Slice into autumnal bliss when you serve this classic Pumpkin Pie! This family-favorite recipe always yields the most decadent, flavorful, and delicious pie. It’s super simple too, with no-frills ingredients and easy-to-follow steps.
What’s in Pumpkin Pie?
There’s nothing quite like taking a bite of smooth, sweet, spiced pumpkin flavor after a big Thanksgiving dinner. This classic recipe yields hands-down my favorite pumpkin pie… Ever!
- Pie Crust: Buttery and flaky– the perfect base for pumpkin pie.
- Pumpkin Puree: Also known as 100% pure pumpkin, this is the base of our pie.
- Eggs: Add richness and structure to the pie.
- Evaporated Milk: Makes the pie light and airy.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the pie.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds that classic warm and spicy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness of the pie.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the flavor of the pie.
Pro Tip: Use real pure vanilla extract, not imitation. Imitation will provide sweetness, but not the depth in flavor you get from real vanilla.
Variations on Homemade Pumpkin Pie
This is– hands down– the best pumpkin pie recipe you’ll ever make. If you’re looking to a get a little fancy, you can add some pumpkin pie spice into your homemade pie crust to amp up the warmth, or try replacing some of the brown sugar with maple syrup. Add a splash of bourbon to round out the flavor.
Swirl some melted chocolate into the filling before baking to create a chocolate pumpkin pie, or sprinkle it with chopped toasted pecans for a nutty twist.
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As far as desserts go, pumpkin pie is on the healthier side. It is high in vitamin A, calcium, iron, and protein. However, it is also high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar, so it should be enjoyed in moderation.
Yes! Pumpkin pie filling is already spiced and sweetened a bit too much. If you use pumpkin pie filling, this pie will be far too sweet.
It’s a simple combination of ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground mace, and ground cloves. If you can’t find any at the store, try making Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice.
In this recipe, I chose to use evaporated milk because it yields a light and airy pie. Sweetened condensed milk has sugar added and will make the pie much denser and sweeter, so I do not recommend using it in this recipe.
I haven’t had issues with this pie being soggy, but if you are concerned about it, you can blind bake the crust (with pie weights) for about 15 minutes before adding the filling.
Yes! I believe that pumpkin pie stays freshest when it’s kept in the fridge in an airtight food storage container or if the dish is wrapped in plastic wrap.
How to Store
Store leftover pumpkin pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend wrapping the pie tightly with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Enjoy slices chilled or at room temperature.
How to Freeze
Freeze pumpkin pie whole or cut into individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
I love to top this pie with leftover crust pieces cut into the shapes of fall leaves. It’s just so pretty! Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or a drizzle of warm honey for an elegant presentation.
Keep the pumpkin flavor going by serving it with pumpkin mousse or pumpkin pie ice cream, or go more simple by pairing it with classic vanilla ice cream.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg 50 grams
- 2 teaspoons water 9 grams
For the Pie
- 1 9-inch refrigerated pie crust 213 grams (see note)
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree 425 grams (1 can) – not pumpkin pie filling!
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 354 grams (1 can)
- ¾ cup brown sugar 160 grams
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch 7 grams
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 6 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Pie Pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash. Beat 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons water
- Place the pie dough into an ungreased 9 or 10-inch pie dish. If using an already prepared pie crust in a tin, skip to step 7.1 9-inch refrigerated pie crust
- Gently press the pie dough into the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
- Trim any excess crust from the edges.
- Pinch the edges of the dough around the pie dish. Brush the pie dough edges with the egg wash. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, evaporated milk, and brown sugar.15 ounces pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, 12 ounces evaporated milk, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Add the cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the filling into the pie shell.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, cover the crust with tin foil or a pie shield, and bake for another 40-45 minutes.
- Let the pie cool for 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Pie Dough: For this pumpkin pie recipe, use 1) frozen unbaked pie crust already prepared in a pie tin, 2) unbaked store-bought pie dough, or 3) unbaked homemade pie dough. All 3 of these options work great!
- Make sure the pie is completely cooled before serving. In fact, I like to chill mine for a little bit once it’s room temperature before I slice into it.
- Use real pure vanilla extract, not imitation. Imitation will provide sweetness, but not the depth in flavor you get from real vanilla.
- Don’t forget to add foil to the edges of the crust after the first 15 minutes of baking! This will help ensure the edges cook to a golden brown color but don’t burn.
Hi,Becky,I was planning to make this for christmas and will use your homemade crust recipe.Do I need to baked the crust first before I put on the filling?