This pumpkin pie recipe features a silky smooth, perfectly spiced pumpkin filling inside a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust. It's perfect for fall and the holidays!
Pumpkin pie is a quintessential fall dessert that no holiday season would be complete without. The filling is silky smooth, rich, creamy, and filled with plenty of pumpkin flavor. I worked hard testing every variable possible (and there are a lot!) to make sure that this pumpkin pie recipe is the absolute best and worthy of a spot on your Thanksgiving table.
Pumpkin Pie Ingredients:
For the Homemade Pie Crust (1 - 9" pie crust):
- Unsalted butter: Cut the butter into cubes first and then keep in the fridge or freezer so it is very cold when you add it in. If all you have is salted butter that's fine, just reduce the added salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon for every stick of butter.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for making pie crust.
- Salt: Brings out the flavors.
- Sugar: Pie crust isn't actually meant to be sweet, the sugar is used here because it actually interferes with the development of gluten, which keeps the crust tender and flaky.
- Ice water: Add water and ice into a glass and then use a tablespoon to measure out the water. I usually need 6 tablespoons, but to be safe start with less and then add more until the dough forms.
- Vodka in pie dough: Adding vodka to pie dough makes it easier to roll out and keeps it tender because, unlike water, alcohol does not contribute to the development of gluten. You can substitute all or some of the ice water with cold vodka. As the crust bakes, the alcohol will burn off, leaving you with a tender, flaky pie crust without any trace of the vodka flavor.
Filling Ingredients:
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to set and thicken the filling and provides extra insurance against cracks.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves: You can also substitute with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Brown sugar (light or dark) & granulated sugar: Use both for the best flavor and texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors.
- Pumpkin puree: 1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree. If using fresh pumpkin puree use 1 and ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons less than 2 cups).
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is best, but if you only have imitation that's fine too.
- Eggs: 3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature.
- Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream makes the filling silky smooth and luxuriously rich. Plus you can use it to make homemade whipped cream for serving.
Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin:
Pumpkin pie made with fresh pumpkin puree had pretty much the same taste to me as the ones made with canned pumpkin puree. They both tasted delicious, so I prefer to use canned puree due to the convenience. If you want to use homemade pumpkin puree, be sure to buy a pie labeled 'pie pumpkin', which are smaller and sweeter than regular pumpkins. You may need more than one pumpkin depending on the size.
To make homemade pumpkin puree: Clean and cut the pumpkin in half. Remove all of the seeds and roast in a 400° oven for 40 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor until smooth. Be sure to drain out all of the liquid through a sieve for 1-2 hours.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie:
Make the Pie Crust:
- Cut the butter into even-sized pieces. Keep it in the refrigerator so it stays cold.
- Measure the flour and add it into the bowl of a food processor along with the salt and the sugar.
- Add the cold butter and pulse until the flour is evenly coated. This is a lot easier using a food processor, however a large bowl and a pastry blender would also work, and it’s a great arm workout!
- Add in the ice water and pulse until a dough forms.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill the dough.
- Sprinkle a cool, clean surface with flour and also sprinkle the dough and the rolling pin with flour. Add more flour as you go and be sure to flip the dough occasionally so it doesn't stick. Gently roll it out into a 12" circle and add it to a 9" pie dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Leave a 1" overhang and trim and flute the edges. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer while you prepare the filling and preheat the oven.
Make the Filling:
Whisk together the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, and both sugars. Make sure there aren't any lumps. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, vanilla, eggs, and heavy cream until smooth.
Bake the Pie:
Recipes that call for blind-baking (pre-baking the crust before adding the filling) are doing this to avoid the bottom crust from getting soggy. However, I found that the top of the crust would always burn before the filling was cooked. So instead of blind-baking, brush the bottom of the crust with a beaten egg before adding the filling. The protein in the egg crisps up and creates a barrier between the crust and the filling, leaving you with a perfectly cooked crust that is not at all soggy.
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust just up to the start of the crimped edges. Don't overfill, there will be about ¼ cup of filling leftover. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, until just slightly wobbly.
Allow to cool completely, serve with whipped cream, and enjoy! Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Fall Dessert Recipes:
📖 RECIPE
Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- 1 - 9" deep-dish pie dish
Ingredients
Homemade Pie Crust: (1 - 9" pie crust)
- 1 and ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup cold, unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoon ice water
Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon*
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg*
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
Egg wash
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Make the Pie Crust:
- Cut the butter into even-sized pieces. Keep it in the refrigerator so it stays cold.
- Measure the flour and add it into the bowl of a food processor along with the salt and the sugar.
- Add the cold butter and pulse until the flour is evenly coated. This is a lot easier using a food processor, however a large bowl and a pastry blender would also work, and it’s a great arm workout!
- Add in the ice water and pulse until a dough forms.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill the dough.
- Sprinkle a cool, clean surface with flour and also sprinkle the dough and the rolling pin with flour. Add more flour as you go and be sure to flip the dough occasionally so it doesn't stick. Gently roll it out into a 12" circle and add it to a 9" pie dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Leave a 1" overhang, fold the edges under themselves and use your fingers to crimp all the way around. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer while you prepare the filling and preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Add in the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, room temperature eggs, and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth.
- Take the pie crust out of the freezer and brush with the beaten egg.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust just to the start of the crimped edges. There will be about ¼ cup of filling leftover. Do not overfill.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. The filling should be slightly wobbly. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
- Cover leftovers tightly and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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