Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Course: Dessert, pie

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Cool Time: 2

Total Time: 3 20

Servings: slices

Calories: 286kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

My easy pumpkin pie is rich, custardy, and perfectly spiced, made with brown sugar, evaporated milk, and canned pumpkin puree. Using a store-bought crust keeps it simple, and it’s ideal for Thanksgiving pumpkin pie or any holiday dessert table.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Pie Pan

Ingredients

For the Egg Wash

1 large egg
2 teaspoons water

For the Pie

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust *
15 ounces pumpkin puree (1 can)**
2 large eggs
12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)***
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice ****
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and set the rack to the lowest position.
In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash. Beat 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water and set aside.
1 large egg, 2 teaspoons water
Place the pie dough into an ungreased 9 or 10-inch pie dish. Gently press the pie dough into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Trim any excess crust from the edges. If using an already prepared pie crust in a tin, simply make sure to take it out of the refrigerator.
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
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, and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, cover the crust with aluminum foil or a pie shield, and bake for another 40-45 minutes.
Let the pie cool for 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

*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 you're using 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already has added sugar and spices and will mess with the flavor and texture of your pie.

***If you don’t have evaporated milk, use an equal amount of half-and-half, heavy cream, or full-fat coconut milk for the same rich texture. 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.

****If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, mix 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves.

Tips:

If you prefer a crispier crust, blind bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F before adding the filling. Just be sure to line it with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans) to prevent bubbling.
You can also place your pie dish on a preheated baking sheet to help the bottom crust crisp up and prevent sogginess.
I used the second crust in the package I bought (along with some mini leaf cookie cutters) to cut out leaves and overlay them on top of part of the pie before baking.
Pumpkin pie is done when the edges are set, but the center still has a slight jiggle. It should read 175-180°F if probed with a thermometer. The pie will continue to set as it cools.
Cool the pie slowly on a wire rack, away from drafts, to prevent cracks.
For clean slices, chill the pie before cutting, then wipe the knife clean between each slice.
Serve with homemade whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar!

Make-Ahead: You can make this pumpkin pie a day ahead; just cover loosely and refrigerate. I find that it actually tastes even better the next day!

Storage: Store pumpkin pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition