Super Easy No Bake Pumpkin Pie

There are a lot of things I love about Thanksgiving. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Homemade crescent rolls. And of course the sausage stuffing. Plus I really like a fun round of Thanksgiving games whether it be Thanksgiving bingo, Thanksgiving trivia, or even just a simple Thanksgiving dice game! But one thing I don’t love is pumpkin pie, and it’s not because I don’t like pumpkin. I mean I totally enjoy a good pumpkin crunch cake or pumpkin crisp. There’s just something about pumpkin pie I don’t love, or at least not the traditional baked kind that you need to add cups cups of whipped cream to eat. This no bake pumpkin pie that uses a pudding base and a graham cracker crust, this is my kind of pumpkin pie. It’s creamy, sweet (but not too sweet), and just delicious. It reminds me a bit of striped delight but for Thanksgiving. Plus, it’s no bake so you aren’t taking up one of your precious ovens on Thanksgiving Day. You can save that for the turkey and roasted root veggies. And everyone – even people don’t love pumpkin pie will enjoy this one! Plus, it’s one of my favorite no bake desserts for kids! Let them help!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Pecans – the pecans are totally optional and only used for garnish. You can either chop them up and sprinkle on top, add on top of dollops of whipped cream, or just put a little bowl of chopped pecans by the pie for people to garnish themselves. Or skip them all together!Pumpkin – make sure to get pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already has spices included and you don’t want that. Vanilla pie filling – you want the instant kind, not the kind that’ll have to sit for hours. It’s also known as instant vanilla pudding.Milk – I recommend whole milk in this recipe to make it as creamy as possible. 2% is okay too, but I wouldn’t go any lower than that.

Instructions

Just like this Reese’s peanut butter pie, this no bake pumpkin pie is literally just a few simple steps that include mixing, pouring, and spreading! First thing you need to do is make your pie filling. Combine the instant pie filling mix with milk, stir, and set aside for five minutes to let it come together. After five minutes it should be somewhat solidified and look a little like this. Next you’re going to add your pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the filling and mix. Add the Cool Whip and fold it in. Or if you’re like David and Moira and don’t know what fold means – just gently mix it in with a spatula. You want to blend all of the ingredients together into one creamy mix. It should look something like when you’re done. Split the pumpkin pie filling evenly between two graham cracker crusts. Then put that in the fridge and let it chill for four hours so the filling can completely set. When you’re ready to serve, remove from the fridge and top with whipped cream (spray kind or homemade whipped cream), pecans, and a sprinkling of cinnamon if desired. Serve chilled with extra cool whip and pecan. And don’t forget to put it back in the fridge once you’re done serving.

Expert Tips

Make this the day before to save time on Thanksgiving Day. It needs to chill for at least 4 hours but chilling overnight is great! Stir the mixture by hand rather than using a stand mixer or hand beater to keep it fluffy and creamy. Place extra whipped cream by the pie so people can add more when they’re serving themselves. Some people LOVE whipped cream while others just like a little.