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“Better than pumpkin pie!”
That’s what everyone said when I served this Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding for dessert.
Rod, Mom, Sis and I all loved it so much that we decided to serve it instead of traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
And I can see why. It’s sweet, creamy and perfectly spiced, with all the familiar flavors of pumpkin pie but none of the fuss of making a crust.
Just whisk everything together in your slow cooker and let it do the work. Serve it with a little whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed gingersnaps, and you’ve got a simple dessert that feels special enough for the holidays.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Pumpkin Pie Pudding in the Slow Cooker
- Tips for Success
- Easy Variations and Serving Ideas
- How Many Calories and WW Points?
- Can You Make Pumpkin Pie Pudding Ahead of Time?
- A Simple Alternative to Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding Recipe
- More Easy WW-Friendly Pumpkin Desserts
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the flavor of pumpkin pie, without the crust. Creamy pumpkin custard with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Just a handful of ingredients. Everything goes directly into the slow cooker.
- Frees up oven space. Especially helpful when you’re preparing a Thanksgiving dinner.
- Easy to make ahead. Serve it slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled.
- Simple to dress up. A little whipped cream and crushed gingersnaps make it feel extra special.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin puree – Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree.
- Fat-free sweetened condensed milk – Gives the pudding its creamy texture and sweetness without needing additional sugar.
- Eggs – Help the pudding set into a soft, custard-like consistency.
- Ground cinnamon – Adds familiar pumpkin pie warmth.
- Ground ginger – Gives the pudding a little spicy kick.
- Ground nutmeg – Rounds out the pumpkin pie flavor.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Optional toppings – Crushed gingersnap cookies and a dollop of whipped cream.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Pudding in the Slow Cooker
This is one of those wonderfully simple recipes where the preparation takes just a few minutes.
- Lightly grease the inside of a 2-quart slow cooker.
- Add the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, beaten eggs, spices and salt.
- Whisk everything together until smooth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2½ to 3½ hours, until the pudding is set.
- Remove the crock from the heating base and allow the pudding to cool before serving.
Spoon into individual dessert dishes and finish with whipped cream and crushed gingersnaps, if desired.
The pudding will be softer than a traditional slice of pumpkin pie, which is part of its charm.
Tips for Success
Use a small slow cooker. A 2-quart slow cooker is ideal for this recipe. A much larger cooker will spread the mixture too thin and may cause it to cook faster.
Check for doneness. The pudding should look set around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center. Slow cookers vary, so begin checking toward the earlier end of the cooking time.
Avoid overcooking. Like other egg-based custards, pumpkin pudding can become watery or grainy if cooked too long.
Let it cool. The pudding will continue to firm up as it cools.
Make it ahead. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate. It’s delicious chilled and can be made a day before your holiday meal.
Easy Variations and Serving Ideas
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to dress up—or keep simple.
- Classic pumpkin pie style: Top with a spoonful of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
- Gingersnap crunch: Sprinkle crushed gingersnaps over each serving just before eating.
- Extra spice: Add a little more cinnamon or use pumpkin pie spice in place of the individual spices.
- Individual desserts: Spoon into small glasses or ramekins for an easy holiday presentation.
- Simple everyday dessert: Skip the toppings and enjoy it plain, warm or chilled.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
Based on the original recipe calculation, each serving has approximately 174 calories, without optional toppings.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Whipped cream and gingersnap crumbs will add additional calories and Points, depending on how much you use.
Can You Make Pumpkin Pie Pudding Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! In fact, this is a great dessert to prepare the day before Thanksgiving.
Let the pudding cool, then cover and refrigerate it promptly. It will firm up a little more as it chills.
Serve it cold, or gently warm individual portions if you prefer.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
A Simple Alternative to Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie
I still love a good slice of traditional pumpkin pie, but this slow cooker version has a lot going for it.
There’s no crust to make, no oven space needed, and very little hands-on preparation. And when you’re cooking a big holiday meal, those little conveniences can make all the difference.
Of course, the fact that everyone at our table declared it better than pumpkin pie didn’t hurt either!
If you’ve made this Easy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 ounces (2 cups) pumpkin puree
- 14 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground salt
- Gingersnap crumbs and whipped cream, if desired, for garnish
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 2-Quart.
- Grease the interior of your slow cooker crock.
- Add the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt to the slow cooker.
- Mix with a whisk until smooth.
- Cover and cook on LOW 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours, until the pudding is set.
- Remove the crock from the slow cooker and let cool before serving.
- Serve sprinkled with gingersnap crumbs and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) I substituted 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy WW-Friendly Pumpkin Desserts
If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy pumpkin this season, here are a few favorites:
What if the smallest crock pot you have is a 5qt a there’s only the two of us?
You can place a smaller oven safe dish containing the recipe inside the crockpot. I’ve done this many times successfully.
Sweetened condensed milk is a no no for me. Can unsweetened almond milk and a bit of Splenda for sweetener be used instead. Before I try this does anyone know how it would turn out b
I have this in the crockpot right now. I tripled the recipe because of the amount of pumpkin I had. I didn’t have enough sweetened condensed milk so looked up subbing evac milk for sweetened condensed milk, and was shy one egg. My crockpot is a 6 quart also so I thought tripling the recipe would work best with that size. However, it has been cooking for 6 hours now and still looks runny except around the edges.
I’m wondering if I should have added some flour to help thicken It. We were trying to keep the carb content down so that’s why I modified it so much. I usually follow a recipe precisely the first time I make it.
Hi Bev, I’ve only ever made the recipe as written so not sure how best to advise you. The substitutions of evaporated milk for sweetened condensed and lack of an egg might be the reason for a less firm pudding. ~Martha
What is the sugar content?
Any idea what we could use as a substitute for the sweetened condensed milk?
Hi Tabbie, I don’t know the sugar content and have only made this with sweetened condensed milk which provides a lovely flavor and consistency. I’m thinking that a combination of milk and sweetener would work but I have no idea what the ratios would be.
Since the pudding recipe is almost exactly like the Impossible Pumpkin Pie recipe, I think I can safely recommend replacing the sweetened condensed milk with 1 can evaporated milk, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. I lowered the sugar amount a bit, and it was still delicious and sweet enough for my liking.
First time making pumpkin pudding, and this was simply delicious!!
Thanks, Danielle. Glad you liked it!!
this is insanely good. Better then a pumpkin pie. I never eat the pumpkin pie during the holidays cause I hate that crust – but this is all the deliciousness of the middle of the pie without that mediocre butter crust. Thanks for the recipe – it’s a keeper !!!
Hi Erin,
Thanks so much! We think it’s insanely good too but it’s always so nice to hear it from my readers 🙂 I’m with you on the whole soggy pie crust thing. Why waste our precious calories on something so mediocre??? I appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment.
COULD YOU USE SWEET POTATOES IN PLACE OF PUMPKIN IN THE SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN PIE PUDDING RECIPE?
Hi Alice,
I haven’t tried it with sweet potatoes. They tend to be quite a bit sweeter than canned pumpkin puree, especially if you are using the canned kind. It will increase the points plus too. 1 cup sweet potato has 100 more calories (3 points plus) more than pumpkin puree. If you try it, would love to hear what you think. Hope this helps.
Just found this website on Facebook it all sounds so good , especially since I’m on weight watchers. The pumpkin. Pie pudding is on. The top of my list to.make. thanks
Your slow cooker pumpkin pie pudding is amazing. It is better than any pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten.
Glad you liked the slow cooker pumpkin pie pudding Brenda. I like it better than pumpkin pie too.