Phyllo Pumpkin Pie Without Evaporated Milk

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

A delicious phyllo pumpkin pie recipe with a mixture of whole milk (instead of evaporated milk), canned pure pumpkin puree, and warm fall spices like pumpkin spice, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Enjoy this easy-to-make homemade pumpkin pie recipe made with phyllo pastry sheets!

Phyllo sheets are baked into the pumpkin spice filling so that the phyllo tops will be buttery and crispy, and the pumpkin pie filling will have a doughy and creamy texture. A beautiful and unique pumpkin pie recipe without evaporated milk uses whole milk instead for a creamy pumpkin pie!

WHAT DOES PUMPKIN PIE WITH PHYLLO TASTE LIKE?

This recipe is inspired by my ruffled milk pie galatopita recipe. Ruffled milk pie is a Greek-style pie where the phyllo bakes in creamy milk filling to create more of a bread pudding texture. The phyllo tops stay crispy since they’re exposed and not covered by the filling.

This is a different take on traditional pumpkin pie, where the inside is more doughy than you may be used to because of the phyllo. The pumpkin pie flavour is delicious and best when it’s served slightly warm.

With the holidays coming up and my love of pumpkin pie, I thought I would test out a pumpkin pie galatopita recipe of sorts. The contrast between the crispy phyllo and creamy doughy pumpkin pie filling is amazing!

I had initially tested this recipe with spiralled phyllo, but I found that the pumpkin pie filling didn’t fill in the gaps well, and there was too much phyllo at the bottom, so the pumpkin pie filling just sat on the top of the phyllo dough.

So then I decided to make it with phyllo circles as I did with my ruffled milk pie recipe. The pumpkin pie filling spread out perfectly, and each bite had a delicious combo of pumpkin pie and phyllo!

RECIPE TIPS

Phyllo pastry is commonly sold in the freezer section at the grocery store. If you’re planning on making this recipe, you’ll have to allow for phyllo dough to defrost for at least 8 hours or, ideally, overnight in the refrigerator.

It’s not recommended to defrost the phyllo at room temperature since that will cause the phyllo to gather too much moisture. The good news is for this recipe, the phyllo dough is scrunched, so while it’s important to allow the phyllo dough to defrost gradually in the fridge, it’s ok if the phyllo tears or rips slightly as you work with it.

I like to whisk the eggs for a few minutes with pure vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of sugar before adding the remaining pumpkin pie filling ingredients. This helps to reduce some of the egginess taste that can happen when baking with eggs. Combining whisked eggs and sugar also helps trap and hold air to create lightness, moisture and flavour to the phyllo pumpkin pie.

Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so it’s best to cover the phyllo sheets with a clean, damp cloth while assembling the phyllo circles to prevent the phyllo sheets from drying out. Work with one sheet at a time and keep the other ones covered.

The phyllo circles should be loose so that the pumpkin pie filling can get in between all of the openings. If the phyllo sheet is wrapped too tight, the pumpkin pie filling won’t go through to the bottom of the dish.

Pour the pumpkin pie filling slowly over the delicate baked phyllo circles to prevent them from caving in.

If the centre of the pumpkin pie is still liquid, it will need more time to bake in the oven, but keep in mind that the pumpkin pie will settle more as it cools.

pumpkin pie made with phyllo pastry sheets.

KITCHEN TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE

Phyllo pastry brush
Baking pan (9″x 2″ round baking pan)
Large glass bowl
Whisk

INGREDIENT NOTES

Phyllo sheets: Phyllo pastry sheets are available in the freezer section at grocery stores near the frozen pie shells. Make sure to grab phyllo pasty sheets, not phyllo puff pasty. For this recipe, you won’t need to use all of the phyllo sheets in the box, so if you’d like, you can place the extra phyllo sheets back in the box to use for another time.

Pure pumpkin puree: I use one small can (398 ml/approximately 1 1/2 cups of pure pumpkin puree) for this phyllo pumpkin pie recipe. I really like E.D. Smith’s pure pumpkin puree, but you can use any brand that you like. For this recipe, you’ll need to use pure pumpkin puree instead of a can of pumpkin pie filling since pumpkin pie filling comes already mixed with sugar and spices.

Pumpkin Spices: I like to use pumpkin pie spice and fall spices like ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for the most incredible pumpkin pie flavour!

Eggs: Eggs have multiple purposes in this pumpkin pie. The eggs’ proteins become more solid as they bake, which thickens the pumpkin custard and adds richness and creaminess to the filling. It’s best if the eggs are at room temperature.

Milk: I use homogenized milk (3.25% Milkfat). I haven’t tried a dairy-free alternative, but I usually use Chobani Oat Milk or Barista Oat Milk when I’m making a dairy-free creamy dessert like this dairy-free rice pudding.

a slice of phyllo pumpkin pie on white parchment paper with a gold cake cutter.

HOW TO MAKE PHYLLO PUMPKIN PIE WITHOUT EVAPORATED MILK: STEP BY STEP

*reminder* you may be tempted to get right into this recipe (I don’t blame you), but it’s important to allow the phyllo pastry dough to defrost overnight in the fridge before using it.

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350° F on bake.

STEP 2: Open and prepare the phyllo. Remove the phyllo from its packaging. You’ll only need about 10 sheets, so if you’d like, you can keep the box and plastic and place any leftover phyllo sheets back in the box. Phyllo dries out quickly, so it’s best to open the box only when you’re ready to prepare the scrunched phyllo circles. You can place a slightly damp towel (if it’s too wet, the phyllo will have too much moisture and stick together) on the phyllo as you prepare the phyllo circles. Then, line a 9″ x 2″ baking pan with parchment paper.

phyllo sheets, melted butter, and a baking dish with parchment paper. — greased baking pan, butter, and phyllo sheets

two phyllo sheets brushed with butter. — greased baking pan, butter, and phyllo sheets

STEP 3: Assemble the phyllo circles and blind bake. Melt 1/3 cup of unsalted butter. On a clean, large surface (your kitchen counter or table), take one phyllo sheet from the stack of phyllo and place it on the counter. Dip a pastry brush into the melted butter and brush one side of the pastry sheet with butter. Place another phyllo sheet directly on top of the buttered phyllo sheet. Lightly press down and brush the phyllo sheet evenly with butter.

Scrunch the horizontal sides of the phyllo sheets together and roll the phyllo into a loose circle, and place it in the middle of your baking pan.

Continue this process by placing phyllo circles around the centre circle until you’ve reached the sides of the baking pan. Lightly brush the tops of the phyllo with any remaining butter and place the baking pan in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the phyllo is a light golden brown colour. The phyllo circles should be golden brown but not fully baked. While the phyllo is in the oven, prepare the pumpkin pie filling.

scrunched phyllo rolls in a baking pan. — uncooked phyllo rolls

pumpkin pie spices, pure pumpkin puree, and whisked eggs in separate glass bowls. — uncooked phyllo rolls

STEP 4: Prepare the pumpkin pie filling. Whisk 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 a cup of white sugar well together in a large mixing bowl. I usually mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla for a few minutes first or until the egg mixture is light and frothy. Then add in 1 cup of milk and stir. Next, add in the can of pure pumpkin puree, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisk together so that there are no clumps, and set the filling aside.

STEP 5: Remove the baking pan from the oven. Once the tops of the phyllo circles are golden brown, it’s time to remove the baking pan from the oven and set it aside on a heat-resistant surface.

STEP 6: Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crispy phyllo circles. Once the phyllo circles are crispy, pour the pumpkin pie filling slowly and evenly over the baked phyllo circles so that the phyllo is almost fully submerged. The tops of the phyllo circles will still be exposed.

pumpkin pie filling poured over oven baked phyllo circles. — pumpkin filling poured over baked rolls

baked phyllo circles with pumpkin pie filling. — pumpkin filling poured over baked rolls

STEP 7: Bake the phyllo pumpkin pie. Place the baking pan in the oven and allow the pumpkin pie to bake for 25-30 minutes at 350° F or until set in the centre. The centre of the pie should be slightly jiggly as you remove it from the oven, but the pie will settle more as it cools.

STEP 8: Allow the pumpkin pie to cool. It’s so tempting to dig in, but you’ll need to let the pumpkin pie cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing it. You can slice or scoop the phyllo pumpkin pie in the baking dish, lift it from the pan, and slice it after it has cooled for 30 minutes.

What’s The Difference Between Puff Pastry and Phyllo Dough?

Puff pastry is made with butter that is folded into the dough many times to create an airy and puffy texture. Phyllo pastry sheets are very thin, flaky and delicate, made primarily with flour, water, and a little oil.

Do You Have To Brush Phyllo With Butter?

Yes! You can use vegan butter, but brushing phyllo dough with butter is essential for crispy, golden brown phyllo.

Should Pumpkin Pie Filling Be Runny Before Baking?

Yes! The pumpkin pie filling will be runny when you’re pouring it over the baked phyllo circles. But, it will become firm as it bakes and then also settle more as it cools.

Do You Need To Pre-Bake Phyllo Pastry?

This step is known as blind baking, allowing the phyllo to get crispy and hold its shape once you add in the pumpkin filling.

SERVING, STORING & REHEATING

For best results, this phyllo pumpkin pie is best served slightly warm with a little dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon. You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream!

To reduce condensation when storing pumpkin pie in the fridge, allow the pumpkin pie to fully cool (1-2 hours) before covering it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge. Pumpkin pie will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.

To reheat pumpkin pie, you can place any leftover pumpkin pie on a baking pan and allow it to bake at 350° F in the oven so that the phyllo warms through and the phyllo tops will get crispy again. Or you can reheat the leftover pumpkin pie in the microwave if you’re short on time, but the pumpkin pie will be softer.

a piece of phyllo pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes