One of the main reasons I eat pumpkin pie is the custard filling. So I figured I'd just cut to the chase and make the pumpkin custard.
This is a simple, one-bowl recipe, and it works as breakfast, snack, or dessert. Dress it with whipped coconut cream, a dollop of yogurt, a crumble of nuts, or just have it solo.
As you read the recipe, you will come across the part about creating a water bath for the pumpkin custard. You may be tempted to skip this step, and you could, but your custard will likely crack, separate from the sides of the ramekins, and burn.
Here's the reasoning: The pumpkin custard is thickened by the egg proteins, and sets well below 212°F (180°C), the boiling point for water. Unless the proteins are protected from the high heat of the oven, they’ll overcook and tighten or shrink, causing the custard to crack or separate into curdled egg and liquid. A water bath insulates custards from the direct heat of the oven because water can’t get hotter than 212°F (180°C), compared to the 350°F (180°C) oven. So the water bath protects the custard from overheating.
Sarah Austin says
This is a cheapest way to save my money. So now I can share this pastry with my church group called Minstrey Reality. At the brunch potluck I love to make it for brunch.
Thanks, Sarah!
Betsy says
Erica what can I use instead of eggs?
Erica says
Hi Betsy, I haven't tested this recipe without eggs. It might work with flaxseed eggs but I haven't tested it yet.
Karen says
What temperature of water to you pour in the pan? Also, when you take it out to cool, do you remove the ramekins from the water right away or after it cools? Thanks
Erica says
Hi Karen, I use cool water, and probably any temperature will work. I do remove the ramekins from the water once they come out of the oven. Thanks for asking!
Elisabeth Ensor says
I’ve made this recipe 3x already! Turns out great every time 🙂 I use honey & molasses as the sweetener and it’s perfect!
Erica says
Great to hear! love that combo of sweeteners 🙂
ReMart says
I made this sugar-free today and it was great! I mixed 1/2 cup Lakanto Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener with almond milk and microwaved it for 20 seconds to dissolve. Did everything else the same and it turned out perfect. I love the texture and creaminess. Thanks for a great recipe!
Erica says
Fantastic news! It's quite easy to make my recipes low carb. Thank you so much for sharing what worked for you 🙂
jennifer wood says
What brand of coconut milk/cream do you use?
Erica says
I prefer homemade these days, using coconut flakes and hot water. See my post on how to make coconut milk for my method and brands.
Marylin says
Love it! It was slightly sweet for me, so next time I will try using half maple syrup and half coconut sugar. Either way, it is delicious and the texture is perfect. This recipe is a keeper!!!
Erica says
Great to hear! Yes, feel free to adjust the sweeteners and amount.
Eleanor says
As Flan/Creme Caramel does really well made in an electric multi-cooker/Instant Pot, this sound like a recipe that would work in one as well! So much easier than dealing with a bain marie in the oven!
Erica says
Oooh! You are right. Great thinking.
Debbie says
I love this recipe Erica! I decided to try it in one dish rather than the ramekins. I used my Princess House ( very old but reliable) clear glass 8x8 baking dish. I used my 9x13 Pyrex lasagna dish for water bath. Now, I had to figure out the cooking time. When all said and done, I baked it for 1 1/2 hours, @ 350, checking every 10 min after an 1 hr and 10 mins. Came out beautifully set and delicious! Thought you and your readers would appreciate the input! Just love Comfybelly and use so many of your recipes!!!
Erica says
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing what worked, Debbie. Slow and steady wins the race with this recipe. And the water bath!
Leiann says
Just made this. It was so good I made a second batch. So nice to find a recipe that does not have gobs of sugar or sugar substitutes. My hubby loves pumpkin so this was a hit. This is a “keeper”!
Erica says
Thanks! 🙂
Akshaya says
Can we use the coconut cream that comes in a container instead of refrigerating coconut milk and taking the cream from that? I have some guests coming over and I urgently need to make the coconut whipped cream as they follow SCD diet like me.
Erica says
Yes, but you may need to add water to the cream to get the right consistency. Check on the container label.
Kelsey says
Hi Erica! If you use one large baking dish, how do you go about the water bath? Thanks!
Erica says
I thought someone might ask 🙂 I haven't tried it yet, other than when it's in a pie crust, but I would still set up a water bath. Which means, you'll need two baking dishes, one slightly bigger than the other.
Joanne says
I prefer the filling in pies, too, and would always leave the crust. This custard will be perfect for me and my husband, since we cannot eat the sugar-laden pies. Also, I wanted to mention that I have your cookbook, and love it!
Erica says
Thanks so much! Happy holidays!