These pumpkin pie cups are like a classic pumpkin pie but in a cup! Made with pumpkin pudding and folded with gingersnap cookies and cookie butter, these pumpkin pie cups are based on the pumpkin spice pudding from Magnolia Bakery. Plus, this is a no bake recipe and I think it would be perfect for a fall dinner party or Thanksgiving dessert as a fun twist on traditional pumpkin pies!
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A couple of years ago I visited the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York and tried their pumpkin spice pudding. It's like banana pudding, but instead of vanilla pudding it's made with pumpkin pudding, swirled with Biscoff cookie butter, and layered with cookies! I was completely obsessed with this pudding and knew I wanted to recreate it.
I used the vanilla pudding from my banana pudding in a jar, added gingersnap cookies and drizzled in some melted cookie butter! Even my father-in-law, who usually doesn't like pumpkin desserts, told me how much he enjoyed this pumpkin dessert!
If you're more of a traditional pumpkin pie lover, then try my pumpkin custard pie or pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust! Or if you want another no bake pumpkin recipe, try my no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars!
Why you'll love this recipe!
- No Bake Recipe: no need to use the oven for this simple pumpkin dessert recipe! You'll just need a pot and your stove to make the pumpkin filling.
- Make Ahead of Time: this is a great recipe to make ahead of time since you need to let the pumpkin pudding set. You can make it the day before so it's perfect if you're making this for a dinner party or gathering!
- Homemade: this is a homemade pumpkin pudding, I haven't used Cool Whip or sweetened condensed milk.
Grab your ingredients
- Canned Pumpkin: can't have pumpkin pie in a cup without pumpkin! I'm using 100% pumpkin puree, so make sure you're not using pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added to it, so I don't recommend using that. I haven't tested this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree.
- Eggs: this is an egg-based pudding recipe. The eggs provide structure to the pudding and thicken it up. It also adds flavor to the pumpkin pudding.
- Cornstarch: this will help in addition to the eggs firm up the pudding. Depending on where you live, this might be called corn flour!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: this is what really gives the pumpkin pudding its flavor! You can buy it at most grocery stores, but you can also make your own homemade version. This is the pumpkin pie spice recipe I turn to when I need to make it.
- Heavy Cream: you'll need heavy cream for both the pudding and to make homemade whipped cream!
- Sugar: granulated sugar is going to sweeten the pudding.
- Unsalted Butter: just a bit of butter is going to add flavor and depth to the pudding.
- Gingersnaps: I'm using gingersnap cookies because that's what Magnolia Bakery used the year I went there. I love how the spices in the cookies complement the pumpkin pie spice, this might be the best part for me!
Substitutions & Additions
- Cookies: feel free to swap out gingersnaps for Nilla wafers, graham crackers or Biscoff cookies!
- Cookie Butter: if you're not a fan of cookie butter or don't have it on hand, just leave it out.
How to make this recipe
- Step 1: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cornstarch.
- Step 2: Drizzle in the heavy cream and whole milk, whisking until smooth.
- Step 3: Place it on the stove over medium heat and allow it to come to a simmer, stirring constantly. Once it begins to simmer, it should start to thicken.
- Step 4: Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract.
- Step 5: Pour into a large bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding so a skin doesn't form. Let chill for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Step 6: Beat your heavy cream in a medium bowl with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the sugar until you have soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream in with the chilled pudding. Fill your jars with scoops of pudding, melted cookie butter and crushed gingersnap cookies.
My Top Tips
- I love serving this in individual mason jars so you have a bunch of mini desserts, but you could also use a loaf pan or an 8x8 baking pan. Alternate layers of pudding with layers of gingersnap cookies, then let chill in the fridge. Scoop it out of the pan and enjoy it like that!
- Let the pumpkin pudding thicken up on the stove. If you don't give it enough time, your pumpkin pudding will be runny.
- I love adding whipped cream to the pumpkin pudding, but you could also keep half to the side to give you more distinct layers. Layer pumpkin pudding with whipped cream and then the cookies.
- Place the plastic wrap right on the surface of the pudding so it doesn't form a skin as it cools! Don't skip this step.
Serving Suggestions
- I love sprinkling over gingersnap cookie crumbles and a drizzle of cookie butter, but you could also sprinkle over chopped toasted pecans, a dash of pumpkin spice, brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Serve this pumpkin pie in a cup with some classics at Thanksgiving dinner like pumpkin custard pie, apple oat crumble pie, mini apple pies and pecan pie cheesecake!
Storage & Freezing
Keep the pumpkin pudding pie in your fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this!
Made This Recipe?
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Easy No Bake Pumpkin Pie Cups
These are the best pumpkin pie cups! They're a fun twist on pumpkin pie, made with homemade pumpkin pudding, cookie butter and gingersnap cookies. This is a fun no bake dessert, based on the amazing pumpkin pudding from Magnolia Bakery!
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- 2 Bowls
- Handheld Mixer
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
Pumpkin pudding
- 4 large egg yolks room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (75 grams) sugar
- ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (58 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ¼ cups (283 ml) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ tablespoons (23 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
Whipped Cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup (227 ml) heavy cream
- gingersnap cookies
- cookie butter melted
Ella's Baking Tip!Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for the best results!
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, whisk together your sugar, salt, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cornstarch until it is completely smooth.4 large egg yolks, 6 tablespoons (75 grams) sugar, ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 15 oz pumpkin puree
- Drizzle in your heavy cream and your milk, whisking constantly. Heat this over medium heat and allow it to come to a simmer, stirring constantly. Once it starts to simmer it should begin to thicken, this takes 2-4 minutes. Don't allow it to come to a boil or it will curdle.¼ cup (58 ml) heavy cream, 1 ¼ cups (283 ml) whole milk
- Remove from the heat and whisk in your butter and vanilla extract.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 ½ tablespoons (23 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- Pour into a bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding so a skin doesn't form. Let it chill for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight. This makes 2 cups of pudding.
- Beat heavy cream with the sugar until soft peaks form.2 teaspoons sugar, 1 cup (227 ml) heavy cream
- Fold the whipped cream with the chilled and set pumpkin pudding.
- Layer with ginger snaps and drizzle over cookie butter in mason jars.
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Notes
My recipes have been developed and tested in metric grams. I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. I have provided a conversion to US cups but please note that I haven't tested the recipe with this method. Just click on 'US customary' above the ingredients.
Layering: you can layer this in a small pan, probably an 8x8 and refrigerate before scooping it into cups - this is how magnolia bakery does it!
Room Temperature: I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients about 2 hours before you start baking.
Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, halve the amount of salt called for in the recipe. 1 teaspoon kosher salt = ½ teaspoon fine salt.
Serving Size: I used 0.25 litre Kilner jam jars and Bonne Maman jam jars. Feel free to use any dessert container or jar you have! The size of the jars you use will change how many pudding servings you get.
Storage: Keep the finished puddings in their jars for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Making Ahead: You can make the pudding the night before.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see what you made!
Margie says
I'm going to try the. Sounds Dddlicious