Updated September 2026, recipe card rewritten.
Impossible Perfect Fall treat! De-lic-ious Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes.
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“I make these for our camping thanksgiving. They fit in the camper fridge better than pie. My girls love them! Ps we use silicone liners on a cookie sheet…… they didn’t fall in the middle.”
Stacey, October 2021
It’s crazy how you blink and summer is over…I relax just a bit when mornings become misty and leaves begin to drop. It’s bitter sweat… no I didn’t misspell that… it is sweat! For me, Fall is a magical time of year, it means more baking, warm fires, endless opportunities for seasonal photos and that sweet spot before the holiday chaos.
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Today, Fall is in the air….can you smell pumpkin spice everything yet?
A perfect time to introduce fall blockbuster….just like a apple pie, just like a Guardians of the Galaxy, just like being able to wear a pair of laid-back Levi’s jeans….Impossible pumpkin pie cupcakes.
I know you’re probably surprised to see that picture of cupcakes up there because, as I’ve mentioned before, I usually do not like cupcakes. Personally, I think they’re too typical. Yet, I must say that this recipe is a huge departure from a typical cupcake. It’s one of my most requested recipes each year. I mean, just LOOK at these cupcakes! They’re beautiful, and I promise, they’re very tasty.
They taste just like pumpkin pie filling, but are sturdy enough to eat with your hands. You’ll love these because they’re not overly sweet, and they’re pumpkin-y without being overpowering, plus the batter is crazy easy to make too.
If you love pumpkin pie and are tired of waiting until Thanksgiving these cupcakes are the perfect way to get your fix, but they’re also great to pack up and give as a Thanksgiving take-home gifts.
★★★★★ 5 STAR REVIEW
“These are so delicious and turn out perfectly! My husband requests I make them often for his office, any potlucks going on and any and all family gatherings!”
Mandy
What Makes These “Impossible”
The flour sinks to the bottom while they bake and sets into a thin layer of its own, so the cupcake makes its own crust. That is the whole trick, and it is why there is only two-thirds of a cup of flour in a recipe that fills a twelve-cup tin.
Everything above that layer stays custard. The texture is pumpkin pie, not cake, soft and dense and spoonable at the center. If you are expecting a crumb that springs back when you press it, you will think something went wrong. Nothing did.
Why They Sink in the Middle
They are supposed to. A custard sets by coagulating eggs, not by trapping air, so as the cupcakes cool the center settles and leaves a shallow dip. Every version of this recipe on the internet does the same thing, and the ones that do not tell you so generate the same confused comments this page has collected for years.
The dip is not a defect. It is where the whipped cream goes, and it is the reason these photograph the way they do with a swirl on top instead of a flat dome.
READER TIP
“Doesn’t hurt to fill that well with extra whipped cream!” Millie
How Much Batter Goes in Each Cup
A scant one-third cup, measured, which fills the cup about two-thirds of the way up, not one-third of the way up. This one line has caused more trouble on this page than everything else combined, and the fault was mine: the old wording said “approximately 1/3 cup of batter” and left it there.
Read as a measure, you get twelve cupcakes the height of the ones in the photos. Read as a level, you fill each cup a third of the way, end up with more than twenty thin ones, and none of them look right. Both readings are reasonable, which is exactly why the instruction had to change.
READER TIP
“I added a little more batter to each cupcake and increased the time x 9 min. Came out great!” Cherbear, who worked it out before I fixed it
Why They Stick to Paper Liners
Because there is almost no flour in them. A normal cupcake releases from paper because its crumb is dry enough to pull away. This batter is closer to custard, so it grips the paper and tears when you peel it.
Grease the muffin tin directly and skip liners altogether, or use silicone. A spray on paper liners helps, but it does not solve it, and more than a few people here have reported cupcakes welded to sprayed paper.
READER TIP
“Try giving your papers a quick spray of pam. I do whenever I bake any cupcakes and that usually pop right out.” Jeanette
Pumpkin Puree or Pumpkin Pie Filling?
Puree, the can labeled just “Pumpkin,” with nothing in it but pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and already spiced, so using it gives you a cupcake with roughly double the sugar and double the spice.
Both cans sit on the same shelf and both say Libby’s on the front, which is why this comes up so often. If pie filling is all you have, leave out the sugar and the pumpkin pie spice entirely and taste the batter before it goes in the tin.
READER TIP
“Buy the Libby’s that is labeled just Pumpkin. You dont want the one labeled Pumpkin Pie Mix.” Cindy
How Long They Bake, and How to Tell They Are Done
Twenty to twenty-five minutes at 350°F, and they are done when the edges are set and the center is just barely wobbly. Not clean-toothpick done. A toothpick that comes out clean from the middle of a custard means it went too far.
The wobble finishes setting during the twenty minutes the cupcakes cool in the pan. That cooling step is part of the recipe, not a suggestion, and if you lift them out hot the centers will still be loose.
Making Them Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, or Less Sweet
Gluten-free works better here than in almost any other baked recipe, because there is so little flour to replace. A cup-for-cup blend that already contains xanthan gum goes straight in at the same two-thirds cup.
For dairy-free, full-fat coconut milk stands in for the evaporated milk at the same three-quarters of a cup; it firms up slightly more than dairy does. The sugar can come down to half a cup before the texture starts to suffer, since the sugar is doing structural work as well as sweetening.
READER TIP
“I used cup-4-cup GF flour and they turned out fine.” Debbie
Storing Them and Making Them Ahead
They keep in the refrigerator for about three days, in a container with a tight lid. They are custard and they contain eggs and milk, so the fridge is not optional the way it is with a butter cake.
Whipped cream goes on at the last minute. If you top them the night before, the cream weeps into the dip and you lose the clean swirl. Bake and chill a day ahead, pipe on the morning you serve. If you want a make ahead pumpkin treat that skips the oven entirely, my Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls chill in the refrigerator and keep for up to a week too.
Questions People Ask About These Cupcakes
Can I make them mini? Yes. A mini tin takes about a tablespoon and a half of batter per cup and roughly twelve to fifteen minutes; watch for the same set edges and wobbly center.
Can I bake the batter in one dish instead? Yes, it becomes a crustless pumpkin pie. A nine-inch pie plate takes about forty-five minutes at the same temperature.
Do I need oil? No. There is no oil and no butter in this recipe; the richness comes from the eggs and the evaporated milk.
Can I use individual spices instead of pumpkin pie spice? Two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice is roughly one teaspoon cinnamon, half a teaspoon ginger, a quarter teaspoon nutmeg and a quarter teaspoon cloves.
Can I double the recipe? Yes, straight doubled, but bake one tin at a time on the middle rack. Two tins at once means uneven heat and uneven set.
A Note on This Recipe
The recipe itself has not changed, same ingredients, same amounts, same oven. What changed is the wording. Going back through ten years of comments, one instruction kept causing the same failure: “fill each muffin cup with approximately 1/3 cup of batter” was being read as “fill the cup one-third full.” That single ambiguity explains the thin cupcakes, the leftover batter and most of the disappointment on this page. It now says both the measure and the level. I also added what was always true but never written down: these sink as they cool, and they stick to paper liners.
Pin This for Later
Save this pin to your Thanksgiving or fall baking board so these cupcakes are easy to find when pumpkin season hits.
Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 15 oz pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well, or use silicone liners. Skip paper liners, this batter has very little flour and it grips paper so hard the cupcakes tear coming out.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla and evaporated milk until well combined.
- Add in dry ingredients and whisk until no streaks of flour remain and batter is smooth.
- Pour a scant 1/3 cup of batter into each cup, about two-thirds of the way up, not one-third of the way up. That single line is where most of the trouble with this recipe comes from.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when the edges are set and the center is just barely wobbly; it firms up as it cools. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top and before serving.
Notes
They sink in the middle as they cool. That is what this kind of cake does, it sets like a custard, not like a sponge, and the dip is where the whipped cream goes. Every version of this recipe behaves the same way.
If they stuck to the liner, it was paper. Grease the tin directly or use silicone. A spray on paper helps a little; it does not solve it.
Keep them in the fridge in a container with a tight lid. They are best the first two days.
I made these today and they fell in each cupcake has a well. so any ideas what I did wrong? they do taste great they just don’t look great!
Are you certain that you didn’t leave out the baking powder? Other than than, they could have been slightly undercooked & would fall when they cooled. They look amazing; I can’t wait to go get the ingredients & try them~~ Here’s hoping they’re as good as they look!
I see both baking powder and soda listed in the ingredients
Hello. I’m a many years, experienced baker. I’ve made these incredibly amazing cupcakes several times, and each time I get the same sunkin results,car you. I have remedied it by “sky high” dream whip, or whipped heavy cream. Who notices it, then? No one! They are too busy devouring this wonderful, wonderful pumpkin pie in a cupcake. I bless the one who came up with the recipe. Sometimes I lightly sprinkle cinnamon on top.
I saw this recipe on what I believe was the original site. In her post, she said that the cupcakes WILL fall in the middle once taken out of the oven, the way a pumpkin pie does.
I am looking forward to trying these soon! 🙂
Yes,. I’ve made this amazing recipe several times. I’m a seasoned no pun intended Baker. They ALWAYS fall in the middle. It’s just they way they come out regardless. No complaints from me. They taste amazing. I always use foil cupcake holders.
Doesn’t hurt to fill that well with extra whipped cream!
I bake for a living. You either left out the baking powder, under baked them, or over beat them. Only ever mix in flour till incorporated, not a minute longer.
Excellent tips! (You may want to repost do it shows at the top of the list.)
Sounds like they were under cooked
Just made these pumpkin cupcakes and they are delicious. Only problem is they fell in the middle and stuck to the cupcake paper.
Try giving your papers a quick spray of pam. I do whenever I bake any cupcakes and that usually pop right out.
Use parchment paper liners, they WILL NOT stick to anything.
Can you spray cupcake liners so it doesn’t stick?
You can, Lesley, and it does help. But two things are true at once. Sprayed paper is better than bare paper, and no paper at all is better than either. A greased tin gives the cleanest release.
It may help to us foil liners. I always use them because their sturdiness seems to help. None of mine have ever stuck.
I use a silicone muffin/cupcake pan. No sticking; muffins and cupcakes just pop right out.
You should list your ingredients in the order they are used in preparation.
You are the second person to raise this and both of you are right. Ingredients in the order they are used is the standard, and this card does not follow it for the dry ingredients. It is on the list to fix.
Altitude can effect baking. I live at 3200 ft. My brother at 4200. When I’m at his house, I have to add a little more flour to a recipe.
Fill with whip cream.
Buy a new container of baking powder, maybe yours is a little bit past.
Shouldn’t matter with the whipped topping! But my mom had the same problem with banana bread, she was using aluminum throw away pans at the time. I told her to use glas baking dish and it came out perfect! So it may just be your pan or you need to bake a little longer.
May need new baking powder that has happened to me with pound cake
Best waytododont take out of oven immediately turn off and crack door let sit 30 i made these and the man I have. One too just staRted wwork where I did I have one too him and we’ll 4 years later still together
I made these and added half again the amount of baking powder. They’re perfect.
Would I be able to make a gluten free one? What would you suggest? Curious as my dad is allergic to everything under the sun it seems.
Cara,
I really wouldn’t know that for sure, but I think that you could use gluten free flour, (maybe Garbanzo bean flour) in the same amount like the all-purpose flour, instead of sugar a few packets of Stevia and some agave……
Let me know how that turned out.
Coconut and seed fours are better for baking desserts than garbanzo bean.
Oh gross. I’m so sorry. I’m a very experienced gf/df baker. Use a gluten all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 and coconut evaporated milk. Use regular cane sugar. You could experiment with honey or maple syrup but it will throw the liquid off so takes a few tries to see what works. I usually short my liquid by about about a tbsp and add an extra tbsp of flour anyway. But stick with quality ingredients not synthetic lab created “food”. It’s way better for the body and the mouth. blessings.
I’m attempting gluten free ones right now, using an all purpose gluten free flour from Bulk Barn! I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂
Curious how they turned out. I’m dairy and gluten free and wondering if these are going to take more experimenting than I’m willing to do to get right.
My go to gf flour is either Bob’s cup 4 cup or King Arthur….. both already have xanthan gum and not grainy. Plus always use room temp ingredients !
Better Batter is a great gluten free flour too. I buy it by the 25# bag and use it all the tie.
Use Cup 4 Cup flour. It’s gluten free and is literally cup for cup to all purpose flour. It’s a superior substitute. You can order it online.
I use Cup 4 Cup too! It’s a bit expensive, but it’s definitely the best GF flour blend I’ve used.
Try coconut flour
I dont recommend using coconut flour as a straight sub. It is an egg hog and has distinctive flavor and texture.
Try replacing the flour with Namaste’s All Purpose Flour Blend. It is GF., Diary Free, Egg Free, Nut Free. I am GF and use it to replace flour in some recipes. Same ratio.
Good Luck….I have been pleasantly surprised that the baked items come out amazing! Whole Foods carries it. You can also find them online.
Rice flour works great. I like it better than all-purpose flour for impossible pies.
Do you use the same amount of rice flour as the flour?
Humans have been eating gluten for at least the last 50,000 years, Cara and we’ve been doing OK. Why you people fall for these FAD diets is a mystery to me.
A food allergy is NOT a fad. Talk to a medical professional
Some of us have a serious condition called celiac disease. This disease is very debilitating if you ingest gluten. The patient can have severe gastric distress, fatigue for 5 days after ingestion and bowel cancer if they keep eating gluten.
There are many that are gluten sensitive too!!
I use Better Batter all purpose gluten free flower. We use this 1:1 with all baking. We have tried all the blends, and Better Batter is the best. We buy online in bulk!
David, I only wish it were a fad diet. If you dont have celiac disease, you cannot imagine the pain experienced when you even accidently eat a bite of food containing gluten. I have watched my sister suffer from this for years before she was diagnosed. when she started eating gluten free and really reading labels, the results were immediate. She can now enjoy going out to eat again because she now knows what she needs to avoid. these gluten free recipes are a godsend for her and for me too. i can make her cake for her birthday and if shes coming to my house for dinner, i can accommodate her without a problem. I’m happy to have found a new place to find recipes. I can’t wait to try it|
OMG. Are you serious? Have you ever heard of celiac disease? Not a fad diet….an absolutely necessity to not eat gluten if you are diagnosed with celiac disease! Don’t be so ignorant.
David Lee, food over the past 30 years have made genetic changes that truly effect us. I never dreamt I was allergic to gluten until last year. Allergies are no fun. Do a little reading about current wheat vs the wheat from even 40 years ago. It’s NOT the same. Genetic alterations are good for big food corporations and huge farmers but not good for for people eating it. Please read up before you jump to conclusions that are inaccurate.
This would be true if wheat were left in its original nature-produced state instead “big Farma” getting its hands on it.The wheat crop is no longer the same. I used to eat wheat/bread as a child with no problem. Now as an adult I get rashes. The struggle is real.
Not always a choice I am extremely allergic! I am down for 2 to3 days in debilitating pain if I eat gluten. So not a fad diet
Maybe almond or coconut flour
I make all of the impossible pies recipes from the Bisquick site using gf bisquick. I also use Almond milk or non dairy coffee creamer and Earth Balance Vegan butter to make them gluten and lactose free. Amazing!!!!!!
America’s Test Kitchen has a flour blend you can swap out in any recipe to make it gluten free (they have a tv episode for Gluten free) and Zylatol is a good sugar replacement as it is natural, but is poisonous for dogs if you have one.
There’s more information here:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7854-americas-test-kitchen-gluten-free-flour-blend
INGREDIENTS
24ounces (4 ½ cups plus ⅓ cup) white rice flour
7 ½ounces (1 ⅔ cups) brown rice flour
7ounces (1 ⅓ cups) potato starch
3ounces (¾ cup) tapioca starch
¾ounce (¼ cup) nonfat dry milk powder
FROM OUR SHOP
INSTRUCTIONSMAKES 42 OUNCES (ABOUT 9 1/3 CUPS)
Be sure to use potato starch, not potato flour, with this recipe. Tapioca starch is also sold as tapioca flour; they are interchangeable. We strongly recommend that you use Bob’s Red Mill white and brown rice flours (see related content for more information on rice flours). We also recommend that you weigh your ingredients; if you measure by volume, spoon each ingredient into the measuring cup (do not pack or tap) and scrape off the excess. Check out our book The How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook for more recipes using the blend.
Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until well combined. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 months
We use one part rice flour, one part almond flour and one part potato starch. Mix 1/⁴ TSP Xzanith gum to one cup tri-flour mix. Had very good results so far.
My friend told me to use Redsmill flour and xantham gum to hold it together. I’m gong to try it tomorrow
Hi cara,
I know this is several years late, but maybe you’ll still catch this. I bought a bag of Bob Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour; you’re supposed to use it is place of all purpose flour with the same ratio.
Also, Gluten Free Girl and the Chef has am amazing website all about eating gluten free, and even includes a recipe for your own gluten free all purpose flour.
I would try Bob’s red mill gf one to one baking mix. It works great in all the recipes I’ve switched it in.
I used cup-4-cup GF flour and the turned out fine.
I wondered if these can be baked in advance and then frozen for about a week? Would texture and taste degrade?
I’m sorry Jade, I didn’t try with this cupcakes that so I can’t tell, but in most cases before, following method do the trick.
Line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels, line up your freshly baked cupcakes without whipped cream frosting,
then top with another layer of paper towels before sealing with the lid. The paper towels will absorb the extra moisture,
and cupcakes should retain most of their texture and flavor for up to couple of days.
Hope these will be helpful.
whats the difference between puree and the libbys canned stuff i use for my pies?
Buy the Libby’s that is labeled just Pumpkin. You dont want the one labeled Pumpkin Pie Mix.
There are two Libby’s pumpkin products that I’m aware of; pumpkin pie filling, and puree – which is pure, canned pumpkin. That’s what this recipe calls for – and sounds like what you have on hand.
there is a straight pumpkin and a pumpkin mix both Libby’s–for this you need the plain pumpkin
Sounds yummy! Going to try these for Thanksgiving, if not sooner. LOL
Can melted coconut oil be substituted for the vegetable oil?
no mention of oil in the posted recipe
yes
I made these cupcakes and although they wetr shper easy to make and taste delicious I couldn’t peel off the cupcake liners. Did I do something wrong?
Same thing happened to me, I couldn’t get the paper off, they taste good but need a fork to get them out.
Patty
Use parchment baking cups. can be found at Walmart and online.
Even though this recipe says to use paper liners, you should not use paper liners. According to a different site with the same recipe:
“Line 12 muffin tins with silicone liners, foil liners sprayed with cooking spray, or just spray the muffin tin with cooking spray. Either of these three methods will make it easy to take the cupcake out after it’s cooked. Paper liners make it difficult to remove the cupcake.”
I hope this helps.
I made them using the gold foil-looking liners from the baking section and the pies came out really well. (Especially after they have been in the refrigerator). Delicious pie-cupcakes!
Do these ypcakes have to stay in the fridge after the cooling process?
Yes, Andrea, keep them cold. There are eggs and evaporated milk in here and no real crumb to speak of, so they behave like custard rather than cake. An hour on the counter for serving is fine. Overnight is not.
i have a question please, can you substitute can pumpkin pie filling for the pumpkin puree, i can not wait to make these but i want to be sure before i do. great recipe by the way! love it. thank you.
Hi Denna,
Thank you for kind words.
I made it with homemade pumpkin puree, because i prefer homemade food (usually cheaper than store-bought, easy to make, and definitely healthier…), but you could use canned pumpkin pie filling as well.
Hope these will be helpful.
PUMKIN PIE FILLING WOULD BE EXTRA SWEET SO YOU WOULD NOT NEED TO ADD THE SUGAR AND WOULD BE CHANGING THE RECIPE… USE REGULAR PUMPKIN… HAS NO SUGAR.
There’s a big difference between canned pumpkin pie filling and canned pumpkin puree. Never ,NEVER substitute the pie filling for the puree or your recipe won’t work.
I used canned filling and it was still a hit with my guests young and old!
Well maybe in some cases
I mistakenly used pumpkin pie filling in my pumpkin bread recipe….
Turned out super delicious….use all the time
Just know that they sell pumpkin pie filling in a can that spiced already as well as unspiced. If using spiced filling, I would think one should omit the p pie spice.
Try using the foil lined cupcake liners by Reynolds for easy removal from the liners.
I made these exactly as recipe said and had to bake them 30 minutes and they were still moist in center. When I took them out of the oven they fell in the center
I made these cupcakes and they didn’t turn out like your picture shows. They fell in the center and we couldn’t get them out of the wrappers.. I didn’t forget the baking powder or baking soda and I checked to see if they were done before taking them out of the oven. I had to cook an extra 10 minutes as they were still liquidy in the center. My temp of my oven is spot-on, so I’m not sure what went wrong… Still, they were yummy.
I made these amazing treats but I used sweet potatos instead of pumpkin (not a pumpkin fan) they were amaze!!!!
Thanks for sharing as I too want to make and am not a fan of pumpkin! Can’t wait to try these now!
Hi Gean,
I would like to make these with sweet potatoes! Do you remember how you did it? Did you swap same amounts or adjust any other part of the recipe?
Thanks!
Savannah, Gean may not see this after all these years, so from my side. Roasted sweet potato mashed smooth swaps in one for one for the pumpkin. Keep it dry, with no butter or milk mashed into it, or the centers will not set.
Can you make mini cupcakes with this recipe? I find that bite size pieces are better for large crowds. Any idea’s on cooking time if they were made in a miniature cupcake tin?
Mini ones work, and they are the version I would pick for a crowd too. Fill each mini cup about two thirds full and start checking at 12 minutes; 12 to 14 is the usual window. They sink a little less than the full size ones, because there is less custard in each one to settle.
So delicious! Just made these for a party this evening…with maple whiskey whipped cream. Like others, mine fell like pumpkin pie does…but also they don’t look quite as “custardy” in the middle…Still tasty.
this is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bzked these for 24 min and they turned out perfect!!! What a scrumptious thing to make with pumpkin!
I made these cupcakes today , they were pretty awesome . I kept them in the oven about 10 minutes longer because they werent looking too done in the middle after 20 minutes. , and they turned out perfect , they didn’t fall in the middle like some reviews said. The cupcakes tasted just like a pumpkin pie without the crust.. I think what would have made them even better would be to add some sort of gram cracker crust at the bottom to give it the crunch, like in a pie 🙂
I kept reading the middle was falling with people trying to make these cupcakes, but the picture didn’t show a fallen middle cupcake, so I figured there has to be a solution. I believe you got it right! Thanks for your suggestions! When I try this recipe, I will definitely use your suggestions. I like reading through the comments to see who has tried the recipes and for any pointers to make the recipes better. Thanks again!
I’m a male and I cook and this receipe is fantastic, I followed the ingredient list and added double everything and a pinch of extra everything except eggs and I sprayed the paper cups with cooking spray and had no problems. Sorry to brag but mine didn’t fall.
Hi does this recepe need oil?
No oil, Diana. The 15 ounces of pumpkin and the evaporated milk carry all the moisture this batter needs, and adding fat on top of that is what turns the centers greasy instead of set.
I made these with home made pumpkin puree, refined coconut oil (don’t use the virgin, too strong for this), coconut sugar, and spelt flour (for no gluten). I filled the cups according to recipe on first batch and decided to add more on second batch to make it higher, due to falling in the middle. I also had to cook them additional 7 minutes first batch and 9 minutes second. I topped them with real whipped cream made from whipping cream and sprinkled toasted pecans mixed with a little cinnamon on top of cream. They did not look as nice as picture but tasted pretty good, not sure if I will make these again though.
Caution Sallyz, spelt flour is NOT GLUTEN FREE!
Spelt contains gluten. It may be better for some with wheat issues but not for a gluten free diet.
These look like a great addition to my thanksgiving dessert menu! We are having a few desserts so I thought it might be a good idea to make these as mini-cupcakes instead of full-size. Do you think that would work? And if so, are there any adjustments that I would need to make in terms of cooking time or anything else? I’m not the most experienced baker, so thank you for the advice!
I made the pumpkin pie cupcakes last month and thet were AMAZING. I LOVED them cold. I will Definitely make them AGAIN!!!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I tried it and they turn out amazing! I did some few changes to the recipe based on own my family recipe for pupmkin pie. But thank you very much, I didnt have any issue and we all loved them.
Hi!… Question…
Did you let them sit in the oven any amount of time after the 20min… because I am wondering, the heat in the oven continues to cook them even if it is not on and maybe that is why some have to add more cooking time. I am trying these ou and would hate it if they were overcooked. I am also going to try to add the pie crust to the botttom and garnish with candied pecans!!! SO EXCITED!
We tried these tonight and had to make them twice and both times they sunk in and fell even after leaving them 15 minutes longer the second time around. They tasted really good, but half the cupcake stuck to the paper. Really wanted to make these for Thanksgiving and still would if I could get them right…suggestions??
I know I lot of people are saying that the middle is falling in on the cupcake and they can’t get the linner off. This reminds me of when I made cheesecake cupcakes. Just let them cool completely, remove linner and the well in cupcake can be filled with cool whip, etc..
I just made these for my family Thanksgiving, (a little early) and they were a hit! They are so easy to make! I just made them without paper liners, and sprayed the muffin tin with Pam. Easy to hold and taste just like a mini pumpkin pie. Definitely holding on to this recipe for dear life!
Were they easy to remove from the pan? What was your cooling method
Loved this recipe. My son couldn’t wait for the 30 minutes in the fridge. He thought they were just okay. When I gave him another after the 30 minutes he LOVED them. So be patient and wait the extra time.
Mine fell a bit too. But once you add the whip cream people are too busy stuffing them into their faces to notice.
Beware of title. This. recipe. is. impossible!!
I’m out of eggs. What else could I use?
I made these for Thanksgiving instead of our traditional pumpkin pie. Mine also fell in drastically despite following the recipe exactly as written. Also, I had batter left over, even though I used the 1/3 cup for each. Finally, it took much longer than 20 minutes for them to bake. I added an additional 10 minutes if not longer and they were still iffy. Despite all this, they were delicious even if they didn’t look like the picture.
Make sure you use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Also if you use homemade pumpkin puree make sure it is well drained. This can affect the falling in issues.
Going to try a gluten-free version of these for Christmas. They look fabulous!
I am in Australia and would love to make these muffins but would like to know what spices I can use to make up the pumpkin pie spice mentioned in the above ingredient list as it is not available here .Can anyone help please?
Cinnamon 4TLBS
Nutmeg 4 tsp
Ginger 4 tsp
Allspice 3 tsp
I made these the other day after reading tons of reviews where people said theirs collapsed a lot after cooling or were mushy in the middle. I made two batches; one using regular all purpose flour and the other using King Arthur’s all purpose gluten free flour. To combat the problem of mushiness or collapsing, I added an extra Tablespoon of flour. The recipe says to fill the cups 1/3 full, which comes out to about one and a half dozen cupcakes. If you only use 12 cups, you will need to increase the baking time. I made 12 from each batch and baked them for 35 minutes. Like a pumpkin pie, they will puff up during baking then fall some as they cool. Neither of mine collapsed in the center and both remained even across the top. I was surprised the gluten free ones settled higher than the ones with regular flour. In a side by side comparison, there was only a very slight difference in texture, but you’d never know it if you had them alone. I actually thought there was more pumpkin pie flavor in the gluten free batch than the other. The centers will not be fluffy like a cupcake, but somewhat creamy like a pie, though firmer. I made these to serve with coffee one morning so I didn’t add any topping. They were the perfect treat to go with it and my friends loved them!
Almost forgot! I also increased the temp to 355.
It seems maybe there’s some misunderstanding. The recipe says to fill the muffin tin with 1/3 cup of batter. Here you indicate that you filled the muffin tins 1/3 full. Anyone have an opinion on which works best? I used 1/3 cup of batter and I think if I had used less, the cupcakes would have been very flat, although perhaps that reduces the risk of falling.
Kim, you spotted the real problem with this recipe and it took me far too long to fix it. It meant a scant 1/3 cup measured out, which is about two-thirds of the way up the cup, not filled one-third of the way. Filled one-third of the way you get roughly twice as many cupcakes, all of them thin, and that is where most of the trouble on this page comes from. Step 6 now says it plainly.
Hello! I really want to make these for my husbands lunch bucket this fall but every time I refresh the page or such the recipe leaves out the amount of pumpkin puree in its place is an empty blank square. Can anyone help a girl out?
15 oz
15 ounces of pumpkin pure
I love this awesome recipe so much I chose it to be my personal fav at this week’s Weekend Potluck party. If you haven’t already, please be sure to stop by and share again today. Enjoy a wonderful weekend. http://thebetterbaker.blogspot.com/2015/09/slow-cooker-cheeseburger-soup-ww-pts.html
There are 2 squares in place of numbers in the recipe. The first is in the ingredient list: how many cups of flour? The second is in step six: how much batter do you fill the cup with? I believe these are both supposed to be the number one, but want to make sure! Thanks 🙂
Saw this recipe and it looked and sounded delish and easy. Since I love pumpkin pie but don’t care much for the crust I decided to try it. I used home made butternut squash puree (I usually use that instead of pumpkin because it’s available year round) they just came out of the oven and yes they fell but look good, can’t wait to try them. Next time I’m going to try it with whole wheat flour and using honey instead of sugar. Thanks for sharing!!!
anyone know if I can replace the evaporated milk to almond milk?
Evaporated milk is much thicker. I might try full fat coconut milk in can instead, and possibly add more flour.
I made these last night. I used cupcake size pan and not muffin size. I cooked the full 20 minutes. They looked nice in the oven, but they fell. The flavor is just the k, very sweet fir my taste. To get an actual cupcake size you would have to fill the pan 3/4 full.
I can’t have regular flower or sugar so I would substitute the flower with cornmeal flower and sugar with sweet and low wonder if it would taste as good
Was wondering if these can be made with sugar substitute. My husband is diabetic and loves pumpkin pie. Thanks for your help.
It works with a granulated substitute that measures cup for cup, since the sugar here is doing flavor work rather than structure work. Erythritol and monk fruit blends both set up fine. The one thing to expect is a paler top, because there is no sugar left to brown.
These are only 116 calories
I do not care for pumpkin pie spice. What would the amounts of cinnamon, ginger and cloves be to add that instead of mixed spice?
For the 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, use 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. That is close to the commercial blend but leans a little harder on the cinnamon, which I prefer in this one anyway.
Yellow cake mix ( you can use gluten free) and the pumpkin – spices of choice -is all you need….
I have made this 3 times now and the first time they came out like the pictures. Second was a gloppy mess and third was heading for the gloppy mess BUT I had forgotten to let them cool and place them in the fridge. You have to let them cool to finish. They are exactly like pumpkin pie they don’t stay fluffy like cake. Please don’t skip the cooling or fridge time.
Mine turned out great but I am not serving them until tomorrow. Should I keep them refrigerated over night or does it matter?
I am wondering about the folks that had their cupcakes fall. Could it be that your baking powder and/or baking soda weren’t fresh? I made chocolate chip cookies a few times and they turned out flat and yucky. But then I bought fresh baking powder and baking soda and they turned out great.
Hi I want to make these tomorrow but want to use a crunchy topping instead of whipped cream. Have you ever baked them like that?
I have, and the trick is to add it late. A streusel of 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cold butter and a handful of chopped pecans, scattered on at the 12 minute mark. Put it on at the start and it sinks straight into the custard.
I got this little nifty tip from:http://www.everythingpies.com/pie-filling-shrinking/
Hope it helps…!!!
Keep your pie from falling, cracking, and shrinking.
1. Remember hot temperatures cook the crust and low temperatures cook the filling. So put the pie in a hot oven and drop the temperature after 10 to 15 minutes.
2. To slow down the shrinkage or falling of the filling, let the pie cool down in the oven gradually.
When the pie crust is completely cooked and golden, turn off the oven but leave the pie in.
Let it sit in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes in an off-oven. Crack open the oven door, and let the pie cool down slowly for 10 to 20 minutes more.
Now it should be safe to remove the pie.
Why leave the pie in the oven while it is off?
What we are doing is allowing the filling to gain strength as it cools down.
The process of slowly cooling the pie filling allows the starches (thickeners) or custard to build strength and body. This will support the structure of the pie filling as the rising steam in the pie stops its support of the filling.
If this is done correctly, it will minimize the pie filling falling, cracking and shrinking.
Some Do Nots to follow
Do not let the pie filling puff up like a souffle.
Do not let custard based fillings cook until the center is completely set.
Remember low heat will cook the center only. High heat will only cook the crust. We need to be in the middle with the hopes that the crust and filling will complete baking at the same time.
There are a few things I would tweak with this recipe. I would most definitely fill the cupcake liner at least 3/4 the way full as suggested in one of the comments above. The first batch I followed the instructions precisely and even with using the baking powder, the cupcakes still fell quite a bit and only turned out to be about an inch in height when filling up the liner with 1/3 cup of batter as instructed. The second batch is in the oven and I am baking them for at least 25-30 minutes because the first batch were undercooked at 20 minutes. The smell is amazing and my husband is very happy I have started baking again for the holiday season. We will see how the second batch turns out!
Has anyone come up with good, stable, vegan substitutions for the eggs and evaporated milk? Making these for a work party and one of our girls is vegan so I was hoping to make something she’d like as well 🙂 I know of a couple of substitutes for each, but I know depending on the recipe there are certain subs that work better than others.
Tori, the evaporated milk is the easy half. Full fat canned coconut milk, simmered down by about a third, behaves almost identically. The eggs are the hard half, because the eggs are the set. Two tablespoons of cornstarch whisked into the coconut milk gets you closest. Flax eggs stay too loose in a batter with this little flour in it.
These are very good, but the author needs to learn how to write a recipe. The ingredients should always be listed in the order they are used., so the baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice should be listed right after the flour, since that is when they are used.
Fair point, Bruce, and you are right about the convention. The card lists the wet ingredients first because that is the order the bowl gets filled, but the leaveners and the spice do go in with the flour, so listing them away from it reads as a trap. It is noted for the next pass at the card.
I MADE THESE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, YES THEY DO FALL IN THE MIDDLE BUT WITH THE WHIPPED CREAM THEY LOOK AND TASTE WONDERFUL. tHANK YOU FOR SHARING THE RECIPE
These are so delicious and turn out perfectly! My husband requests I make them often for his office, any potlucks going on and any and all family gatherings!
That is a lovely thing to read, Mandy. An office and a potluck is a hard test for these, because they travel better cold than most people expect them to.
Could some the forementioned problems be altitude related? I bake things differently in AZ, than I do in WY.
Almost certainly a factor for some of them, Connie. Above about 3,000 feet these want a slightly hotter oven and a touch less leavening, so 360F and a scant 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder instead of the full amount. The sinking, though, happens at sea level too. That part is the custard setting, not the altitude.
I wanted to make mini cupcakes… any idea how long I should bake them?
Start checking at 12 minutes, Felice. Most mini tins land between 12 and 14. Fill them about two thirds up, same as the full size ones.
How long do these last in the fridge afterward?
Did anyone notice the cupcake darkening a lot after a day?
Three to four days covered, Bob, and they are best on days one and two. The darkening you noticed is real and it is the spices, not spoilage. Cloves and cinnamon keep working into the pumpkin overnight, so the color deepens while the flavor actually improves.
They will be hard coming out of wrappers because not a lot of flour in them. I would use tin liners lightly sprayed or parchmont liners or spray lightly or butter lightly the muffin tins. Also, BIG THING….. COOK THEM IN A WATER BATH AS YOU WOULD A BANANA BREAD OR CHEESECAKE. Cooking in a water bath, cooks the product in the middle and should cut cooking time to be accurate. If you don’t know how to cook using a water bath, look it up on utube.
Wanda, you named the cause before I did. Very little flour is exactly why they grip paper. The water bath is a good idea for anyone who wants a smoother top, though it does add about 10 minutes to the bake. For most people, greasing the tin directly is enough.
This recipe looks amazing!! I am going to make it for our memorial day party this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
These were awesome! Thank you for the recipe. I did change a few things to suit me.
I used 2/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour mix.
I used 1/2 tsp each ground cloves, ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg instead of the pumpkin pie spice
I baked for 40 min at 350 F. Tested with the tip of the knife. It came out almost clean, same as when you bake a pumpkin pie.
They were a very special treat for our Thanksgiving supper.
These are scrumptious! I’ve made them a few times now and they’re always a hit.
These pumpkin pie cupcakes are so tasty. I don’t care that they sink in the middle, but how do I get them to NOT stick to the cupcake paper? Or can I just dump batter into a pan and bake?
You can, and it is a good solution. Poured into a greased 8 inch square pan it bakes in about 35 minutes and cuts into squares. If you want to stay with cups, grease the tin itself and skip liners entirely. That is the fix, not a better brand of paper.
I found this recipe gem on Pinterest a couple of years ago, and it’s become apart of our Xmas baking tradition. I agree with a few of the points above re falling. My oven actually runs a little hotter but I bake these for 30-35 mins and they come out perfect with minimal fall. The cooling down and fridge process is very important.
They don’t sell Pumpkin Pie spice in Australia so I just googled and made my own batch, and I also add a good tsp after I’ve whipped the cream which gives more of the lovely spice taste. Only problem with this recipe is it’s so mourish and very hard to stop at one! Thanks for sharing this!!
Kylie, this is one of the most useful comments on the page. A hotter oven with a longer bake is exactly the right compensation, and the cooling and chilling really is where the texture gets decided. For anyone else reading from Australia, a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves is all pumpkin pie spice ever was.
Insanely good! I cookd for 25 min, in a tin pan without cupcake cups and they turned out perfect.
We will be helping my SIL + hubby hand out candy to the trick or treaters this year + watching a Halloween-esque movie. So I’m thinking this will be perfect to bring along for us to snack on. I can’t wait to bake up a batch!
SO looking forward to making these. Can;t wait!
I made these today & my family loved them!! They did sink in but I just filled it with the whipped cream & no one new. Lol
Can I substitute evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk?
They are not interchangeable here, Brandie. Sweetened condensed milk is about 45 percent sugar, so swapping it in would put roughly a cup of extra sugar into a batter that already has 3/4 cup. Stay with the evaporated.
..on my first try (at altitude, I live at 7,000ft) so far a few have fallen, some are staying plump.. I like what Amanda said in an earlier post “only mix in flour (dry ingredients) until incorporated, not a minute more!” I’ll add a Tbsp more flour next time for the altitude, but nothing else.. they look and smell great, Thx!
they were fabulous. You need to do exactly what you say….cook 20…cool 20 on the counter..cool 30 in the fridge..they fell but they still look fabulous with the whipped cream…they are rich ad super yummy….they fell but flat….so they just look like a baby cupcake…but with a yummy punch!!! Fabulous
Should condensed milk be sweetened or unsweetened kind?
Neither, as it happens. The recipe wants evaporated milk, which is a different can from condensed. Evaporated is unsweetened milk with about 60 percent of the water cooked out. Condensed is thick and heavily sugared, and it would make these sickly.
I make these every year, but couldn’t find the right bookmark for this page at first. Worried I looked around again, and realized the one I ended up using instead, is the exact same as this one lol. Which I’m happy for, these are freaking delicious!
Mine fell in the middle too but apparently that’s normal. The pic on this recipe shows a thicker looking cupcake perhaps my daughter went a little heavy on the milk…
And they super stick to paper liners but after reading the comments, I see foil or silicone would be better.
Anyways, still turned out yummy!
Mimi, your daughter is off the hook. They sink because the middle sets like custard rather than like cake, and that happens whatever you do with the milk. The photo is a touch flattering, which several people have said. Foil or silicone is the right call on the liners.
HELP!
Must these cupcakes be refrigerated all the time ? I see where they should be refrigerated for 30 min before serving, but I’m wanting to mail these to someone. Will they spoil or become tainted???
I also think the font should be changed….or at least made larger for us old people. (I’m 78. )
Patty, I would not mail these. Eggs and evaporated milk with nothing to preserve them means they need to stay cold, and two days in a box is asking for trouble. On the type size, you are not the first to say so and the point is taken.
If you prefer to use canned pumpkin pie filling, what should you omit? Thanks 🙂
Rachel, I would not make the swap at all. Canned pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so you would have to drop the 3/4 cup of sugar and the tablespoon of spice, and even then the liquid balance is different enough that the set goes soft. Plain puree is worth the extra can.
Do these have to be kept in the fridge after the 30 minute chill or can be kept in air right container outside of the fridge?
Fridge, Rodney. The 30 minutes is for serving temperature, not for safety. These are essentially crustless pumpkin pie, so they want the same handling a pie would get.
This recipe has been around a while. I have made them dozens of times and always see comments after the recipe is posted about how the cupcakes “fell”. That is the result that you want! There is too little flour to support the eggs and pumpkin with the texture of a regular cake. There are other recipes if you are wanting a pumpkin cake. But the denseness as it falls while cooling forms the custard center so it mimics a pumpkin pie.
There is little leavening in this recipe which allows it to fall so I have always filled my cupcake pans 3/4 full. It makes 12 regular size cupcakes.
Spray pans well with non stick spray – no liners. Not needed. Cool pan on cooling rack for 20 minutes, then gently loosen the edge and they will slip out.. Store in refrigerator.
My changes after I have made these so many times is to sub 1/2 cup half and half, 1/4 cup cream instead of evaporated milk that I usually don’t have. I add an extra teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice since I like mine more flavorful. And 1/2 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup brown sugar for more flavor depth instead of all regular sugar.
Mine cook perfectly in 20 minutes. Don’t overcook. The tops should be lightly brown and just firm to a light touch. Regular cake testing will not work on these because of the nature of these recipe. I have not yet tried these in my mini muffin pans, but will check for doneness after 12-15 minutes. One of my favorite recipes!
How do you keep them from getting sticky (almost wet) in the refrigerator overnight? I like this recipe and it’s very easy, tastes good but would like to overcome that wetness from storage. Thank you.
That is condensation, Marilyn, and the cause is covering them while they are still warm. Let them go completely cold on the counter first, then cover. A paper towel laid under the lid catches whatever still comes off overnight.
I added a little more batter to each cupcake and increased the time x 9 min. Came out great!
That is exactly right, and thank you for posting it, you worked out on your own what the recipe should have said. A fuller cup needs longer, and the card now says 20 to 25 minutes depending on the oven, done when the edges are set and the center barely jiggles.
Daughter with food allergies, mainly dairy. What can I use instead of evaporated milk?
Full fat canned coconut milk is the closest, Sharon. Use the same 3/4 cup and simmer it down by about a third first, so it matches the thickness of evaporated. Oat and almond are too thin and the centers stay wet.
Hola, yo tengo horno eléctrico y la mayoría de veces los bizcochos se me han quemado por abajo, aun siguiendo las instrucciones. Quisiera saber si a diferencia del horno convencional, hay que bajar la temperatura, o continuar con la misma. Creo que me dijeron que en horno eléctrico había que bajar la temperatura 20 grados y encender el ventilador. pero no estoy seguro
Gracias
An electric oven usually runs hotter at the bottom than a gas one, so drop the temperature by about 10 to 20 degrees and use the fan if you have one. Put the tin on the middle rack rather than the lowest. If the bottoms still catch, slide an empty tray onto the rack below to shield them.
OMG! The best ever!!!!
I made this recipe yesterday. Thank you for the recipe. My husband and I both loved the cupcakes. I put cream cheese frosting on them. It was very good.
I make these for our camping thanksgiving. They fit in the camper fridge better than pie. My girls love them! Ps we use silicone liners on a cookie sheet…… they didn’t fall in the middle.
Stacey, the cookie sheet is the detail almost everyone misses. A sheet under silicone cups evens out the heat coming from below, and that is half of why yours held their shape. You are right that they pack better than a pie does, too.
Made these today followed the recipe except I greased the muffin pan. They did not fall in the middle must of done something right
I have made this recipe quite a few times and they disappear every time LOL. I have a question though. I have a SIL that has celiac disease so she needs gluten free. Do you think this recipe would taste about the same with gluten free ‘flour’ and what should I use?? TIA
Sara, this is one of the easier recipes to convert, because there is only 2/3 cup of flour in the whole batch. A cup for cup blend with xanthan gum already in it swaps straight across with no other changes. Several people here have had good results with Cup4Cup and with Bob Red Mill 1 to 1.
Can you recommend a different icing?
Ruth, a cream cheese topping is the one I would reach for. Four ounces of cream cheese beaten with 1/2 cup of cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar holds up better than plain whipped cream, and it sits well in the dip in the middle. A dusting of cinnamon on top and you are done.
This recipe turned out so good.
I used paper cupcake liners sprayed with PAM.
It was confusing at 1st because an advertisement was placed between flour ingredients and the other ingredients.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the PAM note, Betty, it does work. The break in the ingredient list is an ad slot landing in the wrong place and I am getting it moved. You are not the first person to hit it and it should not be there.
Hi there! Do these need to be kept in the refrigerator?
Recipe followed to the letter and turned out perfect. My husband’s favorite pie is pumpkin and he loved these cupcakes.
I have made these before and they were great. I’m going to make them tonight for tomorrow’s Easter dinner. Wondering if I could use almond flour instead of all-purpose?