Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe is my very favorite. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with whipped cream.
Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin Bundt cake, but HELLO what about pumpkin pie?? My Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe is here today.
Did you know that testing the perfect pumpkin pie recipe is a lot more challenging than one would assume!? Fresh pumpkin, canned pumpkin, ginger, no ginger, brown sugar, white sugar, cornstarch, flour, no cornstarch, no flour…?
But I finally I cracked the pumpkin pie code. I grew up in a house of pumpkin pie lovers and absolutely no Thanksgiving was complete without a nap and a massive slice of pumpkin pie. What I’m trying to say is, my pumpkin pie standards are high for this classic Thanksgiving dessert.
Pie Crust
Let’s start with the pie crust. Every pumpkin pie has to start with a stellar pie crust. My homemade pie crust uses a mix of shortening and butter so you get the most buttery tasting, tender, flaky (so flaky) pie crust. It’s easy to make. And I have a video tutorial and step-by-step photos in my pie crust recipe.
If you skip the leaf decorations on top , you’ll have a 2nd pie crust you can use to make leftover turkey pot pie!
Fresh or Canned Pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie?
I tested this recipe with both and I truly liked the pie using canned pumpkin better. The canned pumpkin pumpkin pie (say that 3 times fast) was a little more sturdy when baked for the same amount of time. The pie baked with fresh pumpkin puree tasted grainy and a little… herbaceous? I prefer using fresh pumpkin puree in savory recipes, not desserts. This is your call, you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin.
Other Ingredients in Pumpkin Pie
- Eggs. Eggs set up the pumpkin pie filling. They give the filling its rich, luxurious texture.
- Heavy cream. Heavy cream makes pumpkin pie silky smooth. It’s thick, creamy, and absolutely heavenly in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of milk. I found that 1 and 1/4 cups of heavy cream (or more) was simply too much. Too thick, too gloppy! You can also use the heavy cream to make homemade whipped cream for the topping.
- Cornstarch. A starch thickener is one of the most important ingredients in a pie filling. I use a touch of cornstarch in my pumpkin pie because it helps set up the pie. Makes it a little sturdier and firm, while keeping everything smooth.
My Secret Ingredient
This sounds so incredibly weird, but I add freshly ground black pepper to my pumpkin pie filling. It’s bizarre, I know. But I’m being serious. I got this tip from the genius kitchen crew over at King Arthur Baking. And I am forever grateful. Because this little addition turns your pumpkin pie into the BEST pumpkin pie. No one will know it’s there except for you. And they will all be wondering what makes this spiced pie so good… it’s a pinch of pepper.
I actually add it to my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, too! Feel free to replace the ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper below with my homemade spice. (Keep the cinnamon in the filling though!)
How to Avoid Cracks in Pumpkin Pie
Silky yet thick, this pumpkin pie cuts beautifully as long as it is baked for the right amount of time. The bake time is about 55-60 minutes. At this time, the center of the pumpkin pie will be slightly wobbly. It will set as it cools. Careful not to overcook; overcooking it will cause the filling to crack.
PS: For some fun twists on this classic, try this recipe as mini pumpkin pies, with a crunch topping on pecan praline pumpkin pie, or with extra spices in chai pumpkin meringue pie.
So from my kitchen to yours, enjoy The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe. And if you’re looking for more inspiration for your dessert table, here are all of our favorite Thanksgiving pies and a list of 30+ pumpkin dessert recipes.
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The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes (includes blind bake)
- Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 8-10; 1 cup sugared cranberries
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe is my very favorite. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with whipped cream. The pie crust leaves are purely for decor, you can leave those off of the pie and only make 1 pie crust. You can also leave off the sugared cranberries.
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries
- 1 cup (120g) fresh cranberries*
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup (240ml) water
Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Pie Dough (full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for leaf decor)
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
- one 15-ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree*
- 3 large eggs
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*
- 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg*
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
Instructions
- If garnishing with sugared cranberries, make those first: Place cranberries in a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and the water to a boil and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Let the cranberries sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight (ideal). You’ll notice the sugar syrup is quite thick after this amount of time. Drain the cranberries from the syrup and pour 1 cup of sugar on top. Toss the cranberries, coating them all the way around. Pour the sugared cranberries on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry for at least 2 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You’ll have extra, but they’re great for eating or as garnish on other dishes. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make the pie crust through step 5 according to my directions and video tutorial in my pie crust recipe. Or use your favorite pie dough or store-bought.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out the chilled pie crust: Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture.
- Par-bake the crust: Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create steam vents and return crust (without weights) to the oven for 7-8 more minutes or until the bottom is *just* starting to brown. (Review this how to par-bake pie crust page if you need extra help with this par-baking step.)
- Make the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.
- Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly – that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.
- Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.
- Decorate with sugared cranberries and pie crust leaves (see note). You’ll definitely have leftover cranberries… they’re tasty for snacking. Serve pie with whipped cream if desired.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pumpkin pie freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Pie crust dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. If decorating your pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before. You’ll also begin the pie crust the night before as well (the dough needs at least 2 hours to chill; overnight is best). The filling can be made the night before as well. In fact, I prefer it that way. It gives the spices, pumpkin, and brown sugar flavors a chance to infuse and blend. It’s awesome. Cover and refrigerate overnight. No need to bring to room temperature before baking.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Mixing Bowl Set, Pastry Blender, Rolling Pin, Pie Weights (you’ll need 2 packs), Pastry Brush, Pie Crust Baking Shield, Fall Cookie Cutters, and Silpat Baking Mat
- Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries, not frozen. The sugar syrup doesn’t coat evenly on the frozen berries, leaving you with rather ugly and some very plain shriveled cranberries.
- Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin is best in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use and recommend Libby’s brand. If using fresh pumpkin puree, lightly blot it before adding to remove some moisture. The bake time may be longer.
- Spices: Instead of ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, you can use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Be sure to still add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
- Pie Crust: No matter if you’re using homemade crust or store-bought crust, pre-bake the crust. (Step 5.) You can use graham cracker crust if you’d like, but the slices may get a little messy. Pre-bake for 10 minutes just as you do with regular pie crust in this recipe. No need to use pie weights if using a cookie crust.
- Pie Crust Leaves: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the balls of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Roll out into any shape you really want (doesn’t matter) and 1/8 inch thickness. Using leaf cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Brush each lightly with the beaten egg + milk mixture. Cut leaf veins into leaves using a sharp knife, if desired. Place onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool before decorating pie.
- Mini Pumpkin Pies: Many have asked about a mini version. Here are my mini pumpkin pies. They’re pretty easy—no blind baking the crust!
Keywords: pumpkin pie
Pie Crust Leaves
My pie crust recipe makes enough for two crusts. So with the extra dough, you can make adorable leaves for decoration on your pumpkin pie. Or any pie, really. I’ve seen the pie crust leaves baked directly on top of the rim of the pie – and I tried that – but was not thrilled with the results– too much uneven baking. The underside of the leaves weren’t really cooked through and the tops got a little burnt (even through my pie shield). So, to make things easier, just bake the pie crust leaves separately and place them on top of your pie before serving. You can also sprinkle them with a little cinnamon-sugar right before baking. I was going to do that, but I forgot.
My leaf cookie cutters (affiliate link) don’t have “veins” so I made leaf veins myself using a sharp paring knife. It’s tedious, but if you want authentic looking leaves you can go ahead. Don’t worry if your veins aren’t perfect. That’s a weird sentence.
My directions for the leaves are in the print-out recipe above.
Sugared Cranberries
Let’s talk about those sugared cranberries! I like to use them on pumpkin pie because they give a vibrant, fresh pop of color to the very brown and very orange pie. Plus, they’re tasty and festive. Simply prepare a sugar syrup, let the cranberries soak in the syrup overnight, drench in sugar (so dentist-approved) and let dry for a couple hours. My recipe for sugared cranberries is in the print-out recipe above, too!
(PS: Be sure to use fresh cranberries here, not frozen. If you have a bag that needs using, frozen will work for cranberry sauce — another must-have on your Thanksgiving table!)
Hello! I have a question. I made this pie last Thanksgiving and adored it. This weekend I’m baking two full pies for a Friendsgiving and one to donate to the Firehouse. Can I bake both of the crusts and pies at the same time in the oven together? Should I adjust the baking time? Or should I bake completely separately for best results? Thank you for your time and amazing recipes!
Emily
Hi Emily, If your oven is large enough to fit both pies in at the same time you can. You may wish to rotate the pans half way through just incase your oven has hot spots. The bake time should still be about the same but just keep your eye on them and bake until the center is almost set.
Excellent news in the sake of simplicity, thank you again! Emily
This is my favorite recipe for pumpkin pie. I love the custard texture as opposed to the dense traditional pumpkin filling with evaporated milk. I’ve already made 2 pies and shared them with others and they are asking for the recipe. The filling is easy to mix and I followed the instructions for the baking time. The pie turned out great everytime and the crust did not get too dark.
★★★★★
This has been my go to recipe for Pumpkin pie for a few years now. I haven’t found one any better or more satisfying. Thank you so much for the recipe! Buying my supplies to make it again next week for Thanksgiving. Again! Thanks for the best pumpkin pie recipe out there!!
★★★★★
This is probably my all time favorite recipe website based on the gingerbread cookie recipe alone, so I am very tempted to make this. However, I just moved- my supplies and money are limited haha. Store bought pie crust is okay, right? And I only have an aluminum pie pan to use for now. It’s not deep-dish; is it okay to use? Does anything need to change?
Hi Allie! You can certainly use store bought crust and an aluminum pan. You’ll still want to par-bake the crust like we do with the homemade crust. Bake time should be just about the same with the aluminum pan. Hope you enjoy this one!
Do you use pie weights and blind bake your homemade crust recipe for this pumpkin pie? If so, what pie weights do you recommend?
Hi Amy, yes, we do use pie weights to par-bake the crust for this pumpkin pie. See step 5 for par-baking instructions and a link to our favorite pie weights!
I love this pie! Planning on making it again this year. If I bake this Wednesday before Thanksgiving should I refrigerate until the next day or leave it at room temperature?
★★★★★
Hi Amanda! You can leave at room temperature.
My family doesn’t really like black pepper. Do you taste it all, or does it just give the other spices a pop?
It definitely lets the other spices pop. Feel free to reduce the amount to a super small pinch if desired.
Haven’t tried it yet, but after lots of recipe shopping this is the one I’m doing. Only question I have is, can I prepare it up to the point of putting the filling in the pie crust and then freeze it? Cook it later?
Hello! I am going to make this pie for my family for an early Thanksgiving this Friday. However, I wanted to make them in mini pie molds so they are individually sized. How long would you recommend baking them for in this case? I still plan on blind baking the crusts first as well.
What size of pie pan should I use for this recipe?
Hi Nancy! This recipe uses a 9-inch deep dish pie dish.
What is the best way to freeze the pumpkin pie ?
I can`t wait to make it!!!
Thank you so much.
Hi Janice! See recipe notes for our recommended make-ahead and freezing instructions. Enjoy!
Will it work well to divide the crust and filling between two regular pie plates? I don’t think one pie is enough to bring to my Thanksgiving, but two deep dish pies is probably too much. I’m thinking this is a good compromise! This recipe was a big hit last year!
Hi Lauren! This may not be quite enough filling for two regular pies – you may need to make a little more. Hope the pies are a hit!
Hi Sally…I am not sure this went thru to you…Can I make the Filling for the Pumpkin Pie the Day Before?? It seems very Time Consuming…Not Complaining, I am just a Newbie @ Pie Baking and SOooo want to Master This…I like the mini pie idea TOO!! I realize each recipe is different.
What baking time would you suggest for the mini pies?? I have for many years baked for family& Friends and always received good reviews…Started my Home Baking Business This Past year and always tend to get a little nervous worrying that everything will turn out…I DO Luv your Videos…They are Easy to Follow and informative…Just really Hoping
To get Good at the Pies…
Sorry For the Novel…
Thanks Again…
Cindy…
Hi Cindy! You can make the filling ahead of time, see recipe notes for make-ahead instructions. We include these in all of our recipe notes. Here is out reicpe for mini pumpkin pies. Happy baking!
I love this recipe. Thank you so much Sally!
Hi – I want to make this pie. However, my husband is dairy free. Any recommendations for substituting the heavy cream and milk?
Hi Valorie, We haven’t tested this recipe with any dairy free alternatives, so we’re unsure of the results. Please let us know if you decide to experiment with it and if you find something that works!
I am going to be making this pie for my partner and if all goes well I’ll be making it for our families for Thanksgiving! My mom is gluten free though, is there any difference in using gluten free flour?
Hi Nicole, we haven’t tested our pie crust using gluten free flour so we’re unsure of the results. Although some readers report using an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour in many of our recipes with success, you should expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients. Let us know if you give it a try!
me and my wife loved it so much!!!
★★★★★
I made this with roasted pumpkin because my family like the vegetal flavour and because tinned pumpkin is expensive in the uk! It turned out very well. I had a lot of spare filling so baked it in a glass dish and ate it with pouring cream.
★★★★
I’ve made this recipe before with great success. The filling is so good as is the crust. Today my crust slid down on the sides by an inch! I tried a new ceramic pan like the white one pictured above where as I’ve always used glass in the past. Do you think it was the dish? I hope it wasn’t my crust because I have the second one in my freezer to make a pecan pie (the maple syrup recipe) for Thanksgiving. What do you think went wrong?
★★★★★
Hi Heather! I’m so glad you enjoy this pie. It’s likely the dish. Ceramic is thick, and can be quite slippery. Perhaps use glass, if you can, for the pecan pie.
My daughter and I make this pie every year and it’s fantastic. Want to treat ourselves to a new pie dish this year. Can you share a link to the deep dish pie plate you recommend for this recipe? Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Michelle, you can find a link to our favorite pie dish (and all our favorite pie baking tools!) in this post. Enjoy!
So excited to try this…but am concerned about the pepper.
It calls for fresh ground, but my grinder makes some pretty big chunks. Is regular ground ok? Do I need to use less, or should I use only fresh and puck out any ‘chunks’. Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! Regular ground works just fine – you don’t want large chunks of pepper.
I love your recipes so much, Sally! I want to try this one. I usually make pumpkin pie with a lot less sugar. I don’t like it very sweet. Typically I use 1/2 cup (1/4 cup brown, 1/4 cup white) but also use evaporated milk which I think has sugar added. How much sugar would you recommend for a not-sweet pie using your recipe?
Hi Jordana! Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
I want to ensure I understand the freezing instructions: freeze the pie with uncooked filling, then bake directly from the freezer. Is that correct? Also, if using pre-made frozen pie crust (the kind already in a tin – no rolling out), do you still pre-bake? Thanks!
Hi Emily! The baked pie freezes well – we don’t recommend freezing an unbaked pie. If using a pre-made frozen crust that is raw, you’ll still need to par-bake. Hope you love the pie!
What about if I’m using a Wholly Wholesome Frozen Pie Sheet? Do I still par-bake? I have to make 30 of these pies! Thanks in advance!
★★★★★
Hi there! I plan on freezing the pie. What do you think about baking it again for a short time after thawing to freshen up the crust?
Hi Courtney! We haven’t tested slightly re-baking the pie, but let us know if you do!
The recipe doesn’t specify if and which ingredients should be room temperature. Eggs? Cream? Milk? Does it matter? Salt seems very specific about this in other recipes but I can’t find it in the printed recipe
Hi Kristin! It is not indicated because it won’t matter for this recipe. Hope you love it!
Woohooo. Thank you! Had other issues but will circle back and read comments to try to figure it out.
Tried this, loved it !! Any skeptics reading the comments before jumping in (always a good idea), think pumpkin pie with a touch of Pfeffernusse cookies.
Sally is my go-to recpe-ist.
I’m planning on making this for Friendsgiving. Can I use Evaporated milk instead of heavy create and milk or will that make a difference?
Hi Jessica! We don’t recommend it. We’ve tried evaporated milk and the two don’t compare. Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Hope you enjoy the pie!
Filling tastes delicious, mine is currently in the oven at 65 minutes and it is still very liquidy:(
★★★★
Thanks for the input!
I’ve heard baking your pie crust first, then add your pumpkin filling will keep the crust from not getting soggy. Whats the best way to bake the crust if you don’t have those pepples to weigh down the crust?
Hi Mary, here’s our guide to par-baking pie crust. Dried beans, granulated sugar, or even pennies can work in a pinch.
Can you use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Hi Kellie, 1 and 1/4 cups half-and-half should be fine (to replace BOTH the cream and the milk), but the pie may need a little longer in the oven since you’ll be missing some fat. (Since the recipe calls for more cream than milk!)
I have made this recipe in the Fall season for a few years now and we LOVE IT!! The spice level and custard texture are just perfect for us. Made, as instructed, with the cranberries and pie crust leaves, makes for a beautiful presentation at Thanksgiving and of course, it’s delicious that way. However, I want to share something else that may be helpful for those like us who like to have more than one pumpkin pie through the season and are perhaps looking for the easy route. Okay, so we really love a pumpkin pie with a graham crust and though homemade is best, it’s really easy and cost-effective to purchase some ready-made 9-inch graham crusts. This delicious filling recipe will fill two of the small and shallow ready-made crusts perfectly, without a drop leftover. They bake perfectly in my oven, at 375, for 33 – 35 minutes. I will make the pie, as instructed with butter crust and berries, for Thanksgiving, but today, it was really fast, easy, and fun to knock out two small pies with my two young children. And now, our family gets to enjoy these pies to our heart’s content, while at Thanksgiving, I doubt there’ll be a piece leftover after we and the extended family all have our shares.
TLDR: This is my favorite pumpkin pie recipe. If you want to go the simple route, this filling will perfectly fill two shallow 9-inch ready-made graham crusts and they will bake up perfectly at 375 for 30 – 35 minutes.
★★★★★
I love this recipe. Only used 1 cup of brown sugar and warmed the filling stovetop while the crust par-baked. The oven time is less and saves the crust from getting too dark. Pepper addition, brilliant!
I want to make this for Thanksgiving but I don’t see a note of using the all butter crust is that OK??
Hi Maureen, you can absolutely use the all butter pie crust here. Enjoy!