I’m just not a pie person. I think that’s fairly controversial, but in the dessert realm, I’d prefer cake or cookies or ice cream to pie. I do love pumpkin-flavored things, though. So I created this pumpkin pudding recipe as an alternative to pumpkin pie for your holiday dessert table.
♥ Related: Thanksgiving Recipes
This recipe calls for roasting winter squash to use as the pumpkin element here. Yes, squash. Did you know what those cans of pumpkin puree are actually winter squash? Non-pumpkin winter squash varieties like butternut squash are actually sweeter and more flavorful than pumpkin. You didn’t know your pumpkin pie was really squash pie, did you?
For this recipe use a winter squash that is on the sweeter side like honeynut, butternut, or hubbard. If you want to save a step, go ahead and use a can of pumpkin, I mean squash, puree.
♥ Related: Winter Squash Guide and Taste Test
This pumpkin pudding is really very easy to make and scratches the pumpkin craving that hits when the air gets crisper. The pudding is flavorful and creamy; the cookies layered into the pudding give the dessert some extra spice and sweetness. Plus, you don’t have to mess with pie crust which is personally a kryptonite of mine.
I’m biased (against pie) but I think this pudding is 100 times better than pumpkin pie. Give it a try this holiday season and let me know what you think!
Video: Watch Me Make This Recipe
Pumpkin Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 honeynut squash
- ½ tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup half & half
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 12-15 Biscoff cookies
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ cup toasted pecans chopped roughly
Instructions
- Cut squash in half, remove the pulp and seeds. Spread with butter, a sprinkle of salt, and brown sugar. Place skin side down on a baking sheet and roast in a 400F degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, scoop out of the skin and mash.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add milk, half & half, brown sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk in ½ cup of roasted, mashed squash. Bring up to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and egg yolks until it becomes fully combined and looks like a smooth paste.
- Once the milk mixture is simmering, use a ladle to ladle about a cup of liquid into the egg yolk paste. Whisk well to combine. Once well combined, pour the egg yolk mixture into the pot of milk. Whisk well.
- Keep cooking the pudding for about a minute while stirring constantly to cook the egg yolk through fully. The pudding will be finished when it's very thick and coats the back of the spoon. This should not take long. Take off the heat and finish by stirring in the butter and vanilla extract.
- Line the bottom of a 6-cup casserole dish with Biscoff cookies fitting as many as possible. Then pour half of the warm pudding mixture over the cookies using a spatula to spread it evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies over the pudding. Then pour the rest of the warm pudding into the dish. Cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the pudding. Then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours until the pudding is cooled and set.
- Place the whipping cream in a large bowl with the maple syrup. Whisk until the cream holds stiff peaks. It's easiest to use a mixer for this.
- Right before serving, top with whipped cream and toasted pecans.
Notes
- If you want to save a step here, you can use a can of pumpkin puree in place of the roasted squash. You’ll still need just 1/2 a cup.
- I love Biscoff cookies, but you could also use ginger snap cookies or ameretti cookies. Choose any crunchy cookie with a lot of spice to them.
- If you’re managing a nut allergy, replace the pecans with crumbled cookies just before serving to add the crunch factor. Or serve the pecans and cookies on the side for your guests to add their own garnish.
Things You Might Need For This Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Biscoff Cookies
This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission on qualified purchases from affiliate links that you click. Affiliate commissions help support this site so that I can keep bringing you great recipes, kitchen hacks, and product reviews.
Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Leave a Reply