please don’t put that super cute kitten in your oven ;) I didn’t miss that in the list!

    Reply

  69. Rita Dempsey

    This is definitely on my to bake list for this week. How thick does the pumpkin middle set? I’m thinking I’m going to make this in a spring form pan I use for cheesecakes so I can remove the sides.

    Reply

  70. CarrieLovesKeith

    Oh, I am SO making this Thursday! Thank you! You are a lifesaver. I was going to make Paula Deen’s pumpkin trifle, but am going to the big extended family extraveganza, and was afraid people would be pissed if I roll in with a trifle instead of pie… no worries now!

    Reply

  77. PaulaMc

    Wow, that looks amazing! I love gingersnaps. Could you just make up the filling, put it in a tall glass and have the gingersnaps whole on the side for dipping? (Yeah, I’m crazy.)

    Reply

  81. Olivia

    This year for Turkey Day my family put me in charge of making a pumpkin pie (not that I mind, who doesn’t love pie?) I’ve been searching for a gorgeous pumpkin pie, and I believe I’ve found my winner. Thanks Joy :)

    And I loved the kittens and the ashtrays in the oven thing. It really made me laugh this morning.

    Reply

  93. Lauren

    This is a great recipe to have on hand when the oven is full – and I like your idea of using individual ramekins or tart pans. At first cursory glance, I thought you wrote “crushed graham crackers AND crisp ginger snap cookies”… I wonder how a combination of the two would work in the crust?! Either way, I’m sure the pie is absolutely delicious.

    Reply

  97. The Nerd

    I sure wish I’d known about this before making all those pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for today’s potluck at work. Oh well. They will love the cookies just the same!

    Reply

  99. Rachel

    The first thing I was going to look up today was a recipe for a ginger snap pie crust, so you read my mind! I’m in charge of the pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year, but I’m not a fan of regular pie crust. I have some extra ginger snaps laying around so I thought that would be a good substitute. Apparently I was channeling the same thoughts you had!

    Reply

  100. jenna laughs

    I live in an very small town (3,000 people – maybe) Everyone around here knows I love cooking/baking/eating and just asks me for things, with this deep satisfaction that they KNOW I will know how to make it. My best friends birthday is tomorrow, and she said to me yesterday, “For my birthday cake this year, I want a pumpkin cream pie!” Ummmm… Just let me snap my fingers and make this happen. This morning, I log onto my blog, where I see a list of blogs I follow, and saw this. The pumpkin cream pie gods are rejoicing. Basically, you just saved my best friend’s birthday. I hope it makes you smile.

    Reply

  105. Megan Gordon

    Reading this at 4 am right before a flight to NYC and feeling like I need a piece of that right now…a sure sign that this one’s a winner (read: I don’t do eating in the a.m. if you’d call this a.m.). Happy Thanksgiving, Joy!

    Reply

  108. ursula

    That pie looks amazing! I wish I could bring myself to make a sweet dessert with pumpkin. Being Australian, it just doens’t fit in with what I’m used too.
    Maybe I’ll have to change that so I can make this delicious pie! x

    Reply

  111. Karen | C&C

    Owls. Ashtrays. Kittens… sounds deliciously exotic but I think I’ll skip your place for Thanksgiving this year :P Then again… your pumpkin pie looks mighty enticing…

    Reply

  112. Cheryl

    Slice and Serve, would be my favourite part! And with all those wonderful spices and a touch of molasses, you have created a dessert made in heaven.
    What about adding some gelatin to set it up more, Joy?
    As always appreciate your sense of humour and wording.

    Reply

  114. Paulette

    Hi Joy, Hope you and your family have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving. I want to thank you for the wonderful recipes, and yes I will be eating lots of pumpkin pie, my favorite. Yours looks so good and just might make an extra creamy one. Paulette

    Reply

  117. Maya

    Pumpkins are so expensive here! (I’m in Australia) I know this sounds really odd.. but do you think I would be able to substitute the pumpkin to do a sweet potato cream pie.. or would that just be waaay out of anyones comfort zone?

    Reply

  120. Sabina Sophia

    That pie looks incredibly delicious …. With a cup of milky coffee. Right now, for breakfast. Mmmm. And, thanks, you made my day with that crack about ash trays and kittens in ovens. Don’t know why I laughed so hard, but it was wonderful so early in the morning :D

    Reply

  121. cami stewart

    ¨This looks fabulous! Can´t wait to make it. I don´t have molasses here in Spain where I live. What could I substitute?

    Reply

    • lara

      hey cami, if u live in spain like me, and you live in madrid, you can buy molasses!! you can find them in a store called the american store, i found most of the “american” ingredients you need for most of joy´s recipes! i love your blog joy!! even us spanish follow you!! very good work!!

      Reply

      • cami stewart

        an amazing thing happened today.. mercadona (my grocery store- Lara you know what i´m talking about!) had molasses! they have never have carried it before. happy day! :)

        Reply

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