Pumpkin Pie

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This easy recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Pie is the absolute best! Made with a flaky pie crust and a perfectly spiced filling, this pumpkin pie is light, creamy, and absolutely divine.

Slice of homemade pumpkin pie on white plate with whipped cream.

A good pumpkin pie should feature a filling that is light and creamy with warming spices that enhance the natural flavor of pumpkin and a crust that is flaky, tender, and buttery.

This recipe for pumpkin pie delivers!

Inspired not by Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe, but instead, by my Aunt's recipe, this recipe will beat all other recipes for Pumpkin Pie!

Not only is it delicious, creamy, and light, but it is one of the easiest recipes for pumpkin pie, as the filling comes together without the need for a mixer and there is no need to mess with pie weights or blind-baking the crust.

The from-scratch filling is made with pure pumpkin puree, cream, eggs, and the perfect blend of spices which creates a luscious, rich base. And instead of being sweetened with granulated sugar, which can leave the pumpkin pie filling gritty, I use brown sugar which not only blends into the filling for a smooth base but also enhances the warming spices and adds a rich undertone to the pie.

Seriously, this recipe produces the best pumpkin pie, some would argue the best pie, ever!

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for Pumpkin pie on counter labeled.

Pie Crust: You will need one deep-dish 9-inch pie crust. I use half my recipe for homemade pie crust, as it is not only easy to make but truly makes the flakiest, tender crust--without hydrogenated oils.
Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. The cans can look very similar, so be sure to pay close attention. You can also opt to use homemade pumpkin puree, just be sure to follow the modification listed further down the post.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Instead of using a jar of prepackaged pumpkin pie spice, I use a custom blend of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and grated nutmeg. This allows me to control the spices and makes for the best-flavored pumpkin pie.
Heavy Cream & Milk: Many recipes for pumpkin pie use sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk, but I feel that they can leave the pie with a bit of an aftertaste. Instead, I recommend using a combination of heavy cream and milk, which will create the creamiest filling for pumpkin pie.
Cornstarch: This may sound like an odd ingredient, but the cornstarch will help to thicken up the pie. Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk work as a thickener, so that is why you don't see the addition of cornstarch in all recipes for pumpkin pie.
Eggs: This recipe uses both whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, which will help the pie to set and form the custard filling.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

Step One: Prepare the Pie Crust

Skip to Step Two if using a frozen pre-made pie crust that comes preshaped in a foil pie pan.

Prepare the dough for the homemade pie crust, being sure to fully chill the dough. You can opt to cut the recipe in half, as you will only need one pie crust, or you prepare the whole batch and freeze half of the pie dough to use for another time.
Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and let sit out at room temperature for 3-5 minutes to make it easier to roll. Roll out the disk of dough on a lightly floured surface from the center moving outward until the diameter crust is about 12 inches or slightly larger than your pie dish.
Let the dough rest for a couple of minutes and then very carefully transfer the pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the dough onto the sides of the pie plate and then fold under the overhanging crust so that the edge is even. If desired, flute the edges of the pie crust.
Place the prepared pie crust into the refrigerator while you prepare the pumpkin pie filling. There is no need to prebake your pie crust when making this recipe for pumpkin pie, but you do want to chill the pie crust again to keep that butter super chilled, which will help to result in a super flaky crust.

Step Two: Prepare Pumpkin Pie Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, heavy whipping cream, milk, and brown sugar. Whisk by hand or use a handheld or stand mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy. Don't overmix, as that can cause air bubbles to form.
Add the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to the pumpkin pie filling and whisk again until well combined. The filling will be on the thinner side. It will thicken up as it bakes and cools.

Pumpkin pie filling in glass mixing bowl.

Pour the filling into the unbaked, chilled pie crust.
Gently tap the pie on the counter to remove any air bubbles in the filling.

Step Three: Bake

Bake the pie at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Baking for a short period of time at a high temperature will help the butter to melt and produce steam quickly, which will help your crust be super flaky.
After 15 minutes, turn the temperature to 350 degrees F. This will ensure your pie crust does not burn while the filling sets up.
Continue baking the pie for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is just barely jiggly and a knife inserted into the center of the pie filling comes out clean. The pie will continue to set up as it cools.

Step Four: Cool

Once the pie is baked, remove it from the oven and place the pie on a wire rack to cool for 3-4 hours at room temperature.
Once cooled to room temperature, cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before serving. The flavor gets better after the pie is thoroughly chilled.

Step Five: Serve

Serve the chilled pie with homemade whipped cream.

Slice of pumpkin pie on plate toped with whipped cream.

Preparing Pie in Advance

It is best to bake pumpkin pie the day before you intend to serve it, as this allows the flavors to develop and deepen. However, you can begin to prepare your pie up to 3 days in advance if desired or freeze the baked pie up to 1 month in advance. This is a great idea to get a jump start on your holiday meal.

To freeze pumpkin pie, bake and allow the pie to cool thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and then 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Place the wrapped pie into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Using Homemade Pumpkin Puree

I typically use canned pure pumpkin puree, as it is a staple I keep on hand in my pantry year-round. However, you can use homemade pumpkin puree to make pumpkin pie, with a few important modifications.

If you use fresh homemade pumpkin puree, it is crucial to drain off some of the liquid, to match the consistency of canned pumpkin puree. Place the pumpkin puree in a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large bowl. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Measure out 1 & ⅞ cups of the strained pumpkin puree to use in place of the 15 ounces of canned pumpkin puree.

Recipe FAQs

How can I prevent my pie crust from browning too much as the pie bakes?

Halfway through baking, check on the pie and loosely tent the pie with foil or use pie protectors as needed to prevent over-browning of the crust.

How can I prevent my pie from cracking?

A few tiny cracks are okay! But you can avoid major cracking by not overbaking the pie crust and not over-whisking the filling. This will also keep your pie creamy and light, not dense or dried-out.

Why did my pie filling turn brown?

Even though pumpkin puree is bright orange, when baked it is completely normal for it to turn brownish in color. This is called a Maillard reaction.

More Pumpkin Recipes

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Notes on Ingredients