Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

A fun, hands on dessert recipe that’s perfect for Thanksgiving that kids will love to help make. This is a great fall activity for the classroom or at home. Quick and easy Pumpkin Pie in a Bag is made in a resealable bag in piped into individual cups.

Are your kiddos always begging to help you with the holiday baking? I know mine are, and sometimes I like to give them recipes that they can make all on their own. No bake peanut butter cereal bars are a go to recipe that they make all throughout the year, but around the holidays I let them make things like pumpkin pie in a bag. This super simple recipe requires no baking at all and doubles as a super fun activity.

The best part? You get a delicious pumpkin sweet treat as an end result. It smells just as good as my pumpkin playdough, except you can eat this one! If you love pumpkin pie, but have no desire to bake it, then you’ve gotta give this treat a try. I can 100% guarantee that it’s absolutely delicious and you are going to love it!

Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

• Not only is this a fun cooking activity for kiddos, but it’s actually fantastic for sensory development. Smushing everything together in a bag is exactly like many other sensory play activities! The only difference is that this ends up being a tasty dessert.
• This pumpkin pie in a bag recipe comes together in just 15 minutes. It really is that simple!
• You only need seven simple ingredients to make this easy pumpkin pie recipe for kids. Keep them on hand and you can make this dessert whenever you get a sweet tooth!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

• Graham cracker sheets – Crushed up these tasty sweet crackers to create a graham cracker crust that will go into the bottom of the small cups.
• Ground cinnamon – Adding extra cinnamon with the pumpkin pie spice gives these little pumpkin treats an extra cozy flavor.
• Cold milk – I recommend using whole milk for the most creamy results, but you can use 2% or another type of milk.
• Pumpkin puree – Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
• Whipped topping – You can add a dollop of homemade whipped cream on the top of each pumpkin pie dessert instead of using whipped topping!
• Pumpkin pie spice – Grab your favorite pumpkin pie spice from the grocery store or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix – Instant pudding mix is key to the success of this recipe, so don’t forget it!

Helpful Tools

• Gallon size bags
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Individual dessert cups or ramekins
• Rolling pin

How to Make Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

In a gallon ziplock freezer bag combine the milk and instant pudding. Carefully squeeze the air out of the bag and then seal it tightly.

Squeeze and knead the mixture with your hands until blended, about one minute.

Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the ziploc bag. Squeeze and knead again with your hands until thoroughly blended and combined.

Place the graham cracker crumbs in a separate gallon plastic bag and then use a rolling pin to crush them up.

Once crushed, evenly divide the graham cracker crumbs between the cups/ramekins. There should be about 2 tablespoons per cup.

Grab some clean kitchen scissors and cut the corner of the gallon freezer bag filled with pumpkin pie filling and then evenly pipe the filling into the cups. Garnish with whipped topping and serve!

How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

If you have any leftover individual cups, just cover them tightly in plastic wrap. You can also store the pumpkin pie filling in a bag, separate from the graham crackers.

Store the individual dessert in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the graham crackers will become soggy the longer the dessert sits. The gallon zip freezer bag of pumpkin pie filling can be stored in the fridge for a few days, or frozen for 3-4 months.

Can I substitute pumpkin pie filling for canned pumpkin?

In general, you should not use pumpkin pie filling in place of canned puree. Canned pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and has spices added to it. With 100% puree, you can sweeten how you want and flavor it how you want. Use puree in this recipe so that you can sweeten and flavor it as desired.

Can I replace canned pumpkin with fresh pumpkin?

Absolutely! A can of pumpkin is about 15 ounces, which is just under two cups. A 3 pound pumpkin should yield about two cups of puree. So if you want fresh pumpkin, then grab a small pumpkin and make your own puree.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Pie in a Bag

Serve this pumpkin treat with cozy drinks like lucky charms hot chocolate! It’s great after heart meals like slow cooker chicken and noodles and taco spaghetti too.

You could even make these in small airtight containers and send one in a school with a cheese quesadilla or air fryer pizza bagels. The best school lunch ever!

Pro Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pie Dessert

• Easily make this treat sugar free with some sugar free graham cracker and sugar free vanilla pudding mix.
• Make sure you use freezer bags, not the regular plastic bags. The freezer bags are made with a thicker plastic and won’t bust as you mix things together.
• Feel free to crush the graham cracker by using a food processor! It’ll make more dirty dishes, but could be an easier process if you don’t want to manually smash the crackers.

This cozy fall treat truly never gets old! And if you want a craft to go along with snack time, then make this adorable pumpkin pie craft.

More Fall Recipes You’ll Love

• Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats are probably the cutest fall dessert you could ever make! They’re so much fun!
• Make these No Bake Pumpkin Patch Cookies as an adorable treat to make where you don’t even have to turn on the oven.
• Fall Snack Mix is sweet and salty, and truly a lovely little snack to making during the crisp fall months.
• This Halloween Snack Mix is a super fun treat to make during October. We love spooky snacks!