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PUMPKIN PIE
by DA N I E L L E on S E PT E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 // 1 5 1 C O M M E N T S »

! JUM P TO RECIPE 4.97 from 30 ratings

This easy pumpkin pie recipe is made

completely from scratch and is a great make-
ahead dessert for the holidays!

If there’s one thing I look forward to at

Thanksgiving, it’s the pumpkin pie. Okay,
pumpkin pie topped with a huge dollop
of whipped cream. Today I’ll be sharing
my absolute favorite traditional pumpkin pie
recipe that’s made 100% from scratch.

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If you don’t make many pies, then this is a good

one to have tucked up your sleeve for the
holidays. The pumpkin pie filling is as simple as
whisking the ingredients together and pouring it
into a partially-baked pie shell.

Because pumpkin pie has to be stored in the

fridge, it’s a great make-ahead dessert that
everyone will love!

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS

RECIPE

This pumpkin pie recipe requires minimal

ingredients, so it’s important that you use the
right ones. Here’s an overview of what you’ll be
using to make this recipe:

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Pie crust: I like to use my favorite pie

crust recipe to make this pie, but a store-
bought crust works as well.

Brown sugar: Sweetens the pumpkin pie

filling and also adds flavor. I used light brown
sugar, but dark brown sugar works great too.

All-purpose flour: There’s just one

tablespoon of flour in the filling to help
thicken it and ensure that the pie sets up
properly.

Spices: I use a blend of ground cinnamon,

nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. There’s also a
pinch of salt in the filling to enhance the
pumpkin flavor.

Eggs: Helps bind the filling together and

creates a custard-like consistency. I
recommend lightly beating the eggs first to
ensure that they mix together better with the
other wet ingredients. Room temperature
eggs are also best. If you forget to set them
out ahead of time, just place them in a bowl
of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.

Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pure

pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling,
which is already sweetened and has spices
added to it. The only ingredient on the back
of the can of pumpkin puree will just be
pumpkin.

Evaporated milk: Not to be confused with

sweetened condensed milk, which is much
thicker and sweeter. Evaporated milk is
richer than regular milk and makes for a
creamier pie!

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN

PIE

To make this pie, you want to start by blind

baking your pie crust. If you’re not familiar with
this term, it simply means to bake the pie crust
for a little while on it’s own before adding the
filling.

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While this isn’t necessary for every pie, I highly

recommend doing it for this recipe because it
ensures that the bottom of your crust stays
crisp. Here’s a quick breakdown on how to blind
bake your crust:

Roll out the pie crust: I typically roll mine

out to about 12-inches in diameter. You want
the pie crust to be a little bigger than your
dish, so you have enough to fit it into the dish
and decorate the edges.

Transfer the crust to your pie dish: You

can do this several ways, but I find that
rolling it up over my rolling pin, then
unrolling it over the dish is easiest. This
recipe makes quite a bit of filling too, so be
sure to use a pie dish that’s at least 1 and 1/2
inches deep.

Fit the crust into the dish and decorate

the edges: Make sure to be gentle with the
dough during this process and don’t stretch it
(which can cause the crust to shrink).

Chill the crust: This gives the dough time

to relax, which makes it less likely to shrink.
It will also ensure that the butter and
shortening in your pie dough are cold, which
makes for a flakier pie crust.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a

fork: This will help prevent the bottom from
bubbling up when you remove the pie
weights later.

Line the dough with parchment paper

& fill with pie weights: I just use dried
beans for my pie weights.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F

Remove the pie weights: Lift up the

parchment paper with your pie weights and
remove them from the pie crust.

Bake for another 5 minutes at

400°F: This will allow the bottom of the
crust to bake a little more.

Cool slightly while you make the filling

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If you need more detailed instructions on blind

baking a pie crust, I have a full step-by-step
tutorial for how to blind bake a pie crust
here. You can also watch me do this step in the
video below right above the recipe.

Once the crust is partially baked, it’s time to mix

together the filling. To make the pumpkin pie
filling:

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Reduce oven temperature to 375°F

(190°C): The filling needs to bake at a
slightly lower temperature so that it doesn’t
burn or crack.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: In

a small bowl, whisk together the brown
sugar, flour, spices, and salt. Don’t worry if
you have a few lumps of brown sugar in the
mixture, they will whisk out once you add
them to the wet ingredients.

Whisk together the wet ingredients: In

a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then
whisk in the pumpkin puree and evaporated
milk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet

ingredients: Whisk in the dry ingredients
until just combined.

Pour the filling into the partially baked

pie crust

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 375°F: I

highly recommend using a pie crust shield to
prevent the edges of your crust from burning.
I prefer to cover the edges of my pie crust
once I’ve blind baked the crust and added the
filling, so I don’t have to open the oven door
again. If you don’t have a pie crust shield, you
can simply use foil to cover the edges
instead.

Cool completely & chill in the

refrigerator: Once the pie comes out of the
oven, let it cool on the countertop for a good
two to three hours. Then, it needs to be
refrigerated for several hours before slicing
and serving (overnight is best).

FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF PUMPKIN

PIE IS DONE?

You’ll know the pie is done baking when the

center is almost set and wobbles ever so slightly
(the center will finish setting up as the pie
cools). In total, the pie will need to bake for
roughly 45 to 50 minutes at 375ºF (190°C).

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SHOULD PUMPKIN PIE BE

REFRIGERATED?

Since this is a custard pie, it does need to be

refrigerated.

HOW LONG IS PUMPKIN PIE

GOOD FOR?

If covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator,

it will keep for up to 4 days.

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WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR

THE EVAPORATED MILK?

If you don’t have any evaporated milk on hand,

then you can replace it with an equal amount of
half and half.

CAN I USE PRE-MADE PUMPKIN

PIE SPICE?

Yes, you can replace the spices in the recipe with

2 to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie
spice.

BAKING TIPS

You can use a store-bought or homemade

pie crust for this recipe. My pie crust
recipe will make two pie crusts, but you
can easily freeze the other half to use
later. You can even use the second pie
crust to cut out leaves or other
decorations to go on top of the pie.

When blind baking the pie crust, make

sure to line the pie dough with
parchment paper or foil. You want to
cover the bottom and fit it snuggly in the
corners and up the sides, then fill it with
pie weights. You can also use dried beans
or dry rice if you don’t have any pie
weights.

To prevent any cracks in your pumpkin

pie, make sure not to over bake it! I
usually bake mine for about 45 minutes
and remove it while the center is still just
a little wobbly. As the pie cools, the
center will finish cooking and firm up.

This pie will freeze well for up to 3

months. Make sure to let it cool
completely, then wrap it tightly with
plastic wrap, and store it in a large freezer
bag. To thaw the pie, place it in the
refrigerator overnight.

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MORE PUMPKIN DESSERTS

TO TRY!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese

Frosting

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Mini Pumpkin Pies

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VIDEO TUTORIAL

Pumpkin Pie