Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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The best Pumpkin Pie Recipe just so happens to be an ultra-easy dessert recipe. Start with a store-bought crust, whisk together a tasty filling, and bake. No one will guess this is a semi-homemade pumpkin pie!



 

I love pumpkin pie because the flavor is not too sweet, the texture is cool and creamy, and it’s the perfect way to end a holiday meal. Pumpkin pies are always widely available for purchase at Thanksgiving, and sometimes it’s cheaper to buy one than make one (the Costco one for $5.99 is massive and hard to beat!).

So for those of us who choose to make pumpkin pie from scratch, our motives are clear. We bake for love of it, and for the love of those we feed, and buying a pumpkin pie in the box just doesn’t feel the same. Or taste the same.

But because there is always a gray area (with time, responsibilities, and distractions), this recipe meets you halfway. This recipe starts with a store-bought crust (but should you have the time and desire to make it from scratch, please do), and the filling is easy to make.

It’s hard to have the best of both worlds, but recipes like this, my Best Pumpkin Pie, strive to give you the balance that you need as you feed the ones you love.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin pie.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Pumpkin puree: Seek out canned pumpkin pureé (not pumpkin pie filling). Want to make your own Fresh Pumpkin Puree? It’s easy: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut your pumpkin in half and remove all seeds and fibrous strings. Cut each half into 2 or 3 pieces, then roast until tender, 60 to 90 minutes. Cool completely, then scoop out the pumpkin flesh from the skin. Blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Finally, drain over cheesecloth or paper towels to remove excess water.
  • Evaporated milk: Canned evaporated milk, NOT the sweetened condensed milk. Carnation or PET brand is easy to find.
  • Pie crust: Make a homemade pie crust or use a store-bought deep dish pie crust. To make the pie dough in advance, make the dough, form it into a disk shape, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. To use, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then roll it out. If you have the space, you can roll out your pastry dough, press it into the pie pan, and freeze it, tightly wrapped in plastic. You can bake frozen pie crust straight out of the freezer without thawing.
  • Whipped cream: You can make your own whipped cream or substitute store-bought; just don’t skip it entirely as the cream complements the custard pie beautifully.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. 
Mixing up pumpkin pie filling in a bowl.
  1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until beaten. Stir in sugar mixture and pumpkin. Slowly add evaporated milk.
Mixing up pumpkin pie filling in a bowl.
  1. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake 15 minutes.
Pumpkin pie filling poured into an unbaked pie shell.
  1. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about  40 minutes. Cool on wire rack, about 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
A baked pumpkin pie cooling on a wire rack.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This easy pumpkin pie recipe makes 8 generous slices. If you’re enjoying it on a holiday alongside other desserts, slice 10 slightly thinner pieces (to save room for that Pecan Pie or Apple Pie, too!).
  • Storage: Store your baked and cooled pumpkin pie covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s delicious cold with plenty of whipped cream.
  • Make ahead: If you’re making this Pumpkin Pie in advance, store it in the refrigerator because custard pies need to be kept cold. Pull out out an hour or so before you serve so it can come up to room temperature.
  • Freezer: If you’re looking for a pie that freezes like a dream, try my Make-Ahead Pumpkin Pie. It can be made and frozen up to 2 weeks in advance and has a delicious maple-cinnamon whipped cream topping.
  • Try a cracker crust: If you prefer it to a pastry pie crust, The Best Pumpkin Pie filling can certainly be poured and baked on top of Graham Cracker Crust instead.
  • Spices: 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. You can add a pinch of nutmeg, too.
  • No Bake Pumpkin Pie: Firm, sliceable, and indistinguishable from a classic pumpkin pie, this No Bake Pumpkin Pie is made with just 6 ingredients, no baking required, and is easily made ahead of time.
  • Mini Pumpkin Pies: Tiny and irresistible, these Mini Pumpkin Pies come in handy for smaller gatherings or sharing with friends and family. They’re easy, creamy, and perfectly spiced, just smaller and cuter. 
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake: This homemade cheesecakefeatures a graham cracker crust topped with a rich, creamy, and warmly-spiced cheesecake filling.
  • No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake: An even easier pumpkin cheesecake made without ever firing up your oven. It needs to chill, so this is a dream dessert if you want to get ahead on your menu.
  • Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting: These easy Pumpkin Bars are moist, delicious, and loaded with cream cheese frosting. They are perfectly spiced without being too sweet.
Slices of pumpkin pie in a pie plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pumpkin pie filling made of?

Pumpkin pie filling is made with pumpkin purée (often canned), eggs, evaporated milk, and warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Is Libby’s canned pumpkin really squash?

Libby’s, perhaps the most popular canned pumpkin around, isn’t really pumpkin at all. Instead, Libby’s uses a proprietary variety of Dickinson squash.

Do I need a water bath for pumpkin pie?

It’s not mandatory to use a water bath, also known as a bain marie, when making a pumpkin pie. It is highly recommended for cheesecakes though. Without one, a cheesecake tends to brown more around the edges, end up a little drier, may fall in the center while cooling, and could crack. It’s worth the extra step to get the picture perfect masterpiece, so the method for a water bath is built right into this recipe.

Do I need to blind bake my pie crust?

Blind-baking a pie crust means to cover raw pie dough with aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Then you bake (or par-bake) the crust. This is a common technique for cold custard pies where the filling isn’t baked. In this recipe, the store-bought pie crust goes in the oven unbaked after you add the filling (because the filling needs to bake, too).

Slices of pumpkin pie on a white plate.
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Homemade Whipped Cream.

More Thanksgiving desserts

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A slice of pumpkin pie on a gray plate.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

The best Pumpkin Pie Recipe just so happens to be an ultra-easy dessert recipe. Start with a store-bought crust, whisk together a tasty filling, and bake. No one will guess this is a semi-homemade pumpkin pie!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 8 slices
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 90
5 from 11 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. 
  • In a large bowl, whisk eggs until beaten. Stir in sugar mixture and pumpkin. Slowly add evaporated milk. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake 15 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about  40 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack, about 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Notes

  1. Pumpkin purée: Seek out canned pumpkin pureé (not pumpkin pie filling).
  2. Evaporated milk: Canned evaporated milk, NOT the sweetened condensed milk. Carnation or PET brand is easy to find.
  3. Pie crust: Make your own pie crust or use a store-bought crust. To make the crust in advance, make the dough, form it into a disk shape, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. To use, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then roll it out. If you have the space, you can roll out your pastry dough, press it into the pie pan, and freeze it, tightly wrapped in plastic. You can bake frozen pie crust straight out of the freezer without thawing.
  4. Whipped cream: You can make your own whipped cream or substitute store-bought; just don’t skip it entirely as the cream complements the custard pie beautifully.
  5. Yield: This easy pumpkin pie recipe makes 8 generous slices. If you’re enjoying it on a holiday alongside other desserts, slices 10 slightly thinner pieces (to save room for that Pecan Pie or Apple Pie, too!).
  6. Storage: Store your baked and cooled pumpkin pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s delicious cold with plenty of whipped cream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 70IUCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Well shoot. I didn’t see that this recipe was for deep dish pie crusts…something I’ve never seen available in my supermarket. I bought the regular sized pie crusts and couldn’t figure out why there was so much leftover!
    Now what to do with all the extra filling…putting it in a mason jar for now, hope I can figure out how not to waste it! Maybe custards?

    1. Hi Amanda, I’m so sorry I didn’t respond to your question. Hoping to answer you now in case another reader has the same question. You can store leftover filling for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Custard sounds delicious, or even making mini pumpkin pies. Sorry again!