Pumpkin Pie in a Cup is an individual no bake pumpkin dessert made with pumpkin puree, cream cheese, whipped topping, and instant pudding. It has all the flavor of classic pumpkin pie, but is lighter, creamier, and served in easy individual portions instead of a traditional crust. Topped with optional cinnamon sugar pie crust leaves, it’s well-spiced, creamy, and perfect for Thanksgiving, fall parties, or a simple make-ahead holiday treat.
🔍 At a Glance
- ⏱️ Ready in: 2 hours 30 minutes (20 min prep, 10 min bake, 2 hr chill)
- 👥 Serves: 12
- 📌 Main Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, cream cheese, Cool Whip
- 🔥 Cook Method: No bake (with baked pie crust toppers)
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Creamy, lightly sweet, warmly spiced
- 📝 Great For: Thanksgiving dessert tables, Friendsgiving, holiday parties, make-ahead treats
More Pumpkin Recipes To Try
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting: These cookies are soft, chewy, and full of warm fall spices.
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars: They’re soft, chewy, buttery, and covered with a yummy cream cheese glaze!
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie: A perfect blend of classic pumpkin pie and rich cheesecake.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- No bake filling with optional baked pie crust toppers: The instant pudding mix helps the pumpkin layer set beautifully without turning on the oven.
- Individual servings: Perfect for parties and portion control — no slicing required.
- Classic fall flavor: Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla deliver that nostalgic pumpkin pie taste in every bite.
Ingredients & Why They Matter
- White Sugar: Sweetens the crust toppers. Substitute with ¼ cup light brown sugar for deeper flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon (for sugar mix): Adds warmth to the crust. You can use pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Refrigerated Pie Crust: Creates the decorative, crunchy topping. Swap with 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs mixed with 4 tablespoons melted butter for a graham base.
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese: Gives structure and richness. Use block-style cream cheese for the best texture.
- Cool Whip: Makes the filling light and fluffy. Substitute with 3 cups homemade whipped cream (whipped to stiff peaks).
- Pumpkin Puree: Provides real pumpkin flavor. Be sure to use plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Milk: Activates the pudding mix. Whole milk or 2% works best.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor. Pure vanilla preferred.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds classic fall spice blend. Substitute with 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon nutmeg + pinch cloves.
- Ground Cinnamon (in filling): Boosts warmth and depth. Optional but recommended.
- Instant Pudding Mix: Thickens and stabilizes the filling. Vanilla or cheesecake flavor both work.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Pumpkin Pie in a Cup Step by Step
- Cut Pie Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Unroll the pie crust and use a leaf-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Arrange the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle the pie crust cutouts with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake: Bake 8–10 minutes until lightly golden at the edges; they will crisp as they cool.
- Beat Cream Cheese: While the pie crust is baking, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of cool whip at a time, beating after each addition until the mixture is fully combined and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between mixing.
💡Tip
When combining the pumpkin mixture with the cream cheese mixture, fold gently using a spatula instead of mixing aggressively. This keeps the filling light, airy, and smooth instead of dense.
- Whisk Pumpkin Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon until smooth and well blended. Finally, whisk in the pudding mix until fully incorporated. The mixture will begin to thicken within 30–60 seconds after adding the pudding mix.
- Fold Filling: Gently fold the pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture until everything is well combined.
- Assemble: Spoon or pipe (with a zip-top bag or piping bag) the pumpkin cream mixture into 10-12 dessert cups, small glasses, or ramekins (about 4-5 ounces). Top each with a dollop of extra cool whip, a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, and a cooled pie crust leaf cutout or two.
Pro Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Pie in a Cup
- Softened cream cheese is non-negotiable: If it’s too cold, you’ll get lumps. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing.
- Pipe for a bakery look: Use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped for clean, professional-looking cups.
Common Mistakes
- Using pumpkin pie filling: Pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices and will make the dessert overly sweet.
- Not letting them chill long enough: These need at least 2 hours to fully set.
- Overmixing After Folding: Fold gently to keep the filling fluffy and light.
How to Store & Make Ahead
- Store leftover Pumpkin Pie Cups covered tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because the filling contains cream cheese and whipped topping, these should always be kept chilled. The texture is best within the first 24–48 hours.
- For the best texture, wait to add the extra Cool Whip topping and cinnamon sugar pie crust leaves until just before serving. Adding the toppings too early can cause the pie crust to soften and lose its crispness.
- These Pumpkin Pie Cups are a great make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving, holiday parties, or fall gatherings. Prepare the cups up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the freshest presentation:
- Assemble the pumpkin filling in the serving cups up to 1 day ahead
- Store covered in the refrigerator
- Add the extra Cool Whip, pumpkin pie spice sprinkle, and pie crust leaves immediately before serving
Swap It Up: Variations to Try
- Graham cracker layer: Create a simple graham cracker crust by mixing 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 5 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar. Press about 1–2 Tablespoons into the bottom of each serving cup before adding the pumpkin filling. Chill for 10–15 minutes to help the crust set before assembling.
- Salted caramel drizzle: Drizzle caramel on top before serving.
- Chocolate chips: Fold in mini chocolate chips for a fun twist.
Pumpkin Pie in a Cup (No Bake)
Pumpkin Pie in a Cup is a creamy no bake fall dessert made with real pumpkin puree, smooth cream cheese, instant pudding, and warm pumpkin pie spice. Finished with crisp cinnamon sugar pie crust leaves, these individual pumpkin desserts deliver classic pumpkin pie flavor in an easy, make-ahead format perfect for Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 refrigerated rolled pie crust, like Pillsubry
- 1 8-ounce package full-fat cream cheese
- 8 ounces about 3 cups cool whip, plus more for topping*
- 1 15-ounce can plain pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 5.1-ounce family size box vanilla or cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
Instructions
- Cut Pie Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Unroll the pie crust and use a leaf-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Arrange the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.1 refrigerated rolled pie crust, like Pillsubry
- Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle the pie crust cutouts with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.1/4 cup white sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Bake: Bake the pie crust cutouts for 10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Once done, set them aside to cool completely.
- Beat Cream Cheese: While the pie crust is baking, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of cool whip at a time, beating after each addition until the mixture is fully combined and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between mixing.1 8-ounce package full-fat cream cheese, 8 ounces about 3 cups cool whip, plus more for topping*
- Whisk Pumpkin Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon until smooth and well blended. Finally, whisk in the pudding mix until fully incorporated.1 15-ounce can plain pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 5.1-ounce family size box vanilla or cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
- Fold Filling: Gently fold the pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture until everything is well combined.
- Assemble: Spoon or pipe (with a zip-top bag or piping bag) the pumpkin cream mixture into 10-12 serving cups. Top each with a dollop of extra cool whip, a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, and a cooled pie crust leaf cutout or two.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!
Notes
- Cool Whip: Makes the filling light and fluffy. Substitute with 3 cups homemade whipped cream (whipped to stiff peaks).
- Softened cream cheese is non-negotiable: If it’s too cold, you’ll get lumps. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing.
- Blot the pumpkin: If your pumpkin puree looks watery, blot it with paper towels to prevent a loose filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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