This Pumpkin Pudding is a quick and easy way to make a no-bake, no-cook Fall dessert that is creamy, smooth, and so satisfying. In mere minutes, you can transform a box of instant pudding into something special, simply by combining it with a can of pumpkin, evaporated milk, and spice–it tastes like eating your favorite pumpkin pie without the crust!
Perfectly Simple Pumpkin Pudding (Aka No-Pie Pumpkin Pie!)
Pumpkin Pudding is the perfect way to celebrate autumn and a delicious dessert to serve after a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. This recipe is full of all of your favorite pumpkin pie flavors, but because it’s made without the crust, it has a cool, creamy and light texture that is ideal after a heavy holiday spread. And when you think about it, after eating so many starchy sides (and probably going for seconds), who needs the extra pastry when you can enjoy this crustless sweet confection instead?
This Pumpkin Pudding recipe is so easy and quick to prepare because it uses a pudding mix and canned pumpkin puree mixed with spices; it tastes like pumpkin pie in a cup.
Better than anything store-bought, this gluten-free, make-ahead, and fuss-free treat is a lighter after-dinner dessert that leaves room for you to fill your plate with your other favorite foods. The perfect Thanksgiving dessert!
Why We Love This Pumpkin Pudding Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in only 10 minutes.
- Only uses 4 ingredients plus optional garnish.
- Delicious, creamy, and smooth dessert.
- Tastes like pumpkin pie without the crust.
- Can be made ahead of time and easily doubled for a large crowd.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving
- Gluten-free treat that can be made Vegan too.
- Pumpkin puree adds nutritional value and pumpkin flavor to this pudding, making it “healthy-ish”!
Other Easy Fall Recipes
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Canned pumpkin puree: Make sure you do not use pumpkin pie mix–just pureed pumpkin from the can.
- Evaporated milk
- Pumpkin pie spice (+ ½ teaspoon for garnish)
- Boxed instant vanilla pudding mix
- Whipped topping (optional garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
- Lovely Layered Look: You can make your pudding presentation look a little fancy by layering the pudding in individual dessert glasses (stemless wine glasses work well for this too) with crumbled gingersnap cookies or graham cracker crumbs.
- Switch the Spice: You can add a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice instead of the pumpkin pie spice.
- Additional Garnish Ideas: Feel free to garnish your pudding with pumpkin seeds, granola, gingerbread cookies, or vanilla wafers.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Mixing bowl and measuring tools
- Handheld mixer
- Dessert cups
- Plastic wrap
How to Make the Recipe
This Pumpkin Pudding is a quick and easy way to make a deliciously flavorful Fall dessert. Starting with a box of instant pudding and combining it with a can of pumpkin, evaporated milk, and spice–this is a Thanksgiving hit every time!
- Beat together pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, and pumpkin spice with a mixer.
- Add instant pudding packages to the mixture and mix on low until incorporated.
- Divide pudding into dessert cups and cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill pudding cups in the refrigerator.
- Just before serving, top pudding cups with whipped topping and pumpkin spice. Enjoy!
Tips From Our Recipe Developer
- To avoid “pudding skin”, gently place plastic wrap directly over the entire surface of the pudding so the wrap comes into direct contact with the pudding and no air remains before placing the bowl in the refrigerator.
- Make sure you get the 100% pumpkin, and not the pumpkin pie mix.
- You can make the pudding the night before and store it covered in the refrigerator.
- You can serve the pudding in a medium size serving bowl, instead of the individual dessert cups. Top with the whipped topping and a dusting of the pumpkin spice.
- This dessert can easily be doubled if you are serving at a party or potluck meal.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Other Easy Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Streusel Bars
- No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Pumpkin Dog Treats
- Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix {Chex Mix}
- Pumpkin Pie Dip
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Pumpkin Donuts
Pumpkin Pudding
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (+ ½ teaspoon for garnish)
- 2 3.4 ounce boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
- Whipped topping (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on low, beat together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk and pumpkin spice until well combined.
- Sprinkle the 2 packages of instant pudding over the pumpkin mixture and continue mixing on low until the ingredients are completely incorporated.
- Evenly divide ½ cup of the pudding into 6 dessert cups. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Uncover the dessert cups, spoon 2 -3 tablespoons of whipped topping on top of the pudding cups and evenly sprinkle a light dusting of the reserved pumpkin spice over the whipped topping. Serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
- To avoid “pudding skin”, gently place plastic wrap directly over the entire surface of the pudding so the wrap comes into direct contact with the pudding and no air remains before placing the bowl in the refrigerator.
- Make sure you get the 100% pumpkin, and not the pumpkin pie mix.
- You can make the pudding the night before and store it covered in the refrigerator.
- You can serve the pudding in a medium size serving bowl, instead of the individual dessert cups. Top with the whipped topping and a dusting of the pumpkin spice.
This dessert can easily be doubled if you are serving at a party or potluck meal.
Are the measurements correct? I used 3 1 oz packages. The pudding turned into a thick dry ball. I decided to salvage it by pouring low fat milk until it turned into pudding. It was about 2 cups of milk. The pudding was good. But the measurements in recipe may need modifications.
add a handful of brown sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract, go heavy on the spice mix . refrigerate for at least 1day in a large plastic container and it’s good for a week of individual servings in a lunchbox or dessert…
Can’t wait to make, just received the recipe. Lookin towards it. 😉
Thank You & Good Night From Texas
So first time I made it, it came out well.
I’m makin this a second time and it came out watery…why is that?
I did set it in the fridge to see if it binds better.
it looks yummy I am gonna make it.
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe.
Can you make diabetic friendly recipes that are easy.
can I use sugar free pudding
I have not tried it with sugar free pudding, it should work, but the taste may be slightly different.
I love pumpkin any way you fix it. Thank you for an awesome blog where I can find all the pumpkin recipes for me to cook and eat. I love the one today pumpkin pudding. Will be prepared as soon as I go to the grocery store. Hopefully they have the pumpkin purée! Thanks for a job well done for this reader.
Why not use Pumpkin Pie Mix instead of Pumpkin purée ?
They are actually 2 different products!
Your recipe for pumpkin pudding calls for 6.8 Oz of sugar free vanilla pudding. The largest one I I have is 2.1 Oz. If I used three boxes, it still wouldn’t equal 6.8 Oz. I’ve never seen bigger boxes. What gives?