Okay, confession time – I used to hate pumpkin pie. Until just a few years ago, I was just not a fan! For me, my love of pumpkin pies came from the moment I learned that they’re delicious when made with homemade pumpkin purée, and so I developed my very own classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie recipe. After discovering my love for the taste of pumpkin pies, I wanted to try my hand at this Chiffon Pie version, as I have always loved chiffon pies. This pie is a fluffier, airier version of the classic pumpkin pie, which works so well for me as I am not a big fan of the denseness of traditional pumpkin pies. A special type of airy filling is made by gently folding a meringue mix into the pie filling. We love pumpkin desserts in the fall! Some of our other favorites are a classic Pumpkin Roll, this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, and Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Why Is It Called Chiffon Pie?
Chiffon is a lightweight sheer fabric most often used in dressmaking. It is so airy that it has a floaty appearance to it. While a Chiffon Pie does not literally float in the same way, it is supremely light and has an airy texture, which is how it has taken on the name “chiffon.”
Why We Love This Recipe
The filling takes on an almost mousse-like quality. It is essentially pumpkin pie filling with beaten egg whites folded in and stabilized with gelatin. It’s practically a no-bake pumpkin pie (aside from blind-baking the crust)! This pie sets up in the fridge instead of in the oven. After a few hours of chilling in the fridge, the pie is ready to be topped with whipped cream and showcased on your Thanksgiving dessert table! The filling is made with pumpkin spices for the best balance of warming flavors without an extra jar taking up room in your spice pantry. Real homemade whipped cream is used to top the pie! We swear by it, but of course, you are welcome to buy the refrigerated kind to save on stress or time if you need to.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Pie Crust: Use this Homemade Pie Crust recipe or a store bought one. Unflavored Gelatin: I don’t know of any substitute for this ingredient. It helps stabilize and set up the pie filling, which is no-bake, unlike a traditional pumpkin pie. Sugar: For making the pumpkin filling. You can use a sugar substitute sweetener, but the amount needed may vary. Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves have some of the best aromas, and are one of my favorite things about fall! If you happen to have pumpkin pie spice on hand, by all means, go ahead and use it. I usually just use the spices that are already in my cupboard in their individual jars because I find that easiest. Eggs: You will need 3 in total, with the yolks and whites separated. Milk: Use whole milk for a creamier taste, or coconut milk or another milk substitute to keep it lactose-free. Pumpkin Purée: You can make your own pumpkin purée or just use the canned kind. Just be sure that it’s plain pumpkin purée, rather than pumpkin pie filling since we will be adding our own spices and sweeteners here. Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds a subtle warm sweetness to the pie. Whipped Cream: Homemade Whip Cream is best and only takes 5 minutes to make!
How to Make Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Recipe Tips
For best results, don’t over-whip the egg whites! You want to beat the raw egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until you see stiff peaks that hold their shape when you lift the beater out of the bowl. If you beat them too much, the egg whites will curdle and break. Use real homemade whipped cream! It makes such a difference, and it’s really not hard to make at all! Totally worth the extra 3 minutes of effort versus a canister of Redi-Whip. Try a graham cracker crust, or a crust made from another spiced biscuit like biscoff, gingersnap, or even Oreos to change things up! Sprinkle the top of the pie with chopped pecans for an extra special finish and a little extra crunch! Serve the slices of pie with heavy cream instead of whipped cream.
Substitutions and Variations
Use brown sugar or a sweetener instead of sugar, but the amount for each may vary, depending on the type you use. You can use maple syrup or honey as a sugar substitute in the pie filling with pumpkin purée, but you will need a granulated sweet powder to make the meringue. You can use about 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to substitute the spice combination in this recipe. Use coconut milk instead of regular milk and coconut cream instead of whipped cream to make this recipe lactose free.
More Pie Recipes
Kentucky Chocolate Walnut Pie Lemon Meringue Pie Coconut Cream Pie Banana Cream Pie
This post was originally published in September, 2018. The photos and content were updated in September, 2021.
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