Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe (VIDEO)
This classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe is the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make pumpkin pie with a crisp crust and the best filling.
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We love pumpkin recipes from our decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake to Pumpkin Bread. If you are a fan of pumpkin, this homemade Pumpkin Pie is a must-try.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe Video:
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Pumpkin Pie is a staple on the holiday table and we honestly love it all Autumn and winter long. Make sure you try the rum-infused whipped cream that we adapted from Ina Garten’s cookbook.
Tools you will need to make a pie:
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make a homemade pie. These are our favorite tools for making pumpkin pie.
- 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.
- 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
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie from Scratch:
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.
The Best Pumpkin Puree for Pumpkin Pie:
We highly recommend Libby’s brand 100% pure pumpkin puree (this is not a paid plug). There is a good reason everyone recommends making a Libby’s Pumpkin Pie 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.
Love Pumpkin? Try these Pumpkin Recipes:
If you love all things pumpkin, you are sure to find many new favorites in this list. These recipes have all of the cozy Autumn vibes.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake – a cross between a classic cheesecake and pie
- Pumpkin Cake – with a marshmallow-like frosting
- Braided Pumpkin Bread – like a giant cinnamon roll
- Pumpkin Cupcakes – light and airy with the perfect frosting
- Breakfast Pumpkin Pancakes – these are super fluffy and go down easy
Why you should pre-bake the crust:
Pre-baking or ‘blind baking’ the pie shell 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.
Can I re-use the pie weights? If you are using beans or rice, you can let them cool to room temperature then 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.
- Rum 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.
Common Questions:
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 like Pillsbury.
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.
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.
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.
Pro Serving Tip: just like with cheesecake, use a damp paper towel to wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices.
Our Best Classic Thanksgiving Recipes:
If you love a traditional Thanksgiving menu, these are our top recipes for your holiday feast.
- Juicy Roast Turkey – with easy video tutorial
- Turkey Gravy – arguably the best part of the meal
- Soft Dinner Rolls – to soak up the yummy gravy and sauces
- Cranberry Sauce – homemade takes minutes to make
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes – our most decadent holiday-worthy side
- Sweet Potato Casserole – you’ll love the crisp topping
Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
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
Rum Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp golden rum
Instructions
Prepare the Pie Crust:
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Roll 1 chilled pie disk to a 12” diameter circle. Transfer to a 9” glass pie pan.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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Add 3 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 Tbsp rum, and 1/2vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This pie is perfection! The crust has a few steps but it is totally worth it to make it from scratch. This is the only recipe you will ever need because this pie is absolutely delicious. (I did not make the rum whipped cream).
Hi Jessalynn, thank you so much for your great comments and feedback. Totally agree, it is so worth it!
Hi Natasha,
I never made a pumpkin pie before let alone eat one (was raised up on sweet potato pie). I decided to make your recipe as a gift for my pastor. I bought Pillsbury crust. Since I had extra filling and 1 extra crust, the second pie was a little over half full. I tried a piece. I was so impressed that I decided to make a couple for Christmas. I really enjoyed your homemade whipped cream. I may never use Cool Whip again. When I asked my pastor about it, he said his sister didn’t give it to him. She told me it’s in the freezer because they didn’t get together for Thanksgiving. I thought that was odd until I realized he may have fasted.
During his last sermon, he mentioned praying and fasting for our nation and how he would miss eating pumpkin pie.
Aaaw that’s too bad, I hope he was able to taste it after fasting. Thanks for sharing your comments and feedback with us!
Of course I went to Natasha for ideas for Thanksgiving, since I was in charge of desserts. This pumpkin pie is the best and your pie crust perfect. Deliciousness at it’s best. Thank you dear Natasha for sharing your best recipes. I also made Valentina’s chocolate lasagna!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, I want to thank you for all you do to help people cook. Your recipes and tips are so great. You are just delightful. Thank you. Your pumpkin pie is awesome!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Natasha! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family 🙂 My pie is in the oven right now, so excited! I did have a little bit of filling leftover. I was thinking to make mini pies in a cupcake pan, do you think it would work? Thank you!
Hi Ella, I love that idea!! That would be adorable! Let me know how it goes. It’s one thing I wanted to experiment this year but ran out of time.
I just finished making the mini pies and they turned out so cute ! here are the instructions for anyone who wants to make them.
1. So I made the normal 9 inch pie yesterday and i had a bit of leftover filling. I covered the filling with plastic wrap and left it in the fridge overnight. (and for most of the day)
2. I made half a recipe of natasha’s amazing pie crust
3. roll out the crust, and use a cupcake pan. (I used a cookie cutter to get the circle shape) i didn’t do the blind bake the crust, i just added the filling right away.
4. bake for about 30-40 minutes (the baking and cooling time gets cut in half) and then let them cool and enjoy! Thank you Natasha for the amazing pie, my family loved it!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
I made your recipe for the Pumpkin Pie.. I thought mine was good, but this one was the BEST and creamy.
I used your crust recipe.. froze it and used it yesterday. saved time and it was the BEST and delicious..
Awww! I am all smiles reading your review. Thank you for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you loved our pumpkin pie recipe.
I am not a baker but this recipe made it so easy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Natasha,
I always use your pie crust recipe but I wait the hour to chill and I immediately bake and never have issues. This time, I chose to make ahead. Tuesday, I made the crust, wrapped them up tight and then put them in ziplocks and put them in the crisper. Wednesday, I pulled the dough out, waited for them to relax and then began rolling them out but it was cracking left and right. I tried everything, rolled it all up again, added a little water, still cracked. I used it anyway, managed what I could and baked the pies. They don’t look beautiful but they taste damn delicious as usual. Lolol tell me lady what did I do wrong?
Btw, at least 5 of your recipes will be on our Thanksgiving table, thank you for sharing your home with us.
I’m so glad you love our recipes and are using 5 of them for Thanksgiving. That is amazing! With the pie dough, it is likely due to not adding enough water or adding too much flour. If it ends up too dry, it can be difficult to roll and more likely to crack. You might check out our post on how we measure flour (spoon it into the measuring cup and level off the top). If you push the measuring cup into the flour container, you can compact it and get 25% more flour than you need.
Hi Natasha,
Love all your recipes so far, and this Thanksgiving I will be trying your Turkey, apple and pumpkin pies recipes. That’s how much confidence I have in you!
Happy Thanksgiving to you & the family with blessings!
Karen😊❤
That’s a good list. I hope you will enjoy these recipes, Karen! Happy Thanksgiving too.
I will be making this pie. But I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned. It makes a big difference in the taste.
Hi Cathy, with fresh pumpkin, just be sure it is very well-drained or the filling ends up quite loose. I hope you love the pumpkin pie recipe.
Hi Natacha,
I used fresh pumpkin puree and thickened it with some corn flour on the cooktop. The outcome was amazing, didn’t have to worry about cracking the filling.
That is so great! Thank you or sharing your good feedback with us.
I cannot find pumpkin pie spice what are the spices in that specific spice mix
Thank you!
Hi Michelle, I have it linked above in the recipe card. I found it’s a shortcut to use it in pies and pumpkin cheesecake, but you can also make your own. I found a tutorial online for making pumpkin pie spice.
Please could you precise what are the pumkins spices. Thank you 🙏
Hi Nano, I have it linked in the recipe card for reference.
My crust didn’t come out as well as yours did. The edges flopped. Do you know why?
Hi Zenovia, read through all of my tips on pre-baking the crust. I’ve probably encountered all of the troubleshooting issues with all the testing I did and I shared my tips for success in the post above. I hope that helps.
Can you leave it out on the counter overnight?
Hi Abby, we do recommend refrigerating it.
Hi there!
This looks amazing!
Can you blind bake the crust the night before?(:
Hi Lali, I believe that should work.
Should the whipped cream be made just before serving or can it be made a few hours in advanced?
Hi Leigh, to be safe, I would suggest piping that on before serving.
Are you aware of all the comments on Amazon that say their pie plate exploded? I went to the one you recommended and saw this……
Hi Marie, that is usually the case if you pour cool liquids or ice into very hot glass. Putting a chilled dish into a hot oven is not against the rules from what I’ve researched because it is tempered glass. Here is some more information on why not to worry about a glass pan exploding in the oven or shattering.
Hi Natasha,
This looks amazing! We’re definitely going to make this for Thanksgiving! Could we use Heavy Cream instead of Evaporated Milk???
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Tara, I have not tested that, but I imagine it may work. If you experiment, I would love to know how you like this recipe.
Thanks Natasha, this is so good honestly this is the best pumpkin pie i ever made. I’m always amazed your recipes. Hoping for more recipes coming. Happy thanksgiving!! God bless you and your family.
I’m so happy to hear that, Mae. Thank you for sharing that with us!
You can use dry beans with a bit of parchment paper.
can you use rice to blind bake the crust?
I haven’t tried blind baking with rice to advise.
I would do this recipe but I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned. It makes a big difference in the taste of the pie.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Cathy! I’m glad that worked out for you!
This may be a silly question but do I still pre-bake a store bought pie crust? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, if it is a deep dish crust then yes I would still pre-bake with weights. If it is a thinner crust, you can follow the instructions without pre-baking in the “Common Questions” section under the title: “Do I need to Pre-Bake the Crust?”
How can I get the whipped cream to last on top earlier
Hi Pamela, to be safe, I would suggest piping that on before serving.
Hello,
Are you working on a cookbook?
Hello there, yes I am working on a cookbook but it’s taking me some time to finish it. Don’t worry as I will share it with everyone when it’s ready.Thanks for asking!
You guys have the best editing on your videos 🙂 They are so fun to watch! I will definitely give this recipe a try as my family loves pumpkin pie. Thanks for sharing all of your tips!
Hello Shelby, we appreciate your good comments and feedback. Thank you so much for your kind words, I’ll be sure to show this to my husband as he is the awesome guy editing the videos!
Are you working on a cookbook?
We sure are; stay tuned!
Hi Natasha…I’m wanting to make this pie for friends and family but I am going to use 8″pie tins for take and go… do you think the crust will work well still?…
Hi Cheryl, and 8″ pie could still work. It will be slightly smaller; watch closely as it’s baking not to overdo it.
Natasha,
Thank you for all your work in researching all the tips and tricks on making a homemade crust! I feel like these small things help me cook like a pro 🙂 I never knew prebaking the crust worked or the egg white trick. Thank you for that! And truly, once you bake a homemade pie, store bought ones just don’t compare.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad our videos and blog posts are helpful! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!
Natasha, I’ve never pre-baked my crusts for pumpkin pie….this recipe looks amazing! Thinking I might try it your way.
Sounds like a good plan, Kris. I hope you love it!
Thank you for the recipes I enjoy them . Thank Betty Jean
You are most welcome, Betty.
Thank you for the recipes I enjoy them . Thank Betty Jean
You’re so welcome, Betty!
After baking the pumpkin pie and it cools off the pumpkin mix comes away from the crust. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Faith, it could be due to over-baking or the type of pan used. You might try baking for 5 minutes less or check for doneness sooner. I hope that helps!
the recipe is easy and it is yummy
Thank you!
i love your cooking
can you cheese crackers because i don’t have any recipe to do with the cheddar cheese😥😥😥can you do it in your website if you can
Thanks for your suggestion, I’ll make a note about that.
HI Natasha! I can’t wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. Can I bake this the night before? How should it best be served the next day? Sorry.. first timer baking a pie… so I’m panicking a bit 🙂
Hello Sylwia, you can pre-bake the crust a day or two ahead and even completely bake and refrigerate the pie two days ahead.
Yummy all recipes
My country Pakistan
But any ingredients no idea please please name completely recipes with ingredients charts
Hi Ambreen! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes! If you click Jump to Recipe, that will take you to our printable recipe card where all ingredients are listed.
Hi I hope you are fine
Doing great! Thank you, Malak! Enjoy your weekend!
Can you do cheese crackers for the end of year 2020 please
Thank you for that suggestion, Malak!
If we use a store bought crust do I still follow the instructions that you have with baking, weights, etc?
Hi Tammy, if it is a deep dish crust then yes I would still pre-bake with weights. If it is a thinner crust, you can follow the instructions without pre-baking in the “Common Questions” section under the title: “Do I need to Pre-Bake the Crust?”
I would recommend using Half and Half instead of Evaporated Milk, or if you are in the Eastern US, try Table Cream. It makes a much tastier pumpkin pie, as it does not have that tinny taste and smell.
Thank you so much for sharing that suggestion with us, Doug!
I can’t wait to try the homemade crust. It will be my first time!🤞
Oh that is very exciting! If you have a food processor, it is super easy to make a homemade crust for pumpkin pie.
My husband and daughter love pumpkin pie! I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving! So excited!
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope this becomes a new favorite dessert for you.
Thank you natasha I was so happy when you did the recipe I requested can when you try a recipe say what we can replace the ingredients because it is difficult to find the ingredients
Wonderful recipe. One thing I’d suggest is adding 3 tablespoons of molasses per pie. It changes the flavor in an amazing way. People who don’t think they like pumpkin pie might change their minds!
Nice advice, I should try that next time. Thanks for sharing that with us, Karen!
Looks good, can’t wait to try this one!
Thank you Katie! I hope it becomes a new favorite for you.
One of the BEST Pumpkin Pie recipes! My family loves it! 🙂
Hi Jenn, I’m so happy you love our Pumpkin Pie recipe!