Pumpkin chiffon pie is a no-bake filling in a pre-baked 9 inch crust: a spiced pumpkin custard set with gelatin, then lightened with whipped egg whites and whipped cream. It takes about 40 minutes of hands-on work and at least 4 hours in the fridge, and it cuts into 8 slices.
It tastes like pumpkin pie but eats like a cold mousse. Timing matters most: fold the whites in while the custard is just slightly warm, so they blend in smoothly without melting.
I make it when the table already has something rich on it, like a pumpkin cheesecake. After a big dinner, a light, cool slice is often the one people still have room for.
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Try the Recipe Converter →Chiffon or Baked Pumpkin Pie: What Changes
A classic pumpkin pie is a custard baked in the oven until it sets. Dense. Smooth. Good warm or cold. A chiffon pie skips baking the filling. The custard is cooked on the stove, gelatin sets it, and folded egg whites and cream fill it with air.
- Texture: baked pumpkin pie is dense and creamy; chiffon is light and mousse-like.
- Oven: baked pie needs the oven for the filling; chiffon only needs a fully baked, cooled crust.
- Serving: chiffon is always served cold, straight from the fridge.
- Spice: the same four spices, but the air in the filling makes them taste gentler.
Gelatin, Pumpkin and the Spice Mix
The filling uses 1¼ cups of canned pumpkin puree, 3 eggs separated into yolks and whites, ¾ cup whole milk and ¾ cup sugar, split between the custard and the whites. One envelope of unflavored gelatin, about 2½ teaspoons, is what lets the slices hold a clean edge.
Use plain pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so it throws off the balance of sugar and spice in this custard and makes the pie taste flat and too sweet at the same time. Homemade pumpkin puree works too, but it is often wetter than canned. Let it drain in a sieve until it is as thick as canned, or the filling will set soft.
The spices are ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon each of ginger, nutmeg and cloves, with ½ teaspoon salt. That is the usual pumpkin pie blend, yet it tastes milder here because every bite is mostly air.
Cooking the Pumpkin Custard Without Scrambling the Yolks
Sprinkle the gelatin over ¼ cup cold water and leave it for 5 minutes, until it turns spongy and opaque. Sprinkling, not dumping, keeps dry pockets from forming.
In a medium saucepan, mix ½ cup of the sugar with the salt and spices, then whisk in the milk, yolks and pumpkin. Cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Keep stirring. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn with your finger stays clear, around 170°F. Do not let it boil, or the yolks scramble.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin right away, until no grains remain. Scrape it into a large bowl and let it cool, stirring every few minutes, until it feels just slightly warm on your finger.
Folding in the Egg Whites and Cream
Beat the 3 egg whites with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar slowly and keep beating until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Use a clean metal or glass bowl with no trace of yolk or grease, or the whites will not rise.
Fold the whites in three additions. Cut down through the middle, sweep along the bottom, and turn the bowl a quarter turn each time. The first third will deflate a little, and that is fine, because it loosens the heavy base so the next two additions slip in and keep their air. Then stop. A few soft lumps are fine; white streaks are not.
Whip the ½ cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla to soft peaks. Fold half into the pumpkin mixture and keep the rest in the fridge for the top. Want taller swirls? A batch of whipped cream frosting holds its swirls longer.
About the Uncooked Egg Whites
The whites in this pie are whipped and folded in raw, then chilled, not baked. If you are serving young children, pregnant guests or anyone who should avoid raw eggs, use pasteurized in-shell eggs. Carton egg whites are pasteurized too, but they often will not whip to stiff peaks.
Lumpy, Weepy or Dense: Rescuing the Filling
- Little cooked egg bits in the custard: the heat was too high. Pour it through a fine sieve before the gelatin goes in.
- Rubbery strings or lumps: the gelatin went into a custard that had already cooled. Stir it in the moment the pan comes off the heat.
- Base set in the bowl before you folded: it cooled too long. Set the bowl over a pan of warm water and whisk until smooth, then cool again to slightly warm.
- Wet layer at the bottom of the pie: the custard was too warm or the whites were not fully folded in. Fold until no streaks remain.
- Dense, flat filling: the whites were underbeaten or stirred instead of folded.
Choosing the Pie Shell
A store-bought shell works well when the oven is busy. When I have time, I use my all-butter homemade pie crust. Either way, bake it until deep golden. Then let it cool completely. A pale or warm crust turns soggy under a chilled filling.
Chilling, Slicing and Making It a Day Ahead
Pour the filling into the crust, smooth the top, and chill for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better. That makes it a good pie to finish the day before Thanksgiving, slide onto the bottom shelf of the fridge, and not think about again until dessert.
Add the reserved whipped cream and a little cinnamon just before serving, not hours earlier, because cream spread on too soon slowly weeps into the filling and leaves a wet ring around the crust. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts. Strong coffee or chai goes well alongside.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Lay wax paper loosely over the top if you need to move it, which protects the surface from cracks. Do not freeze it.
Old Fashioned Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Questions
Is this the old fashioned pumpkin chiffon pie?
Yes. This is the traditional method: a cooked pumpkin custard set with unflavored gelatin and lightened with beaten egg whites, with no instant pudding or whipped topping in the filling.
Can I make pumpkin chiffon pie with Cool Whip?
Yes. Fold in about ½ cup of thawed whipped topping instead of the half of the whipped cream, and use more on top. The filling will be a little sweeter and firmer.
Can you freeze pumpkin chiffon pie?
No. The airy filling weeps and separates as it thaws. Make it a day ahead instead.
Is pumpkin chiffon pie baked?
No. Only the crust goes in the oven, while the filling is cooked on the stove and sets in the fridge, because baking it would collapse all the air you folded into the whites.
For other cold, creamy pies and spoon desserts, try pumpkin pudding, a dairy-free vegan pumpkin pie or banana cream pie.
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
This pumpkin chiffon pie is an old fashioned no-bake pumpkin pie made with canned pumpkin, egg yolks, milk, warm spices and gelatin, lightened with whipped egg whites and cream. It needs about 40 minutes of work and at least 4 hours in the fridge, and fills one pre-baked 9 inch pie shell for 8 slices. The pumpkin custard is cooked on the stove, set with gelatin, then folded with stiff egg whites while just slightly warm, so the filling turns light and mousse-like but still slices cleanly. Serve it for Thanksgiving, after a big dinner, or next to a baked pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake. Make it a day ahead, keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days, and do not freeze.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUST
- 1 9-inch pre-baked pie shell (homemade or store-bought)
- FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 2 ½ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- FOR THE CHIFFON BASE
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- OPTIONAL TOPPING
- Whipped cream
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- PREPARE THE GELATIN: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it sit for 5 minutes to bloom. This ensures the gelatin fully hydrates and will dissolve smoothly into the custard base.
- COOK THE PUMPKIN CUSTARD: In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup of the granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk in the milk, egg yolks, and pumpkin until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until just slightly warm.
- WHIP THE EGG WHITES: In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. This creates volume and stability for the chiffon filling.
- FOLD IN THE EGG WHITES: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cooled pumpkin custard mixture in three additions. Use a spatula and a light hand to keep as much air as possible in the mixture, avoiding over-mixing.
- MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM: In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold half of the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Reserve the remaining whipped cream for topping.
- ASSEMBLE AND CHILL: Pour the finished chiffon filling into the prepared pie crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until the filling is fully set and sliceable.
- SERVE: Just before serving, top with the reserved whipped cream and a light dusting of ground cinnamon if desired. Slice with a sharp knife and serve chilled.
Notes
Use a fully baked, completely cooled 9 inch crust; store-bought is fine. Cook the custard only until it coats the back of a spoon and never let it boil, or the yolks scramble; strain it if any bits form. Stir in the bloomed gelatin right off the heat. If the custard sets before folding, warm the bowl over warm water and whisk smooth. Whip the whites in a clean metal or glass bowl with no grease or yolk. The egg whites are not cooked, so use pasteurized eggs if serving anyone who should avoid raw eggs. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight, add the reserved whipped cream just before serving, and refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 265Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 112mgSodium 231mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 2gSugar 26gProtein 8g
