One of my all-time favorite foods is pumpkin. Healthy. Tasty. Naturally gluten-free and sugar-free.
My clue that fall has officially arrived is the onset of pumpkin recipes that pop up all over the blogoshpere. Fall shows up in Texas a little slower than most places.
It doesn’t stay long, either. Leaves change color and drop from the trees all within a couple of weeks.
While I love the milder weather here in Dallas, I miss the longer fall season that I grew up with. My family would drive to southern Ohio where my dad grew up and breathe in the glorious reds, oranges, and yellow leaves that painted the rolling hills. I still get a little homesick when I walk outside and smell the rich, musty scent that only comes from dew clinging to fallen leaves.
left to right: my sister, Lorie, my dad, and me
And the comfort food that came with it…my Grandma Ruth’s pumpkin pie, warm apple crisp, creamy rice pudding all topped with whipped cream. Cornbread dressing, pumpkin bread, and roasted winter vegetables.
It’s finally cooled off a little here but the leaves are still green. Instead of waiting on Mother Nature to work her magic, I decided to create a little bit of fall with this Pumpkin Pie Pudding.
It won’t be long, though, before the trees are bare. I’ll walk outside, breathe deep, and think of home.
Roasting Your Own Pumpkin
For some reason, canned pumpkin has been scarce the last couple of years. I started buying the little pie pumpkins and roasting them myself. After their cooled, I scrape the flesh into my food processor, puree it, and freeze it. If you don’t know how to roast a pumpkin, see my tutorial. And, make sure to save the seeds and roast those, too.
Some other pumpkin recipes:
- Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars from Ginger Lemon Girl
- Pumpkin Shrimp Bisque from Jenn Cuisine
- Pumpkin Cheesecake from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Pumpkin Spice Latte from A Year of Slow Cooking
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies from Beyond Rice & Tofu
- Raw Pumpkin Cheesecake from The Daily Dietribe
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie from Gluten-Free Easily
What smells and flavors remind you of fall? And, if you have a favorite pumpkin recipe share it in the comments below!
Find other great recipes at Real Food Wednesday & Gluten-Free Wednesdays.
An instant read kitchen thermometer comes in handy when making any custard. The eggs are considered ‘safe’ to eat once the internal temperature reaches 165F and holds that temperature for 5 seconds. Take the reading by putting the thermometer in the middle of the custard, inserting it half way through. Touching the bottom of the CrockPot will give you an inaccurate reading.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia
- 1/2 cup Sorghum-Garfava Blend
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- Prepare the crock of a 4 -6 quart CrockPot with cooking spray.
- Whisk together pumplin puree, evaporated milk, agave, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and liquid stevia. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine until just mixed.
- Add pudding mixture to a greased crock. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Serve warm or cold – either way it’s totally delicious.
Ricki
posted on September 28, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Sounds absolutely heavenly! (as do your memories of fall–wish I felt that way!). I was a bit late on the FB list, but one of my fave pumpkin recipes is this pumpkin butter. Makes a great gift, too!
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Amy Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 8:07 am
@Ricki, Sorry if I missed your recipe, Ricki. I was just thinking about making pumpkin butter earlier this week…I love it.
Thanks for giving us a link to your recipe.
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Stephanie
posted on September 28, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I love the smell of autumn leaves! My husband and I went on a hike this weekend, and the smell of the leaves made me want to roll around in a freshly raked pile!
I’ve got a great recipe that I make often when I’m craving spicy, pumpkinny yumminess for breakfast and snacks! I think it’s about time I give it another go. I’ve got 3 pie pumpkins sitting on the kitchen table, ready to be roasted.
http://nograinnopain.blogspot.com/2010/05/pumpkin-chai-cranberry-muffins.html
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Amy Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 8:06 am
@Stephanie, I actually have a coconut chai ice cream in my blog que for tomorrow’s post. I love chai…I’ll have to check out your recipe. Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. Hugs!
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Zoe @ Z's Cup of Tea
posted on September 28, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Oh, Amy! This sounds wonderful! It just reminds me even more that we (my family and I) need to pull out our slow cooker and use it. We’ve been meaning to, thinking about it, and finding old slow cooker recipes we used to make but haven’t got to the doing part yet. That will be fixed soon, though!
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Amy Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 7:55 am
@Zoe @ Z’s Cup of Tea, I was just thinking about you last night…I hope school is going well.
I hope you’ll post some CrockPot recipes…I’d love to see your take on them.
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Iris
posted on September 29, 2010 at 2:40 am
What lovely memories! Thanks for linking to my pumpkin cheesecake. I’ve been doing pumpkin everything lately…
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Shirley @ gfe
posted on September 29, 2010 at 5:34 am
Oh, that looks totally delicious, Amy, and I love that you shared a family photo and some memories. So nice.
I sort of wait until the beginning of October to get back into baking pumpkins and making wonderful goodies with them. Maybe because that’s when the sugar pumpkins start appearing here. Can’t wait … it’s almost here!
Thanks so much for linking up my crustless pumpkin pie recipe–that is the #1 viewed post on my blog! The recipe allows one to not worry about a crust and folks don’t really miss the crust. If you don’t tell them it’s crustless when serving, most folks don’t mention it and are surprised when you point out that it’s crustless. Some have also said that they never liked pumpkin pie before because it was “too wet,” but with the little bit of flour added, the pie became “just right.” Similarly, your pudding has the tiny bit of flour and looks just right to me, too!
Thanks again, Amy! You have me in such fantastic company, including yours!
Shirley
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Amy Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 7:57 am
@Shirley @ gfe, I agree, Shirley. If the filling is good, the crust is not so important. A crunch could be added with some toasted pecans is someone wanted it. And, thank you for sharing your pumpkin links with me. It makes it so much easier.
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Hallie @ Daily Bites
posted on September 29, 2010 at 7:35 am
Believe it or not, I haven’t owned a crockpot since before last Thursday. I finally bought one and am eager to use it this fall and winter. This might be the very first recipe I make! Thanks, Amy.
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Amy Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 7:54 am
@Hallie @ Daily Bites, I have three CrockPots and I’d have more but we’ve run out of storage.
I need a really big one and a mini. (Notice the word ‘need’. My husband would say it’s a ‘want.’) Have fun with your new toy!
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carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com
posted on September 29, 2010 at 8:46 am
Oh my GOSH Amy!! YUM!! A Pumpkin pudding… now why haven’t I thought of that!! I can’t wait to try this! I LOVE that picture of you and your sis and dad! That is priceless!
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Amy Reply:
October 2nd, 2010 at 5:17 pm
@carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com, Thanks, Carrie. I was so happy to find it…my dad passed away in December 2006. This brought back some good memories.
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Linda
posted on September 29, 2010 at 9:07 am
I started using pie pumpkins too, and I always like the flavor better than canned. This recipe looks delicious. I was so excited about it until I realized it has milk. I don’t know if I’ll have time this fall to work on dairy free versions of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes. I will miss a good pumpkin pie. Love the family picture!
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Amy Reply:
October 2nd, 2010 at 5:16 pm
@Linda, I’m sure that dairy-free would work just fine. Try hemp milk…it’s a little creamier than other milks.
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Celiacs in the House
posted on September 29, 2010 at 10:17 am
Pumpkins and fall are my favorites. I love your family food memories you’ve been sharing lately. Using the slow cooker for dessert is not something I do, but I’m ready to give this recipe a try. I make pumpkin muffin tops with a cream cheese filling that my kids love.
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Amy Reply:
October 2nd, 2010 at 5:15 pm
@Celiacs in the House, I fell in love with dessert in the CrockPot…it could be that my oven is on way too much lately. It’s just so darn easy and it feels like I’m cheating.
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Suzanne Collier
posted on September 29, 2010 at 11:41 am
This looks wonderful!
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Miz Helen
posted on September 29, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Miz Amy,
I just love the picture of you and your Dad you look precious. Yummy Pumpkin Pudding I will have to try it.
Thank You…
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CeeEsBee
posted on September 29, 2010 at 12:23 pm
This looks so delicious! I love anything pumpkin… and now I want to make this tonight. However, I only have coconut flour on hand. Can I use this in place of the Sorghum-Garfava Blend?
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Amy Reply:
October 2nd, 2010 at 5:14 pm
@CeeEsBee, I think coconut flour will make this too thick…I haven’t tried it but if you used a couple tablespoons it might work. Just my guess – no promises.
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Jenn
posted on September 29, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Thanks so much for sharing, this pudding recipe looks awesome and so unique! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it!!
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fooddreamer
posted on September 29, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Wow, this looks so good, I can’t wait to try it! I am so new to being sugar free, I don’t have any pumpkin recipes that fit the bill for me now. YET. I have a few ideas up my sleeve for the fall.
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Jenn G
posted on September 29, 2010 at 3:14 pm
I am shocked, beyond shocked, at the use of agave syrup in this recipe (and incidentally, the pumpkin butter one noted above).
Most agave “nectar” or agave “syrup” is nothing more than a laboratory-generated super-condensed fructose syrup, devoid of virtually all nutrient value, and offering you metabolic misfortune in its place.
The above is quoted from the following article, by Dr. Mercola: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/agave-this-sweetener-is-f_b_537936.html
My suggestion would be a nice, raw honey that still has the wonderful properties nature intended. Stevia would be another decent choice.
I’d also eliminate the “cooking spray” and use a good quality butter, ghee, or coconut oil to grease the pot. Just like grandma used to do with the cookie sheets before non-stick, remember? I do.
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Julielynn
posted on September 29, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Amy, this looks amazing.
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Barbara @ moderncomfortfood
posted on September 29, 2010 at 5:00 pm
I don’t own a crock pot, but my son does. I might just borrow his to make this wonderful pumpkin pudding. Like you, but perhaps a bit more so, I’m longing for the cooler weather that signals autumn here in Florida and the chance to have heartier fall fare (and give my poor tank tops and shorts a rest too!).
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KalynsKitchen
posted on September 29, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Love the sound of this! Sounds like a winner.
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Mary
posted on September 29, 2010 at 7:41 pm
How weird that you posted about pumpkin. I too love it. When I was shopping this morning here in WI there was no canned pumpkin to be found on the shelf – just a big empty space. I went on my way and before I checked out I went back just in case they restocked and there it was – ONE can of pumpkin. Someone must have put it back…yippee!!!! Your recipe looks great!
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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on September 29, 2010 at 9:35 pm
I adore pumpkin too Amy! This looks like a delicious pudding!
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Teresa
posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:04 am
Hi Amy,
This looks so yummy! My son however cannot have milk. I am uncertain what condensed milk does versus regular milk but do you think I could use almond milk instead?
Thank you!
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Amy Reply:
October 2nd, 2010 at 5:21 pm
@Teresa, Almond milk should work….it might be less ‘custardy’ and will have a bit of a nuttiness to it but it should still set up just fine.
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renee
posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Looks great Amy! I might have to make some soon.
I have been celiac for 15 years and my grandmother has always used the extra filling she has from making her two pies to make me a little dish of crustless pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Who needs the crust? Just a bit (or a lot) of whipped cream, huh?!
We have never added flour to our pumpkin but I am wondering what that tastes like now…I would imagine the texture is slightly different?
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Lisa@www.bakedinmaine.com
posted on October 1, 2010 at 8:13 pm
I LOVE pumpkin and I can’t wait to try this!!!
DELICIOUS!!!
Lisa
xo
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megan
posted on October 3, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Oh Pumpkin Pudding, how I love you! This looks beautiful, Amy!
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Alta
posted on October 4, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I love all winter squashes – pumpkin included! This looks so comforting.
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Aubree Cherie
posted on October 6, 2010 at 6:11 am
Hi Amy,
This pudding looks fabulous! And making in the crock pot is just genius!I wanted to let you know that I added it to my blog’s favorite recipes from last week post.
~Aubree Cherie
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Amy Reply:
October 6th, 2010 at 10:16 am
@Aubree Cherie, Always an honor, Aubree…headed over to see who else is in the line-up.
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Melody
posted on October 10, 2010 at 7:18 pm
I made this today and it’s delicious! Thanks again Amy! Can’t wait for your book!
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Amy Reply:
October 10th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
@Melody, I’m glad that you like it! It’s hard to believe it’s made in the slow cooker, huh? Hugs!
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Diane
posted on November 20, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Recently have eliminated gluten, grassy grains, sugar, including fruit and dairy. What can I substitute for milk? I will try light olive oil to replace butter, but am stumped on the milk…
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Amy Reply:
November 21st, 2010 at 2:52 pm
@Diane, A friend of mine, Selina from Creative Juices for Decor, made this with coconut milk. Her recipe is here: http://creativejuicesdecor.blogspot.com/2010/11/crockpot-pumpkin-pie-custard-sugar-free.html
It looks delicious!
Hugs,
Amy
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Beth
posted on September 28, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Question….can you use a different flour blend for this besides the sorghum-bean blend?
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Amy Reply:
October 4th, 2011 at 7:25 am
@Beth, You can definitely try it and see how it works. I haven’t tested it with anything else.
Hugs,
Amy
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Claire S.
posted on October 7, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Hi Amy,
I am also needing to cut out cow’s milk, and was wondering how you thought subbing condensed goat milk for the evaporated milk would work.
This recipe looks absolutely decadent!
Also, have you had many dairy-free friends that have converted the recipes from your book successfully to be d/f? Just wondering…
Thank you for all that you do!!
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Amy Reply:
October 7th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
@Claire S., I’ve never used condensed goat’s milk but if it’s similar to evaporated milk, I’m sure it would work. Just be aware of any added sugar in the goat’s milk as it might make this too sweet.
Yes, I personally have converted the recipes to dairy-free when I cook for someone who needs it. Many of my cakes and cupcakes are dairy-free and I also have dairy-free frostings. In the back of the book there is a substitution chart so that you’ll know what I’ve used successfully.
There’s more information about my book here:
http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/cookbook/about-ssgf-coobook/
Hugs,
Amy
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Claire S. Reply:
October 7th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Amy, thank you so much for such a quick reply! Thank you for the information regarding your substitution list in the back of your book! It is in my cart on amazon!
God Bless you!
Claire
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Jenny R
posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:51 am
Made it and it is good! My Crock Pot must be super charged tho since mine was done in about 3 hours but I am not complaining b/c it made a great midnight snack with a huge dollop of sweet cream! Mmmm!
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Amy Reply:
October 17th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
@Jenny R, Thanks for coming back to share, Jenny! Yes, I’ve found that each CrockPot cooks a little different. Glad you caught it before it was way overcooked.
Hugs,
Amy
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Jenny
posted on November 12, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I have everything I need to make the crockpot pumpkin pie except the liquid stevia. What can I use as a substitute? I am just beginning my gluten & sugar free cooking/baking.
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