Baked Pumpkin Custard

You’ll Need These 6 Ingredients 

If you think homemade custard is tough to make, think again! A full list of ingredients and their measurements has been provided in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview of what you’ll need. 

• Pure Pumpkin Puree — I like to make my own homemade pumpkin puree, but if I’m in a rush a quality can of pure pumpkin puree works just fine! 
• Spices — Ground cinnamon and ginger infuse the custard with bold fall flavor. 
• Dark Brown Sugar — I prefer using brown sugar because it has a rich caramel undertone that makes the custard taste even more luscious. 
• Evaporated Milk — NOT sweetened condensed milk! Evaporated milk makes for a rich, creamy custard without having to add heavy cream. 
• Large Eggs — You’ll be using a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks. Here’s how I separate eggs so the yolks don’t mix with the whites. 
• Whipped Cream (Optional) — I prefer making my own whipped cream using heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Feel free to buy a quality can from the store if that’s easier for you.

Katie’s Tips for Making This Recipe

• Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree for this easy custard recipe, and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is unsweetened and not spiced, which makes it a great base ingredient for this homemade custard.
• You can easily make your own pumpkin puree if you have access to pie pumpkins. Most grocery stores have them in the fall. I recommend making a bit batch of homemade pumpkin purée and freezing it in smaller portions to keep it on hand.
• If you love fall spices, feel free to add more ginger and cinnamon to the pumpkin custard. Or you can try using pumpkin pie spice instead of ginger and cinnamon if you’re a fan of pumpkin spice flavor.
• You HAVE to bake the custard in a water bath. The water bath ensures the pumpkin custard has a nice silky texture, doesn’t crack, and cooks through evenly.

Make-Ahead Instructions 

This pumpkin spiced custard can be made up to 2 days before you plan on serving it. 

After making the pumpkin custard, you’ll need to store it in the fridge and cover it in plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top. 

If you would also like to prepare the whipped cream garnish in advance, I recommend making Stabilized Whipped Cream so that it doesn’t deflate in the refrigerator.

How to Store It 

Once baked and cooled to room temp, chill the custard for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For best results, you should store it covered in plastic wrap to prevent the top from drying out.