This Paleo pumpkin and coconut custard is the perfect dessert for your Halloween and Thanksgiving parties! You can make them ahead, too!
Who misses pumpkin pie after going Paleo?
Look no further – here’s a mini crust-less version where the silky spiced custard and crunchy coconut topping will surely satisfy your autumn sweet cravings. You can bake these custards in the oven or cook them sous vide (195°F for 60-90 minutes).
Pro Tip: Make these custard cups up to 4 days ahead and store them tightly wrapped in your fridge. You can pop them out when company comes over!
Time to make Pumpkin Coconut and Maple Custard Cups
Serves 10
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup grade A dark color maple syrup
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ½ cup toasted coconut flakes (bake raw flakes in a single layer at 300 F for 3-5 minutes until golden brown)
* Or you can sub 1½ teaspoons Pumpkin Spice Blend in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg
Equipment:
- Electric kettle
- Two 9″ x 13” glass baking dishes
- Ten 6-ounce ramekins
- 2 small towels
- Small saucepan
- Bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dry measuring cups
- Whisk
Here’s how to make them:
Gather your ingredients…
…preheat the oven to 325°F, and boil a full kettle of water.
Get two 9″ x 13” glass baking dishes and lay a small towel on the bottom of each one (the towel will keep the ramekins from slipping around).
Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it’s steaming but not boiling.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the maple syrup…
…and whisk well.
Slowly add the warmed coconut milk to the egg and syrup mixture (a little bit at a time) and mix vigorously.
(Don’t be impatient and add the hot coconut milk all at once or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs!).
Toss in the pumpkin, spices, vanilla, and salt…
…and stir until well-blended.
Divide the ramekins into the two towel-lined baking dishes (ten ramekins won’t fit in one dish) and ladle in the mixture.
Pour boiling water into the baking dishes until it reaches halfway up the ramekins and carefully transfer them to the oven.
Bake custard cups for about 30 minutes. The custards are ready when a knife inserted into them comes out clean and they’re still slightly jiggly in the middle.
Cool the custards on a wire rack until they’re room temperature (about 1 hour)…
…and top each one with a sprinkle of toasted coconut.
These custards taste great cold, too. Refrigerate the ramekins for up to four days and top with toasted coconut right before you devour them.
LOOKING FOR OTHER TASTY PALEO PUMPKIN DESSERT RECIPES? MAKE ONE OF THESE TREATS:
- Paleo Pumpkin and Carrot Muffins
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
- 2-Minute Microwave Paleo Mug Cake
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Pumpkin, Coconut, & Maple Custard Cups
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup grade A dark color maple syrup
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin purée I use Libby’s
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Diamon Crystal brand kosher salt
- ½ cup toasted coconut flakes bake raw flakes in a single layer at 300 F for 3-5 minutes until golden brown
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F with the rack in the middle. Boil a full kettle of water.
- Get two 9″ x 13” glass baking dishes and lay a small towel on the bottom of each one (the towel will keep the ramekins from slipping around).
- Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it’s steaming but not boiling.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the maple syrup, and whisk well.
- Slowly add the warmed coconut milk to the egg and syrup mixture (a little bit at a time) and mix vigorously. (Don’t be impatient and add the hot coconut milk all at once or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs!).
- Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, vanilla, and salt.
- Divide the ramekins into the two towel-lined baking dishes (ten ramekins won’t fit in one dish) and ladle in the mixture.
- Pour boiling water into the baking dishes until it reaches halfway up the ramekins and carefully transfer them to the oven.
- Bake custard cups for about 30 minutes. The custards are ready when a knife inserted into them comes out clean and they’re still slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Cool the custards on a wire rack until they’re room temperature (about 1 hour) and top each one with a sprinkle of toasted coconut.
- These custards taste great cold, too. Refrigerate the ramekins for up to four days and top with toasted coconut right before you devour them.
Jill says
These cups are so delicious – a real treat. I never have shredded coconut on hand, so I just leave that part out and they’re still delightful. I enjoy them most when they’ve been chilled overnight. The texture is perfection!
Erin says
These are a winner! They are fantastic warm but I actually liked it better cold out of the fridge. They have a wonderful smooth and silky texture. I also had extra “batter”, so I popped it in the ice cream maker – it resulted in outstanding frozen custard.