It’s Fall and the flavor of the season is pumpkin. And when it comes to pumpkin, nothing beats a classic pumpkin pie.
Through the years, I’ve tried different pumpkin pie recipes, but I always go back to the recipe on the back of the Libby’s can, adding one very important tweak. You really can’t go wrong with that version of the holiday standard. But there is a secret that will make your pumpkin pie better than most.
Homemade pumpkin pie is one of the easiest pie recipes you’ll ever make, even without premade pie filling. Canned pumpkin is the star of the day, and because you didn’t buy the premade pie filling, you can use my secret chef tips for the creamiest pumpkin pie ever!
*If you’ve worked with baking pumpkins and are familiar with the process, you can use fresh pumpkin puree. Just make sure the water content isn’t too high.
Pumpkin Pie shouldn’t just be for the fall and winter months, it really is a delicious pie, and you can buy canned pumpkin all year long. You’ll love my easy pumpkin pie recipe and so will your family!
If you’re a serious pumpkin fan, my Classic Pumpkin Roll and Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake are two of my favorites!
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools and the ones I used to make this recipe.
Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a traditional pumpkin pie. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Simple Pantry Ingredients
- pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- eggs
- granulated white sugar ( I used organic cane sugar)
- evaporated milk
- pumpkin pie spice
- salt
You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar. It won’t be quite as sweet, but the brown sugar will impart additional flavor to the pie.
How to make a pie crust
It’s easy to make a flaky crust using your food processor. If you don’t have time to make a homemade pie crust, feel free to skip this step and pick up a store-bought crust at your grocery store. I’ll never tell!
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse the dry ingredients 4 times to fully mix the ingredients.
- Add the pieces of very cold butter to the dry ingredients and pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in, forming buttery pebble size pieces.
- Add the room-temperature/ egg to the mixture and pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the food processor.
- Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface (be careful with the blade).
- Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the pie dough for 15-20 minutes before using.
When the dough has set up, roll out the pie dough to a large circle a little bigger than the outside of the pie pan (or pie plate) and refrigerate until needed.
*If you prefer a crust with flaky layers, par-bake the crust and let it cool before adding the filling.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
- Beat the eggs in the bowl of your stand mixer (or hand mixer with a large bowl) until light, pale yellow and have doubled in size.
- Mix the sugar-spice mixture into the eggs by hand, just enough to combine.
- Add the canned pumpkin to the egg mixture
- Blend together until combined.
- Add the evaporated milk to the pumpkin mixture and combine.
Evaporated milk and condensed milk are not the same thing. Condensed milk is sweetened and thicker than evaporated milk. It can be used in this recipe, but make sure to cut back the amount of sugar used, or the pie will be too sweet.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into a prepared pie shell.
- Bake at 350 degrees on the center rack of a preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack and refrigerate until serving.
After the pie has cooled on the wire rack, refrigerate for at least 2 hours; overnight is best. Serve the pie with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe FAQ’s
No, you can’t. According to the FDA, homemade pumpkin pie can be left at room temperature for two hours, after which it is in danger of growing harmful bacteria.
Commercially-produced pies are made with preservatives that allow them to remain shelf-stable for longer at room temperature
No, you can’t. Most pumpkins are ornamental. To use fresh pumpkins for a pie, you need to purchase pie pumpkins. Although it’s difficult to make fresh pumpkin puree, it’s not for the beginner and definitely not something you should try without testing and practicing first.
You can make the pie two days before you’re going to serve the pie. If you need to make it far in advance, it would be wise to freeze it and defrost it the morning you’re going to serve the pie.
More Pie Recipes You’ll Love!
Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Dish Pie Pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice more or less to taste. Or you can substitute cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 15 oz pumpkin puree one small can not pumpkin pie
- 12 oz evaporated milk *if you use condensed sweetened milk cut back on the sugar.
Homemade Pie Crust
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces – kept very cold
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl
- Beat eggs in the bowl of your stand mixer until light, pale yellow and have doubled in size. *This is my chef tip that makes the pie lighter and fluffier.
- Mix the sugar-spice mixture into the eggs by hand, just enough to combine.
- Add the pumpkin to the egg mixture and blend together until combined.
- Add the evaporated milk to the pumpkin mixture.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into a prepared pie shell.
- Bake at 350 degrees on the center rack of a preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack and refrigerate until serving.
- Top with whipped cream before serving.
Homemade Pie Crust
- You can use a premade pie crust and skip this step. The pumpkin is the star, not the crust!
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse the dry ingredients 4 times to fully mix the ingredients.
- Add the pieces of very cold butter to the dry ingredients and pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in, forming buttery pebble size pieces.
- Add the egg to the mixture and pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the food processor.
- Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface (be careful with the blade).
- Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the pie dough for 15-20 minutes before using
- When the dough has set up, roll out the pie dough to a large circle a little bigger than the outside of the pie pan (or pie plate) and refrigerate until needed.*If you prefer a crust with flaky layers, par-bake the crust and let it cool before adding the filling.
Beverly Gould
thanks for the tips!
Chef Dennis Littley
You are very welcome!
Martha Clyatt
Notice you use the evaporated milk & sweetened condensed milk interchangeably through out the recipe. That is 2 different kinds of milk to me which is the correct one for this recipe?
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t say sweetened condensed milk, and mention not to get that version. In some parts of the world evaporated milk is refered to as condensed milk