Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe is my very favorite. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with whipped cream.
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Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, but HELLO what about pumpkin pie?? My Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe is here today.
Did you know that testing the perfect pumpkin pie recipe is a lot more challenging than one would assume!? Fresh pumpkin, canned pumpkin, ginger, no ginger, brown sugar, white sugar, cornstarch, flour, no cornstarch, no flour…?
But I finally I cracked the pumpkin pie code. I grew up in a house of pumpkin pie lovers and absolutely no Thanksgiving was complete without a nap and a massive slice of pumpkin pie. What I’m trying to say is, my pumpkin pie standards are high for this classic Thanksgiving dessert.
Pie Crust
Let’s start with the pie crust. Every pumpkin pie has to start with a stellar pie crust. My homemade pie crust uses a mix of shortening and butter so you get the most buttery tasting, tender, flaky (so flaky) pie crust. It’s easy to make. And I have a video tutorial and step-by-step photos in my pie crust recipe.
Fresh or Canned Pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie?
I tested this recipe with both and I truly liked the pie using canned pumpkin better. The canned pumpkin pumpkin pie (say that 3 times fast) was a little more sturdy when baked for the same amount of time. The pie baked with fresh pumpkin puree tasted grainy and a little…herbaceous? I prefer using fresh pumpkin puree in savory recipes, not desserts. This is your call, you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin.
Other Ingredients in Pumpkin Pie
Eggs. Eggs set up the pumpkin pie filling. They give the filling its rich, luxurious texture.Cornstarch. Astarch thickener is one of the most important ingredients ina pie filling. I use a touch of cornstarch in my pumpkin pie because it helps set up the pie. Makes it a little sturdier and firm, while keeping everything smooth.
My Secret Ingredient
This sounds so incredibly weird, but I add freshly ground black pepper to my pumpkin pie filling. It’s bizarre, I know. But I’m being serious. I got this tip from the genius kitchen crew over at King Arthur Baking. And I am forever grateful. Because this little addition turns your pumpkin pie into the BEST pumpkin pie. No one will know it’s there except for you. And they will all be wondering what makes this spiced pie so good… it’s a pinch of pepper.
I actually add it to my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, too! Feel free to replace the ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper below with my homemade spice. (Keep the cinnamon in the filling though!)
How to Avoid Cracks in Pumpkin Pie
Silky yetthick, this pumpkin pie cuts beautifully as long as it is baked for the right amount of time. The bake time is about 55-60 minutes. At this time, the center of the pumpkin pie will be slightly wobbly. It will set as it cools. Careful not to overcook; overcooking it will cause the filling to crack.
So from my kitchen to yours, enjoy The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe. And if you’re looking for more inspiration for your dessert table, here are all of our favorite Thanksgiving pies.
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Prep Time: 45 minutesCook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes (includes blind bake)Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling)Yield: serves 8–10; 1 cup sugared cranberries 1xCategory: PieMethod: BakingCuisine: American
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Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe is my very favorite. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with whipped cream. The pie crust leaves are purely for decor, you can leave those off of the pie and only make 1 pie crust. You can also leave off the sugared cranberries.
Sugared Cranberries1 cup (120g) fresh cranberries*2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, divided1 cup (240ml) waterPumpkin Pieegg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milkone 15oz can (about 2 cups; 450g) pumpkin puree*3 large eggs1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch1/2 teaspoon salt1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg*1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper1 cup (240ml) heavy cream1/4 cup (60ml) milk (I use 1% – any is fine)
If garnishing with sugared cranberries, make those first: Place cranberries in a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and the water to a boil and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Let the cranberries sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight (ideal). You’ll notice the sugar syrup is quite thick after this amount of time. Drain the cranberries from the syrup and pour 1 cup of sugar on top. Toss the cranberries, coating them all the way around. Pour the sugared cranberries on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry for at least 2 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You’ll have extra, but they’re great for eating or as garnish on other dishes. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).Roll out the chilled pie crust: Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture.Make the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up.
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(If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly – that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pumpkin pie freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Pie crust dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. If decorating your pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before. You’ll also begin the pie crust the night before as well (the dough needs at least 2 hours to chill; overnight is best). The filling can be made the night before as well. In fact, I prefer it that way. It gives the spices, pumpkin, and brown sugar flavors a chance to infuse and blend. It’s awesome. Cover and refrigerate overnight. No need to bring to room temperature before baking.Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries, not frozen. The sugar syrup doesn’t coat evenly on the frozen berries, leaving you with rather ugly and some very plain shriveled cranberries.Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin is best in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use and recommend Libby’s brand. If using fresh pumpkin puree, lightly blot it before adding to remove some moisture. The bake time may be longer.Pie Crust Leaves: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the balls of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Roll out into any shape you really want (doesn’t matter) and 1/8 inch thickness. Using leaf cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Brush each lightly with the beaten egg + milk mixture. Cut leaf veins into leaves using a sharp knife, if desired. Place onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool before decorating pie.
Pie Crust Leaves
My pie crust recipe makes enough for two crusts. So with the extra dough, you can make adorable leaves for decoration on your pumpkin pie. Or any pie, really. I’ve seen the pie crust leaves baked directly on top of the rim of the pie – and I tried that – but was not thrilled with the results– too much uneven baking. The underside of the leaves weren’t really cooked through and the tops got a little burnt (even through my pie shield). So, to make things easier, just bake the pie crust leaves separately and place them on top of your pie before serving. You can also sprinkle them with a little cinnamon-sugar right before baking. I was going to do that, but I forgot.
My leaf cookie cutters (affiliate link) don’t have “veins” so I made leaf veins myself using a sharp paring knife. It’s tedious, but if you want authentic looking leaves you can go ahead. Don’t worry if your veins aren’t perfect. That’s aweird sentence.
My directionsfor the leaves are inthe print-out recipe above.
Sugared Cranberries
Let’s talk about thosesugared cranberries!I like to use them on pumpkin pie because they give a vibrant, fresh pop of color to the very brown and very orange pie. Plus, they’re tasty and festive. Simply prepare a sugar syrup, let the cranberries soak in the syrup overnight, drench in sugar (so dentist-approved) and let dry for a couple hours. My recipe for sugared cranberries is in the print-out recipe above, too!
Are you new to this website? This email series is a great place to start. I’ll walk you through a few of my most popular recipes and show you exactly why they work.
Reader Questions and Reviews
Shannon M. says:
March 6, 2022 at
I didn’t have cranberries or brown sugar and I am gluten-free, but even with my modifications this turned out fantastic! The modifications to the filling that I made were that I substituted half-and-half and coconut sugar. I used Trader Joe’s “Wholly Gluten Free 9″ Pie Shells”, which contains two somewhat shallow shells and the filling filled the two of them about 3/4 full or slightly more. I baked for 50 minutes, which was perfect. The pies were darker in color than normal I think due to the coconut sugar, but not an issue at all. I felt that this wasn’t overly sweet with the coconut sugar substitution, but it was sweet enough to forgo whipped cream and not feel cheated.
The only issue I had was that neither my son nor I could taste any pumpkin. I had used a 15 ounce can of Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin. I will have to try again with a different brand . . . and there will be a next time! With sugared cranberries! Thank you so much!
★★★★
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Amanda says:
April 4, 2022 at
I didn’t do the cranberries, but I made this for Friendsgiving a few years back and it’s the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. I’ve tried a few recipes and usually tossed the pie because it was gross, and I have lived on frozen. I am so grateful for this recipe! It is amazing!!!
★★★★★
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Kate says:
August 20, 2022 at
Help! Took the pie out at 50 minutes. Four hours later and there’s a huge crack down the center. And the crazy part – – we cut in the next day and the inside was still gooey and not thoroughly cooked and fell apart immediately while cutting. Would love your input (on why it cracked if it wasn’t done!).
★★★★
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Itu says:
June 19, 2022 at
OK so I did mine and after 60mins it still like wet not too much but soft. Last recipe I used it was hard ish. Can I take it back?
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Brenda Lawson says:
October 20, 2022 at
Delicious pumpkin pie., This is my go to site for pie curst and pie recipes. I always bake my pumpkin pie the day before thanksgiving dinner. After it has completely cooled, I put it in an a plastic container and store in the refrigerator. I find that the cold pie loses it’s flakiness after storing it in the refrigerator for a day. I’m not sure if I am doing something wrong or if there is some way to retain the flakiness of the crust or get the flakiness back?
★★★★★
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Luca says:
October 20, 2022 at
Hi, this was my first time making pumpkin pie! I have yet to eat any, but it seems to have turned out okay for the most part. The very top layer had a few burnt patches.
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For future reference I was wondering if there’s a particular oven setting I should use to bake the whole pie? Also, how do you know whether it’s done or needs more time in the oven?
How do you recommend reheating the pie, if at all?
Thank you!
★★★★★
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Sally McKenney is a professional food photographer, cookbook author, and baker. Her kitchen-tested recipes and thorough step-by-step tutorials give readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally has been featured on Good Morning America, HuffPost, Taste of Home, People and more.