Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

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This simple and classic dessert is the Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe and it’s perfect for your holiday table. It’s a pumpkin pie that’s as delicious as it is beautiful!

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (1)

One of the staple recipes that every Thanksgiving table needs is a quality pumpkin pie. It’s right up at the top of my holiday menu with Sweet Potato Casserole. And if there is one time of year to make from scratch pie, it is Thanksgiving. However, we all know how crazy busy cooking for Thanksgiving can be, so while this best pumpkin pie recipe is homemade, it has a few shortcuts to help make things easier.

BEST PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE
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Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2)

Ready to make the best pumpkin pie you’ve ever had?!

  • Shortcut 1: Use canned pumpkin – Not the pumpkin pie mix, just the pumpkin puree stuff that comes in a can. No need to bake your own pumpkin and make a puree. Feel free to use the canned stuff. It still tastes great. And is soooo much easier. When I first started making pumpkin pie I used Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe from the back of the can, but now this pie recipe is my favorite.
  • Shortcut 2: Buy a pre-made pie crust – And to simplify more, I didn’t bother making a crust. This pie uses a pre-made crust to speed things along.But of course, feel free to make your own pie crust if you want. Honestly, if you have a great pie crust recipe, or know what kind of pie crust you love (buttery, shortening, etc.) then use that. But a quality pre-made frozen (not pre-baked) pie crust will save you time and hassle.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (3)

Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This pie is super fun and cute because of the pie crust leaves on the top, but making a tasty whipped cream can also enhance the pie. So feel free to add whipped cream! Homemade is best here.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (4)

How to make the best pumpkin pie recipe

  1. Par-bake your pie before adding the leaves. Bake 15 minutes, add leaves, bake the rest.
  2. Use an egg wash if the leaves don’t brown enough, and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Bake until center doesn’t jiggle, and a knife comes out clean
  4. Cover edges with foil to keep them from burning or browning too much.
  5. Let cool for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (5)

Of course, a good pie needs a good turkey for Thanksgiving to be complete, so check out this post for How To Cook the Perfect Turkey, crispy skin, tender juicy meat. It gets raves reviews and will help make your Thanksgiving a real hit.And another favorite for Thanksgiving is this Cranberry Jello Salad.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (6)

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (7)

Want more great pumpkin recipes?

  • Pumpkin Spice Donuts
  • Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip
  • Pumpkin Spice Truffle Bark
  • Crock Pot Pumpkin Spice Latte
  • Pumpkin Toffee Poke Cake
  • More dessert recipes

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (8)

Tools used to make this Pumpkin Pie recipe

Mixing Bowl:These mixing bowls get used just about every day at my house. The grip handle makes them easy to hold and the pour spout makes them perfect for batters!

Stand Mixer:I don’t know what I’d do without my stand mixer. I use it for just about everything…and I mean everything! Cakes, cookies, mashed potatoes, and shredding chicken!

Pie Plate:A good pie plate is a kitchen essential for any home baker. I really like this plate! It’s a little deeper than your standard pie plate and has a lip that makes decorative edges easy.

*This post originally posted on 11/16/2017.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (9)

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This simple and classic dessert is the Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe. It's perfect for your holiday table and as delicious as it is beautiful!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Rachael Yerkes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.

  • In alarge bowl, add eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg/cloves, pumpkin, and evaporated milk.Use a hand beater and mix until fully combined.

  • Place your pre-made pie crust into a pie plate (if needed) and the pie plate on a baking sheet to prevent spilling. Pour pumpkin filling into the pie crust.

  • Bake for 15 minutes at 425.

  • While baking, roll out your pie crust dough and use cookie cutters to cut out leaves. Use a toothpick to draw on the veins of the leaves.

  • Remove pie from oven, turn oven down to 350°F.

  • Place the leaves on top of the pie, arrange as desired.Use foil to cover the outside edges of the crust so they do not get too brown or burn while baking.

  • Return pie to oven, and bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

  • Place pie on a cooling rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 8435IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 2.1mg

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Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (10)

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Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes pumpkin pie taste so good? ›

The pie is generally flavored with pumpkin pie spice, a blend that includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. The pie is usually prepared with canned pumpkin, but fresh-cooked pumpkin can be used.

Why use evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

Eggs: Two eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the pumpkin pie filling together. Pumpkin: Of course, you'll need a can of Libby's pure pumpkin. Evaporated milk: A can of evaporated milk lends richness and helps thicken the pie filling.

Should I prebake crust for pumpkin pie? ›

For a guaranteed browned bottom, prebake the pie crust

You may want to cover the edges with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil, but the bottom will remain perfectly brown and crisp — not burned.

How do you keep the bottom of a pumpkin pie from getting soggy? ›

How to Prevent a Soggy Bottom Pie Crust
  1. Blind Bake the Crust.
  2. Choose the Right Rack in the Oven.
  3. Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White.
  4. Put the Pie on a Hot Cookie Sheet.
  5. Make a Thicker Crust.
  6. Add a Layer.
  7. Consider a Metal Pie Pan.
Mar 18, 2024

How can I enhance my pumpkin flavor? ›

To complement pumpkin with sweet flavor pairings, consider using spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla, or sweet ingredients like chocolate, maple, honey, cranberries or brown sugar. Create savory dishes by pairing pumpkin with spices like chilies, cajun, cayenne or pepper.

What brings out pumpkin Flavour? ›

Pumpkin is notorious for pairing well with warm winter spices – as found in a variety of Moroccan-inspired cuisines. Try incorporating cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cumin and chilli with your pumpkin dishes for flavour-packed feasts.

What if I put too much evaporated milk in my pumpkin pie? ›

Pies with too much evaporated milk formed blisters on top.

Though the interior of the filling had a great, creamy texture. The flavor was ever-so-slightly muted and had a hint of milkiness to it.

Can I use half and half instead of evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

While many recipes call for it, you can absolutely make an outstanding pumpkin pie without evaporated milk. If your recipe calls for one can of evaporated milk (as most do), you can substitute 1 ½ cups of cream or half and half, or a combination of the two. You can also use milk (any kind from whole to skim).

What happens if I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk? ›

Substitute Regular Milk for Evaporated Milk

The milk you have in the refrigerator is the best substitute for evaporated milk because it can be concentrated, much like the product you find on grocery store shelves. To make your own evaporated milk, pour 2/3 more milk than called for in the recipe into a saucepan.

Should I poke holes in my pumpkin pie crust? ›

But don't dock it (docking is aerating the crust before baking by poking it with the tines of a fork). This will cause the custard to seep out into the bottom crust, defeating that whole "flaky" thing you were going for.

Is it better to make pumpkin pie the day before or day of? ›

Pumpkin pie is a great make-ahead dessert to cross off your Thanksgiving to-do list. You can prepare and bake the pie up to two days in advance, and it will still taste great on the big day. Just make sure you store the pie in the refrigerator—not on the kitchen counter—until you are ready to serve it.

Can you overcook a pumpkin pie? ›

While a wobbly, runny pie is a telltale sign that a pumpkin pie is undercooked, an overcooked pumpkin pie is a bit harder to spot. When you've overcooked a pumpkin pie, you may see: The filling separating from the crust. The filling has visible cracks.

How do I make my bottom pie crust crispy? ›

Getting a brown, flaky/crispy bottom crust on your pie is all about quick and effective heat transfer. That's why aluminum or aluminum/steel pans — rather than glass or stoneware — are your best choice for baking pie. Metal, especially aluminum, transfers heat quickly and efficiently from oven to pie crust.

Should I bake the bottom pie crust first? ›

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie.

Why is my pumpkin pie still jiggly in the middle? ›

for pumpkin pie when the filling still ripples in the center. the pie is underbaked and the filling won't completely set up. when the center of the pie wobble slightly it will continue to bake.

What's so good about pumpkin pie? ›

With one cup containing more than 200% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, pumpkins make an excellent dietary choice to protect your eyes. The ever-versatile beta-carotene also protects your skin from wrinkle-causing UV rays; but pumpkin pulp makes for quite the effective exfoliating face mask as well!

Why is pumpkin flavor so good? ›

Because our perception of taste goes hand in hand with aromas, we taste (and in turn smell) pumpkin spice and our brain perceives it as a warm, happy memory that we enjoy. "Our olfactory systems are already built to respond enthusiastically to odors and their associated memories.

Why does my pumpkin pie taste bland? ›

Q: My pumpkin pie doesn't taste much like pumpkin. Why not? First off, make sure you're using the right kind of pumpkin! Look for pumpkins labeled "sugar pumpkin" or "baking pumpkin." The pumpkins typically used for jack-o'-lanterns are stringy, watery, and bland.

What makes a good pie pumpkin? ›

For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat. Field pumpkin types are larger, have watery, stringy flesh, and are best for decorating.

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