Baked Pumpkin Pudding (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Egg-Free)
A creamy baked pumpkin pudding made with pumpkin puree, coconut yogurt, warm spices and maple syrup. This scoopable Thanksgiving dessert is dairy-free, gluten-free and egg-free and is delicious served chilled with dairy-free salted caramel.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 5 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp mace or nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp clove
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 (15 oz) cans pumpkin puree
- 3 cups unsweetened, plain coconut yogurt
- ½ cup maple syrup
For serving
- Salted caramel
- Coconut yogurt sweetened with maple syrup, optional
- Ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove and salt until evenly combined. Add the pumpkin puree, coconut yogurt and maple syrup and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into an 10-inch pie plate or a 1½-quart capacity baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Begin checking the pudding after 40 minutes. The edges should be set and the center soft but no longer liquid, holding its shape with a gentle wobble. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the pudding, with the tip positioned halfway between the surface and bottom of the dish. Remove the pudding when it reaches about 170° to avoid overbaking, which can give the pudding a gummy texture.
- Cool at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered or loosely covered until completely chilled. Once cold, cover and keep refrigerated.
- To serve, drizzle the pudding with salted caramel and scoop into dessert dishes, serving additional caramel alongside. If desired, finish with maple-sweetened coconut yogurt and a dusting of cinnamon.
Notes
Avoid overbaking: Tapioca starch can become gummy when overcooked, so don’t wait for the center of the pudding to look completely firm. For the full-size pudding, remove it from the oven when the true center reaches about 170°F. It should still have a gentle wobble and will continue to set as it cools.
For individual puddings: Divide the batter among six 5-inch mini pie plates. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for about 30 minutes more. The centers may reach 180–190°F and will still cool to a creamy, scoopable texture. Wide, shallow mini pie plates work better than deep ramekins for even baking. The recipe can also be halved to make three individual puddings.