Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
These Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes are individual, silky, sweet custards with the same delicious flavor as your favorite Thanksgiving dessert. Perfect for portion control!
Pumpkin Desserts are all the rage in the fall. These dense, delicious Pumpkin Spice “Cupcakes” provide pumpkin flavor in a mini dessert. Perfect for those pumpkin pie cravings!
Why You Must Make
- They are mini crustless pumpkin pies!! Perfect for those who enjoy the filling more than the crust.
- The amped up whipped cream topping is even tastier than plain sweet whipped cream.
- If you have trouble controlling your portion size when slicing a traditional pumpkin pie, you’ll love these individual mini pies!
These mini pumpkin cakes are actually made with pumpkin pie filling and baked in a muffin tin. Half were made using paper cupcake liners and half in a greased pan. Surprisingly, the Pumpkin Custards in the liners baked up wrinkly on top. Experimentation helped find the best way to bake these gems!
Topped with a dollop of cream cheese whipped cream, this pumpkin dessert was a delicious preview to our Thanksgiving feast next month. Made with pumpkin puree, half and half, and the usual pumpkin spices, the flavors, and texture were spot on! Plus, a dollop of sweet cream cheese whipped cream pushed the wow factor over the top with the first bite!
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda
- Pumpkin Puree – Not pumpkin pie filling since it already has spices added.
- Vanilla Extract – Real vanilla extract, not imitation
- Spices – Cinnamon, Ginger, Ground Cloves. If they’ve been in your pantry for years, consider replacing as spices can lose their potency over time.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder often expires in your panty. Check the expiration date.
- Cream Cheese – Have at room temperature for easy incorporation
- Powdered Sugar – Sift so the topping doesn’t have lumps.
- Heavy Cream – 36% Butterfat
Expert Tips
- PRO-Tip: Don’t buy a can of Pumpkin Pie mix. It has flavorings and ingredients that will compete with what’s in this recipe. You want plain pumpkin puree.
- Bake these pumpkin pie cupcakes in a greased muffin tin. After the cupcakes or mini pumpkin pies are chilled, they release easily from the pan.
- Alternatively, bake these pumpkin custards in ceramic ramekins until the middles are just set.
- If you’d rather use pumpkin pie spice than the mixture of spices in the recipe, use 1 1/2-2 teaspoons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin pie is basically a pumpkin custard flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Pumpkin pie filling tastes like a thick pudding.
Pumpkin pie starts with pumpkin puree, which you can buy canned or you can make your own by cooking and pureeing flesh from small “pie” pumpkins. Eggs, sugar, spices, a thickener like flour and cream, half and half, evaporated milk, or sweetened condensed milk are the other common ingredients.
After mixing the ingredients together, the custard is poured into a pastry shell and baked.
These cupcakes cook in about 20 minutes, though it will vary depending on how your oven bakes. They’ll be done when they look set on the surface.
You May Also Like:
It’s that time of year when the focus is on pumpkin, apple, Halloween, and Thanksgiving recipes. What’s your favorite fall treat?
- The Best Thanksigving Desserts
- Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
- Classic Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin French Toast
- Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Caramel-Topped Pumpkin Cheesecake
- More Dessert Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes Recipe
Mini Pumpkin Pies baked up like cupcakes in a muffin tin!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree, nor pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup half and half
- ⅔ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Whipped Cream:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.
- Mix the pumpkin and sugar in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Add eggs, vanilla, and half & half.
- Add all dry ingredients, and mix to combine.
- Fill each muffin cup with about ⅓ cup of the mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- In a bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Serve cupcakes with a dollop of cream cheese whipped cream.
Notes
Without crusts, these are a lower-carb option for Thanksgiving.
Adapted from Hugs & Cookies XOXO via OMG Chocolate Desserts
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 4g
12 Comments on “Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes”
Dear Liz, your recipe for this Pumpkin pie cupcakes is a fabulous one.
I admired it that the results of this recipe sound good when I tried it. Thanks a lot for this loveable recipe.
These cupcakes are too cute and the mini size is just perfect!
A couple of these on a cold windy day like today would be perfect.
Dear Liz, I like ths fact that you made mini pies – so elegant for Thanksgiving dinner or as a teatime treat. Your presentation is gorgeous and the recipe is wonderful and seasonal – love all about it!!!
The gang here would love these, and they’re a perfect treat for this time of year and great for the holiday tables. Thanks for the recipe, Liz!
We just had our Thanksgiving and there was the traditional pumpkin pie, not my favourite; but I’d definitely splurge on these little beauties! Will bookmark for American Thanksgiving, thanks Liz.
I’m not a huge fan of cupcakes, but these bad (good indeed) guys look wonderful that I won’t be able to resist! And this whipped cream with cream cheese on top? I am in!
Yum! These are so cute and I love really love that they are custard-like. I love having individual portions like this, too. I’m in! 🙂 ~Valentina
Perfect timing for some pumpkin!! YUM! I will have to whip these up again soon, they look great!
wow this is so much easier than the whole pie thing and I love the light custard. Sounds wonderful, I can’t even believe it’s almost that time of the year again!
How fun! A great way to get my pumpkin pie fix but a little lighter:@)
I adore muffin pan desserts. Easier for portion control 🙂 The mini pumpkin pies look absolutely gorgeous, Liz.