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pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Pie

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 3 –4 tablespoons ice water
For the pumpkin filling:
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree homemade or canned
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves optional, for warmth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream for a richer pie
Optional toppings:
  • Whipped cream
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Have a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish ready. If using a store-bought crust, remove it from the fridge so it’s pliable.
Make the crust (homemade) — optional
  1. In a bowl, whisk 1¼ cups all-purpose flour + ½ tsp salt.
  2. Add ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to rub/break the butter into the flour until mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits.
  3. Sprinkle 3–4 tbsp ice water (start with 3), tossing gently until dough just comes together. Don’t overwork.
  4. Form into a disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll to fit the 9-inch pie dish, transfer, trim/crimp edges, and chill again 15 minutes.
  6. Tip: For a quicker option, use a ready-made crust and skip right to the filling.
(Optional) Blind-bake if you want a super crisp bottom
  1. Prick the chilled crust with a fork, line with parchment, fill with pie weights/rice.
  2. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, remove weights, bake 3–5 more minutes until just set. Cool slightly.
  3. This is optional — many pumpkin pies bake fine without blind-baking.
Make the pumpkin filling
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together:
  2. 2 cups pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
  3. 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  4. 2 large eggs
  5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  6. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  7. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  8. 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  9. 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)
  10. 1/2 tsp salt
  11. Gradually whisk in 1 cup evaporated milk (or heavy cream for richer pie) until smooth and well combined. The filling should be silky and pourable.
Fill and bake (two-stage bake for best results)
  1. Pour filling into your prepared pie crust and smooth the top.
  2. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes (this helps set the edges).
  3. Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 40–50 minutes more. Start checking at 35–40 minutes.
  4. The pie is done when the center is mostly set with a slight jiggle — an inserted thermometer should read about ~175°F (79°C) in the center (if you have one).
  5. Avoid overbaking; the filling will continue to set as it cools.
Cool & chill
  1. Remove pie from oven and let cool on a wire rack to room temperature (about 2 hours).
  2. For best texture and cleaner slices, refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Serve
  1. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.
  2. Slice with a sharp knife; wipe the knife between cuts for neat slices.
Quick tips
  1. Use 100% pumpkin puree — not “pumpkin pie mix” (that’s already sweetened/spiced).
  2. If your spices are old, taste them — fresh spices make a big difference.
  3. For a creamier pie, swap half the evaporated milk for heavy cream.
  4. If the crust browns too fast, tent the edges with foil.

Video