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Bake a Delicious Pumpkin Pie Without a Pie Pan Using These 8 Hacks

Bake a Delicious Pumpkin Pie Without a Pie Pan Using These 8 Hacks

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Are you craving pumpkin pie but don’t have a pie pan to make it? Fortunately, there are a lot of alternatives that you can do to make pumpkin pie, no pie pan needed!

Some of the most common pans used as a replacement for a pie pan include cake pans, tart pans, 13×9 pans, springform pans, and muffin pans.

Whether you’re currently using your pie pans or you don’t have one, these pans are a pretty great substitute.

Read on and see how you can make a pumpkin pie without a pie pan.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Without a Pie Pan

A pie pan is the most convenient tool to use when making pumpkin pie.

However, if you’re in a situation where a pie pan isn’t accessible or is currently being used, here’s a list of baking tools you can use as a substitute:

1 – Cake Pan

A cake pan is one of the most viable options to use if you don’t have a pie pan available. Cake pans are normally 8 or 9 inches in diameter, which is rather similar to a pie pan.

Before using a cake pan as a substitute, make sure to use parchment paper to line the bottom part of it.

The parchment paper will make the process of removing the crust or the pie a lot easier from the cake pan after blind baking or completely baking your pumpkin pie.

2 – Foil Pan

A foil pan, also known as an aluminum pan, is another great option to use in making a pumpkin pie instead of a pie pan.

Aluminum is quite a good conductor of heat. Aluminum pans also work quite well in the oven which makes baking pumpkin pie quite doable.

Just make sure that the aluminum or foil pan you’re using is strong enough to withstand the volume of pumpkin pie you’re baking.

Another thing to take note of when using a foil pan is that the pie crust won’t bake as quickly compared to when you’re baking it with a pie pan.

To ensure that your crust is baked thoroughly, increase the baking time by at least another 10 to 15 minutes.

If you think your foil pan isn’t sturdy enough, you can try putting it on top of a flat baking sheet for additional support.

3 – Glass Pan

Some would say that a glass pan isn’t a good substitute for making pumpkin pies. However, that’s not really the case.

It’s true that glass isn’t the best in terms of heat conductivity, which means you’ll have to adjust the temperature and baking time to cook your pumpkin pie.

However, a glass pan is highly good when ensuring that your pie is baked evenly. Since the glass won’t conduct too much heat, it would make the heating surface pretty even.

Before using your glass pan, confirm that it can be used in the oven. Glasses are prone to break when there’s a sudden change in temperature.

Only use oven-safe glass pans to cook your pumpkin pies as they’ve been proven to withstand high temperatures inside your oven. Moreover, remember that aside from ceramic, glass is the most used material for a pie pan.

4 – Tart Pan

A tart pan is another wise option if you’re lacking a pie pan. A tart pan is also one of the go-to substitutes on this list with how similar it is to a pie pan when it comes to shape and size.

Aside from that, tart pans’ fluted sides make a good difference compared to regularly shaped pies.

It’s best to use a tart pan that’s 9 inches in diameter when you’re baking a pumpkin pie for consistency.

Just a reminder: be careful when it comes to adding your pie filling to a tart pan. Tart pans have tendencies to ooze around the edges if you’re not careful enough.

5 – Springform Pan

Springform pans are commonly used to bake pastries that have delicate crusts and an exceptional amount of fillings.

These pans are also a great option when baking pies due to their removable sides.

Because springform pans don’t require much effort when removing pumpkin pies after baking, your crust will surely not crumble.

If you’re going to use a springform pan as a substitute in baking your pumpkin pie, make sure to use a thicker dough for the crust.

Since springform pans are taller than pie pans, using a thicker crust is recommended so it can support your pie fillings.

6 – 13×9 Pan

If you’re really set on baking your pumpkin pie and don’t really mind the shape, a 13×9-inch pan will do the job.

A pie pan would naturally have a higher filling-to-crust ratio. On the other hand, a 13×9-inch pan will have a larger surface area.

It means that a pie made using this pan will have fewer fillings as they’ll be spread out.

If you’re considering using a 13×9-inch pan as a replacement for a pie pan, it’s best to keep the pie for another 10-15 minutes.

Since this pan has a bigger surface area, baking it for a longer period would ensure your pumpkin pie is baked evenly.

7 – Muffin Pan

If you want to prepare pumpkin pie in smaller servings, a muffin pan is your best option.

A muffin pan is also a great choice if you really don’t have any other pans to bake your pie with.

Just take note that using a muffin pan will require additional effort since you have to make those miniature pies individually.

Additionally, make sure to adjust the time and temperature when using a muffin pan.

Since the pies will be smaller than usual, baking them at the same time and temperature as pie pans isn’t optimal.

Additionally, using silicone muffin molds would make it easier for you to remove those mini pies.

8 – Baking Sheet

What if you really don’t have any pan you can use? Well, you’re not really out of options yet.

A baking sheet can also be used to make pies. Although this will require a more intricate process, it’s still quite doable.

To use your baking sheet and make a pumpkin pie, it’s best to put parchment paper on top of your baking sheet.

Proceed by spreading your dough on the sheet—preferably in small sizes. Then put enough filling in the middle of the dough.

Don’t put too much filling in to avoid the contents spilling out. Now, make small folds on the edges and cover some of your fillings.

Just bake it with the time and temperature adjusted a bit lower than regular pies.

Final Thoughts

The absence of a pie pan could be alarming especially if you wanted a traditional-looking pumpkin pie. However, if a pie pan isn’t available, just look around your kitchen.

There should always be something that you can use to improvise and bake your pumpkin pie.

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