This classic pumpkin pie is soft, creamy, not too sweet, and the ultimate dessert for thanksgiving! This pumpkin pie recipe is extremely easy to make, loaded with pumpkin and fall flavors, and served with a big dollop of whipped cream.
This pumpkin pie is made with buttery and flakey pie crust, a rich and creamy filling, and the most amazing fall flavors. Keep on reading for our best tips and tricks for the classic pumpkin pie.
We LOVE making pumpkin recipes in fall and thanksgiving time, like our pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cheesecake.
Fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin in pumpkin pie?
We like making our pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin puree, but this is a personal preference. We rather baking with fresh pumpkin because we know exactly what goes into the pie. However, canned pumpkin puree will give you the same exact result.
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This pumpkin pie is:
- Extremely easy to make.
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Perfect to make when you need a fall-themed dessert.
- Has a buttery flakey pie crust.
- Has a rich pumpkin flavor and is filled with fall spices.
- The perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, fall, and winter.
Pumpkin pie ingredients:
For the pumpkin pie filling:
Pumpkin puree- we like making our own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins. You can use either canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree, make sure that you strain the extra liquids from your fresh pumpkins. You will need 450 grams of pumpkin puree.
Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Cinnamon- we love adding cinnamon to our pumpkin pie, it adds so much flavor that compliments the pumpkin flavor.
Ginger- use ground ginger for this recipe. You can add any of your favorite fall spices like cloves, allspice, and pumpkin spice.
Nutmeg- use either ground nutmeg or fresh nutmeg in this recipe.
Eggs- use room-temperature eggs in this recipe.
Cornstarch- helps to thicken the pumpkin pie filling, and helps to set the pumpkin pie.
Heavy cream- use room temperature heavy cream for this recipe.
Milk- use whole milk for this recipe.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
For the pie crust:
Flour- we used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Salt- use kosher salt for this recipe.
Butter- make sure you are using COLD butter for this recipe. We suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so it will be very cold when you are ready to use it.
Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe, but caster sugar can work as well.
Ice water- use ice water for this recipe, we want to keep the butter super cold.
How to make pumpkin pie:
Start by making the pie dough. In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
Add cold cubed butter and blend until the butter and the flour mixture are combined.
Add ice water and mix for 10 seconds. Press the dough between your fingertips and if the dough comes together, it’s ready. If not, add another tablespoon of water.
Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface and gather the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
Transfer the pie dough disk onto a clean floured surface and roll with a rolling pin into a circle and transfer it into a pie pan. Cut off the extra edges. Make little holes with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
How to "blind bake" pie crust:
Fold a piece of parchment paper into a ball and line the center of your pie baking pan. Fill the pan with either dry beans or rice, or pie weights.
Bake the pie crust into a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the edges of the pie start to turn golden.
Gently remove the pie weights and poke holes with a fork on the bottom of the pie crust. Then bake for another 5 minutes or until the center looks dry and baked.
Pumpkin pie filling:
In a big mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and cornstarch. Mix with a whisk until combined.
Add the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla extract and mix with a whisk until the mixture is combined.
Add 3 eggs, one egg at a time, and whisk between each addition.
Pour the pumpkin filling into the warm prebaked pie crust and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the pie looks completely set on the edges and a bit wobbly on the middle. The pie will set completely until it's cooled to room temperature.
Open the oven door and let the pie cool to room temperature for 2-3 hours. Cover the pie with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Tips for no crack pumpkin pie:
- Don’t open the oven door before the pie is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the pie while baking can cause the pie to crack.
- Don’t overbeat the mixture! It’s really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you mix each egg at a time.
- For a smooth and creamy pumpkin pie, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this pie, make sure that your eggs, heavy cream, and milk are at room temperature.
- Release air bubbles by tapping the pan onto a flat surface.
- Don't overbake the pie! Bake the pie in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the pie looks completely set on the edges and a bit wobbly on the middle. The pie will set completely until it's cooled to room temperature.
Our favorite tools for this recipe:
Tips for making the best pumpkin pie:
- Use COLD butter, we suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Place the pie in the lower third of the oven to stop the pie from browning too quickly.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving. This step is very important. If you slice your pie when it’s hot, you will have a loose pie. For a thick filling let the pie cool to room temperature, this step allows the apple pie filling to thicken up.
- Prebake (or "blind bake") your pie crust. This step ensures that the pie crust won't get soggy and will stay crispy. Don't skip this step, this step ensures that your pie will turn out perfect.
Frequently asked questions:
How long does the pumpkin pie last?
Pumpkin pie lasts for up to 5 days stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Do I need to prebake the crust?
We highly suggest prebaking the crust, we tested prebaking the crust and without prebaking the crust and we found that the prebaked pie has a much crispier and flakier crust. The crust that we didn't prebake was soggier.
Can I freeze the pumpkin pie?
Yes, you can freeze the apple after it’s cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 2 months. When you are ready to reheat, take it out of the freezer and bake at a 200c (400f) preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
Can I make this pie the day before?
Yes! the pie keeps great in the fridge. Simply store the cooled pie covered with foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for a day, and when you are ready to serve the pie, serve it either cold or warm it up in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 10 minutes.
How do I know when the pie is ready?
Bake the pie in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the pie looks completely set on the edges and a bit wobbly on the middle. The pie will set completely until it's cooled to room temperature.
Can I use store-bought pie dough?
Yes, you can definitely use store-bought pie dough. We like making our own buttery pie crust from scratch because we find it more flavorful and flakey, BUT if you are afraid of making your own pie crust or don't want to do extra work, you can definitely use a store-bought crust.
More thanksgiving recipes to try:
Apple Crumble Pie- This apple crumble pie is made with a delicious spiced apple pie filling, topped with a decadent flavorful crumble topping, inside a flakey butter pie crust. This apple crumble pie is the perfect fall dessert.
Cottage Pie- Cottage pie is an English classic and heartwarming comfort food. Cottage pie is made by making a savory mixture of ground beef, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, topped with cheese, and baked to perfection.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots- These brown sugar-glazed carrots are one of our favorite side dishes to make. These brown sugar-glazed carrots are super easy to make, take a few simple ingredients, and come together in a snap!
Apple Upside Down Cake- This apple upside-down cake recipe is a must-have for fall. This apple upside-down cake features an incredibly moist cake that is loaded with cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a caramelized apple topping. This cake is simply irresistible.
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📖 Recipe
Classic pumpkin pie recipe
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 2 ½ cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 200 g Butter
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 8 tablespoon Ice water
For the pumpkin pie filling:
- 450 g Pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
Make the pie crust:
- Start by making the pie dough. In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Add cold cubed butter and blend until the butter and the flour mixture are combined.
- Add ice water and mix for 10 seconds. Press the dough between your fingertips and if the dough comes together, it’s ready. If not, add another tablespoon of water.
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface and gather the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Transfer the pie dough disk onto a clean floured surface and roll with a rolling pin into a circle and transfer it into a pie pan. Cut off the extra edges. Make little holes with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
How to “blind bake” pie crust:
- Fold a piece of parchment paper into a ball and line the center of your pie baking pan. Fill the pan with either dry beans or rice, or pie weights.
- Bake the pie crust into a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the edges of the pie start to turn golden.
- Gently remove the pie weights and poke holes with a fork on the bottom of the pie crust. Then bake for another 5 minutes or until the center looks dry and baked.
Pumpkin pie filling:
- In a big mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and cornstarch. Mix with a whisk until combined.
- Add the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla extract and mix with a whisk until the mixture is combined.
- Add 3 eggs, one egg at a time, and whisk between each addition.
- Pour the pumpkin filling into the warm prebaked pie crust and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the pie looks completely set on the edges and a bit wobbly on the middle. The pie will set completely until it’s cooled to room temperature.
- Open the oven door and let the pie cool to room temperature for 2-3 hours. Cover the pie with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
M.Lott says
Love the recipes will try them soon God Bless