Pumpkin pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts for thanksgiving. It should have a crisp crust throughout, SMOOTH, creamy filling with lots of flavor and my piece always has a mountain of whipped cream. Store-bought pie can never compete. For more thanksgiving pie ideas, check out my classic apple pie, homemade sweet potato pie, and easy pecan pie.
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Pie Dough: I used a batch of my flakey butter pie crust for this recipe but you can use your favorite or store-bought pie dough.
Spices: You can add allspice, cardamom, or any of your fall favorites into the mix.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie
1. Roll out your prepared pie dough to about a quarter of an inch. Transfer dough to pie dish and trim the edge leaving an inch of overhang then fold the edge under and pinch into a crimped pattern. Dock with a fork all over so steam can escape during the blind bake.
2. Cut a circle of parchment paper and cut the edge to create frills. Place paper in pie shell then gently press in a double layer of foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 425F for about 12 minutes then remove the paper and weights, dock with a fork again and bake another 10 minutes or until the bottom is dried out. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, salt, and spices to a pot. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup combine the milk and cream then warm in the microwave for about 90 seconds.
4. Place on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is hot and just starts to bubble when left alone for a moment. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Beat the eggs in a bowl then drizzle the warm milk mixture in while whisking.
6. Whisk the egg mixture into the pumpkin filling. Mix until smooth and homogeneous.
7. Pour warmed filling into the blind baked pie crust.
8. Brush edge with an egg wash and tent the edge with foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350F until center is set, about 50 minutes. Remove foil after 30 minutes if the crust needs a bit more color.
Pro Tips for this Recipe
- Tent your pie! Just fold a length of foil in half then loosely wrap around the pie and crumple over the top so the crust is protected. Doing this will give you a golden crust and baked through pie.
- An egg wash is KEY to a golden beautiful crust. You can use cream, milk or even water to mix with the egg. Make sure to mix thoroughly.
- Warming the pie filling is a crucial step for a smooth pie that has a crisp bottom so don’t skip it.
- Feel free to adjust the spice profile, you can use 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice instead of the spices I used.
- Try adding two tablespoons of dark rum or bourbon to the filling for a nice depth of holiday flavor.
- If you have lots of little bubbles on your pie’s surface after the filling is poured in, then just use a hairdryer to pop them.
- If your pumpkin looks a bit chunky just pulse in the food processor and it will be smooth as silk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I pre-bake pie crust for pumpkin pie?
- Pre baking your pie crust is the key to a crust that’s crisp throughout.
- Blind bake with pie weights at 425F for about 10 minutes.
- Remove weights, dock the crust and bake another 10 minutes.
- Adding an egg wash creates an additional barrier between the crust and filling.
Can you substitute almond milk for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie?
You can substitute almond milk for evaporated milk or cream, just add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the sugar as a thickening agent.
Can I make it the day before?
Pumpkin pie can be made a day ahead and tastes great cold. If desired you can warm up before serving. The crust is of course best the day of as the filling will dampen things up over time.
How do you avoid burnt pie crust?
Tenting your crusts with tin foil for most of the bake drastically cuts down on burnt edges. Just fold a long piece of foil in half lengthwise and gently wrap around the crust before baking. You can remove halfway through or so and allow the crust to get golden brown just as the center sets.
How do you thicken the filling?
Cooking the eggs in your filling will stabilize the custard and cause it to set. If you have substituted in almond milk or evaporated milk for cream, just add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the sugar as a thickening agent.
What does pumpkin pie taste like?
You’ll taste lots of fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg along with the subtle almost fruity flavor of the pumpkin itself.
How do you know when it’s ready?
You can either insert a knife in the center and it should come out clean, or you can give it a little shake and the center will have the slightest wobble when it’s just done.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this pumpkin pie recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust unbaked
For the Filling:
- 15 oz pumpkin puree one can
- 3/4 cup brown sugar Light, packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp cloves optional
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 eggs large, room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp cream
Instructions
- Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Allow your chilled pie dough to warm up for about 5 minutes on the counter.
- on a lightly-floured surface roll the pie dough out to a circle a bit less than 1/4 inch. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer to the pie dish. Push the edge inward so the dough forms to the pan and press in.
- Trim the dough about 1 inch larger than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork. Chill in freezer to 10 minutes.
- Cut a round or parchment paper and frill the edge then press to the pie pan. I like to fold a sheet of foil in half and gently press against the parchment paper, this will support the pie in the oven and prevent and slippage. Fill the paper three-quarters full with pie weights or dry beans and bake the crust for 12 minutes.
- Remove the beans, foil and paper prick the crust all over, including the sides, with the tines of a fork, and bake for another 10-12 minutes and remove from oven. Crust should be dried out and just turning color. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
For the Filling:
- Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt to a pot then mix and place over medium-low heat. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture is hot and just starts to bubble when left alone for a moment. Remove from heat.
- Combine the milk and cream in a bowl or measuring cup them microwave for about 90 seconds to warm. Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk together.
- Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the eggs while whisking, then add the egg mixture to the pumpkin filling and whisk together until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Pour the filling into the blind baked pie shell. Mix an egg with a tablespoon of milk or cream and brush the edge with it.
- Loosely wrap the edge of the pie with foil and bake bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is just set in the middle and knife inserted in the center comes out clean. You can remove the foil after about 30 minutes If the crust needs to take on some more color.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Tent your pie! Just fold a length of foil in half then loosely wrap around the pie and crumple over the top so the crust is protected. Doing this will give you a golden crust and baked through pie. Mix with the egg. Make sure to miix thoroughly.
- An egg wash is KEY to a golden beautiful crust. You can use cream, milk or even eater to mi
- Warming the pie filling is a crucial step for a smooth pie that has a crisp bottom so don't skip it.
- Feel free to adjust the spice profile, you can use 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice in stead of the spices I used.
- Try adding two tablespoons of dark rum or bourbon to the filling for a nice depth of holiday flavor.
- If you have lots of little bubbles on your pie's surface after the filling is poured in, just use a hairdryer to pop them.
- If your pumpkin looks a bit chunky just pulse in the food processor and it will be smooth as silk.
Nutrition
