Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk has a smooth and rich filling baked in a homemade buttermilk pie crust. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving!

This Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk is perfect if you forgot to pick up evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk at the store. This recipe is made with heavy cream which gives the filling a super smooth and creamy texture that is just as delicious as a traditional pumpkin pie! It’s rich, full of pumpkin spice and baked in my favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust.

Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try my Pumpkin Pie Thumbprint Cookies, Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake or Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread!

Ingredient Breakdown

Pumpkin puree – make sure to use pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree has 100% pumpkin while pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar added to it.

Brown sugar – sweetens the pie. I prefer using dark brown sugar for extra molasses flavor but light brown sugar also works fine!

Eggs – helps bind the ingredients and gives the pumpkin pie structure.

Heavy cream – makes the pumpkin pie so smooth and creamy!

Cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger – needed to help give the pie its pumpkin spice flavor. You can replace the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger with 2 1/2 teaspoons of pre-made (or homemade) pumpkin pie spice mix.

Salt – enhances flavor.

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk

1. Make the Buttermilk Pie Crust: In a mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, sugar and salt. Place bowl on a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

2. Add the cold cubed butter and mix on low until the butter is pea sized.

3. Add the buttermilk to the mixture then mix on low speed. Stop mixing when the dough is rough and shaggy.

4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface then shape into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

5. Place the pie disc onto a floured surface then roll into a circle about 12 inches wide. Carefully place dough into a 9 inch pie dish then flute the edges. Place into the fridge or freezer while you prepare the filling.

6. Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling: in a medium bowl whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and eggs. Then whisk in the heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt until well combined.

7. Pour the pumpkin filling into the chilled pie crust. Bake the pumpkin pie at 350°F for 60-65 minutes. The center of the pie will be a little wobbly. After 25 minutes of baking, cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust from burning.

8. Cool the Pumpkin Pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours or until completely cooled then cover and transfer to the fridge. Store Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Pro Tips For Buttermilk Pie Crust

• Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
• Keep the butter cold at all times! Cold butter makes a flaky pie crust so put it in the fridge if you notice it getting too warm.
• Don’t overwork the pie dough otherwise it will become tough.
• Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and/or nutmeg to the pie dough for a deliciously spiced pie crust!

Pro Tips For Pumpkin Pie Without Canned Milk

• Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
• Don’t be tempted to over bake the pie because it will make the top crack. Pumpkin Pie is done baking when the edges are set but the center is a little wobbly – it will set completely as it cools!
• You can replace the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger with 2 1/2 teaspoons of pre-made (or homemade) pumpkin pie spice mix.
• After pouring the pumpkin filling into the crust, use a toothpick or a fork to pop any air bubbles on the surface of your pie before baking.
• After 25 minutes of baking, cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust from burning.

My Favorite Pie Tools

• Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
• 9 inch pie dish I love the white but I also have it in red!
• French rolling pin gives you more control than rolling pins with handles.
• Dough rolling mat has measurements which makes it easy to roll out pie dough to the perfect size.

Frequently Asked Questions

---

How Can You Tell If Pumpkin Pie Is Done?

You’ll know the Pumpkin Pie is done baking when the edges are set but the center of the pie is a little wobbly. Don’t worry, the filling will firm up as it cools!

Does Pumpkin Pie Need To Be Refrigerated?

Yes, Pumpkin Pie needs to be refrigerated because it is a custard pie (which just means it’s a liquid thickened with eggs). You should refrigerate your pie as soon as it cools down to room temperature. You can serve it cold or at room temperature (just be sure to not leave it out for longer than 2 hours).

Can Pumpkin Pie Be Made The Day Before?

Yes, I actually encourage you to make this Pumpkin Pie a day ahead of time since it takes an hour to bake another 2 hours (at least) to cool down before you can eat it! If you’re making it for Thanksgiving then it gives you one less thing to worry about on the big day!

Can I Use Pre-made Pumpkin Pie Spice?

If you prefer to use a pre-made pumpkin spice mix simply replace the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger with 2 1/2 teaspoons of pre-made (or homemade) pumpkin pie spice mix.

If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂