This silky smooth pumpkin custard is pure fall comfort in a cup.
It’s a delectable dessert made with real pumpkin and sweetened with brown sugar.
Add some evaporated milk and eggs, and it becomes wonderfully rich and creamy.
Each velvety spoonful is like wrapping yourself in a soft autumn blanket. It’s perfect for both casual dinners and elegant gatherings.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Custard
Perfect Party Portions: Individual ramekins make for elegant presentation and built-in portion control. So it’s ideal for dinner parties or intimate gatherings.
Silky Smooth Texture: The velvety finish melts in your mouth, offering a more refined and sophisticated alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
Quick & Easy: With just 7 simple ingredients and no crust to fuss with, this foolproof recipe delivers restaurant-quality results every time.
Ingredients
- Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the custard with a touch of molasses for rich flavor.
- Large Eggs: Gives the custard structure and creaminess.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds warm, cozy flavors with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness with a hint of warmth.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the spice.
- Pumpkin Puree: The star of the recipe, providing natural sweetness and earthy flavor.
- Evaporated Milk: Adds richness and a silky smooth texture to the custard.
- Whipped Cream & Ground Cinnamon: The finishing touches for serving, adding extra creaminess and a hint of spice.
How to Make Pumpkin Custard
Simple yet sophisticated, this is what fall desserts are meant to be.
And you can even make it ahead, so it’s perfect for parties.
Here are the steps:
1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F and lightly coat 6 small ramekins with cooking spray. Place them in a deep baking dish and set aside.
2. WHISK the sugar, eggs, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.
3. ADD the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk, whisking until fully combined.
4. POUR the mixture into the ramekins and fill the outer baking dish with hot water, about an inch up the sides of the ramekins.
5. TRANSFER the baking dish to the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the custards are set but slightly jiggly in the center.
6. COOL the ramekins in the water for 15 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
7. SERVE chilled with whipped cream (try this Baileys whipped cream for extra flair!) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Pumpkin Custard
These custards are like the sophisticated cousin of pumpkin pie – all the flavor, none of the crust drama.
They’re silky smooth, perfectly spiced, and just sweet enough to satisfy my dessert cravings without going overboard.
Use these tips, and they’ll be stunning!
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Set them out early so the mixture blends easily.
- Enhance your spices. Instead of pumpkin pie spice, make your own blend with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and more.
- Strain for smoothness. To remove any bits of egg or pumpkin, strain the mixture before baking. It’ll make the custard even silkier.
- Water bath care. Use hot but not boiling water for the bath and ensure it reaches about halfway up the sides. Be careful when transferring to the oven so the water doesn’t splash into the custard.
- Test for doneness. The custards should wobble slightly in the center when gently shaken- like jello, not liquid.
- Prevent film formation. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custards while chilling to prevent a film from forming.
- Delicious toppings. Experiment with toppings like chocolate whipped cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, candied pecans, maple-glazed pepitas, crushed gingersnaps, or caramel sauce.
How to Store
I have a batch of these little cups of joy chilling in my fridge right now, and I’m counting down the minutes until I can dive in.
Until then, let’s look at how to store them:
To Store: Cover cooled custards tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For best results, add any toppings right before serving.
To Freeze: Cover individual custards tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 1 month.
Note: Freezing may slightly alter the creamy texture. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results.
More Pumpkin Treats You Have to Try
Pumpkin Eggnog
Pumpkin Scones
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Pumpkin Custard
6
servings10
minutes1
hour178
kcalCreamy pumpkin custard spiced with warm flavors and topped with whipped cream and cinnamon is a simple, cozy dessert that’s perfect for fall!
Ingredients
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
whipped cream and ground cinnamon, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Lightly coat 6 small ramekins with cooking spray and place them into a deep baking dish or roasting pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk and whisk until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Then, pour hot water into the outer baking dish, filling until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully transfer the baking dish to the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the custards are set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water for 15 minutes. Then remove the ramekins and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If the puree seems watery, drain it before use.
- Strain the mixture before baking to remove any bits of egg or pumpkin. This will make the custard even silkier.