Healthy Pumpkin Pie

5 from 15 votes

My healthy pumpkin pie is a lighter twist on the classic, made with less sugar and evaporated skim milk while keeping all the creamy, spiced flavors I love. I’ve been making this recipe for years during the holidays, and it’s always a favorite! It’s so easy to make, and I love that I can make it gluten-free so everyone at the table can enjoy it.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 162kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Pie Baking Plate
Mixing Bowls
Silicone Spatula
Whisk
High Speed Mixer
Gluten-Free Pie Crust to make this recipe gluten-free

Ingredients

For the Pie

¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
12 oz evaporated skim milk 1 can
¼ tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
15 oz pumpkin puree 1 can
1 frozen pie crust thawed to room temperature

For the Topping

¼ cup whipping cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Position oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 425° F.
Combine all ingredients except pumpkin in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin, and continue stirring until smooth.
If your pie crust is in a sheet, place it in a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges.
Pour pumpkin mixture into the crust.
Bake for 10 minutes at 425° F, then reduce oven temperature to 350° F (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. To prepare topping, beat cream with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve with pie (1 Tbsp per slice).

Notes

Move Oven Rack to the Lowest Position: I learned this trick after a few pies ended up too brown on top before the filling was fully set. Keeping the pie further away from the heating element ensures it bakes evenly, with a perfectly cooked filling and a crust that’s golden, not burnt.
Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling: I always double-check the label to make sure I’m using pure pumpkin!
Use Pie Crust at Room Temperature: I always make sure to defrost my pie crust following the package instructions and let it come to room temperature before using it. This helps it bake evenly without cracking.
Wrap Pie Crust In Foil If Needed: If I notice the pie crust starting to brown too much during the last 15 minutes of baking, I carefully take the pie out and wrap the edges with aluminum foil. This little trick protects the crust from over-browning while the filling finishes baking

Gluten-Free: To make gluten-free pumpkin pie, use a store-bought or homemade gluten-free pie crust.
For a reduced-calorie pie crust, roll a sheet of pie crust out thinner on a floured surface using a rolling pin. For a 9-inch pie dish, roll the crust to approximately 10 ½ inches, then transfer it to the pie dish and cut off the extra crust. The thinner crust and removal of some of the dough will reduce the overall calories.
Reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup for an even lighter pumpkin pie.

Note: If you use just 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar (instead of 3/4 cup) you reduce the calories and sugar even further. Nutritional info for one slice would be: 145 calories, 25.3g carbs, 13.9g sugar, and the same fat, sat fat, cholesterol and sodium, fiber and protein as the original.

Nutrition