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November 13, 2020

Pumpkin Pie Recipe (VIDEO)

4.98 from 75 votes
166 comments

This classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe is the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make pumpkin pie with a buttery, flaky crust and the best filling.

We love pumpkin recipes from our decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake to Pumpkin Bread. If you are a fan of pumpkin flavors, this homemade Pumpkin Pie is a must-try. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.

Homemade pumpkin pie slices topped with whipped cream

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The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

There’s no store-bought pie that even comes close to this homemade pumpkin pie. It’s worth the effort to make one from scratch (especially for Thanksgiving) and this one is epic. We’ve even turned this recipe into Mini Pumpkin Pies. Here’s why everyone raves about this pie:

The Best Pie Crust – we use our go-to pie crust to make a tender and flaky crust. Pre-baking will make all the difference in the final taste and texture of the crust. Follow the tips below for success.
The Filling – there is tons of great pumpkin flavor because of the ingredients we recommend that really highlight the pumpkin flavor.
The topping – we added rum into the whipped cream that will keep everyone guessing and makes the flavor exciting.

Pumpkin Pie Video Tutorial

Pumpkin Pie is a staple on the holiday table and we honestly love it all Autumn and winter long. It’s so comforting. Make sure you try the whipped cream – it’s so simple to make and infuses every bite with tons of flavor.

Classic Pumpkin pie served on a plate with whipped cream

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie

After testing dozens of pumpkin pie recipes, this one has the perfect texture and flavor. The key to getting the right custard-like consistency is in the extra egg yolks. Keep those whites for your next egg white omelet.

Pie Crust – use 1 pie disk or half of our pie crust recipe
Egg white – to brush and seal the inside of the crust
Pumpkin puree – this can make or break your pie. See our recommendation below.
3 Egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg – the extra yolks give this a creamy custard consistency.
Sugar – the combination of light brown and granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness
Simple spices – salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon are all you need. These make the pumpkin flavors really shine.
Vanilla extract – adds great flavor
Evaporated milk – gives the pie a creamy, silky consistency.

Ingredients for the best homemade pumpkin pie

The Best Pumpkin Puree

We highly recommend Libby’s brand 100% pure pumpkin puree. There is a good reason everyone recommends using Libby’s and after several tests using different brands and even organic purees, Libby’s wins for:

Best Texture – it’s super thick and concentrated
Rich Color – the deep orange hue will give you the best-colored pie once it’s baked.
Pumpkin Flavor – because it’s very concentrated and well-drained, the pumpkin flavor really comes through in your pie.
Versatile – we also use it for pumpkin recipes like Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Cupcakes and Pumpkin Pancakes.

Tools You Will Need

You don’t need any fancy equipment to make a homemade pie. These are our favorite tools for making pie.

Pie Pan – use a 9 to 9 1/2” glass pie pan
Rolling Pin – we love the French rolling pin style
Parchment Paper – to crinkle and use under pie weights
Pie Weights – use either ceramic pie weights, 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of dried beans, or white rice to pre-bake the pie crust.

ceramic pie weights and dried beans for pie weights

Should I pre-bake the crust?

Pre-baking or ‘blind baking’ the pie crust is important for pumpkin pie because it ensures that it stays crisp and doesn’t get soggy as the filling bakes. The process is well worth it and you will love the crust just as much as you love the filling. Get all of our best tips for blind-baking a crust in our Pie Crust Recipe.

step by step pre-baking a pie crust with pie weights

Can I re-use the pie weights? If you are using beans or rice, you can let them cool to room temperature and re-use them. Traditional ceramic pie weights are an investment initially but can last for years and be re-used countless times.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

Making a pumpkin pie is easier and takes less time than you think! The best part is, you can pre-bake the crust a day or two ahead and even completely bake and refrigerate the pie two days ahead.

Prepare the crust – roll chilled pie dough to a 12″ circle, transfer to a pie pan, crimp the edges and freeze 30 minutes.
Blind-bake crust – line the frozen pie crust with a circle of crinkled parchment paper and fill 3/4 full with pie weights. Bake at 425˚F for 17 minutes, remove pie weights, prick all over with a fork, brush with egg white and bake another 5 minutes.
Make the Filling – Whisk together all filling ingredients then add evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. Bake at 350˚F for 60 minutes then cool pie to room temperature.
Whipped Cream – beat 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form then add sugar, rum, and vanilla and beat until medium/stiff peaks form. Pipe over cooled slices of pie.

Step by step how to make pumpkin pie recipe

Common Questions:

Can I use a store-bought crust?

If the only thing stopping you from making a pumpkin pie is the crust, then by all means use a store-bought deep-dish pie crust.

Do I need to Pre-Bake the Crust?

We have tested with and without pre-baking and the crust was significantly better (flakier and crisper) when pre-baked. If you decide not to pre-bake then you’ll want to bake at 425˚F for 15 minutes then reduce to 350˚F and bake another 45-50 minutes.

What is the best pie pan for pumpkin pie?

We prefer to make pies that require a pre-bake in a glass pan because you can see the progress of the crust as it bakes, but a ceramic pie dish will also work.

Can I Freeze Pumpkin Pie?

Once the pie is at room temperature, you can wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving.

How to prevent cracks in Pumpkin Pie

Avoid whisking the filling vigorously. Continue whisking after the evaporated milk is added until the bubbles are broken down.
Do not overbake – An overbaked center is more likely to get dry and crack. Also baking at a lower temperature (350˚F) prevents the cake from rising too quickly, then sinking and cracking.
Avoid the knife test for doneness – this will cause a big crack where you inserted the knife. Instead, test for doneness by giving the pan a little jolt. It should be set at the edges with a slight wobble in the center.

homebaked pumpkin pie without cracks on the surface

Pro Serving Tip: just like with Cheesecake, use a damp paper towel to wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

If you love a traditional Thanksgiving menu, these are our top recipes for your holiday feast.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe

4.98 from 75 votes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Chilling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

pumpkin pie on a plate with whipped cream

Homemade Pumpkin Pie is one of the most iconic Thanksgiving Desserts. See our secrets for a crisp crust and the best pumpkin pie filling!

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $6-$8

Keyword: pumpkin dessert, pumpkin pie recipe, thanksgiving pie

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Calories: 308

Servings: 10 people

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Pie:

1 pie crust, (1 disk or half of our pie crust recipe)
1 egg white , (to brush inside hot crust)
15 oz pumpkin puree, room temperature (Libby’s brand works best)
1 large eggs, plus 3 egg yolks, room temp
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (break up any clumps before adding)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz evaporated milk, room temperature

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp golden rum

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Crust:

Roll 1 chilled pie disk to a 12” diameter circle. Transfer to a 9” glass pie pan.
Fold the excess dough behind the crust under at the edge to build up the edge for crimping then crimp the edge. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour, which will help the crust bake more evenly without sliding down.

Blind Baking the Crust:

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line the center of your chilled pie crust with a 9-10″ ring of crinkled up parchment paper and fill about 3/4 full with dry beans or pie weights. Bake 17 minutes or until edges are starting to turn golden.
Remove pie weights, prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, brush the inside of the pie crust with egg white and place back in the oven without weights for 5 minutes or until the center looks dry. While it’s still hot, brush the inside with egg white which creates a barrier so the filling doesn’t soak into the crust. Cool completely to room temp before adding the filling.

Make Pumpkin Pie Filling and Bake:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg and yolks, brown and granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon until well combined.
Add evaporated milk and whisk until blended and all of the bubbles are gone from the batter. Tap bowl against the counter a few times to knock out any extra bubbles. Pour into pre-baked and cooled crust.
Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F and bake 55-60 minutes until the pie is nearly set. It should be completely set at the edges with just a slightly loose center. It should be barely wobbly like a cheesecake.
Cool completely on a wire rack until room temp (3 hours) then serve or refrigerate if not serving the same day.

Make the Rum Whipped Cream:

In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment or egg beaters for 1 minute until soft peaks form.
Add 3 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 Tbsp rum, and 1/2vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.

Nutrition Facts

Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 308 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 248mg11%

Potassium 251mg7%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 7073IU141%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 133mg13%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclosure

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.