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 sugared cranberries and 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 or mini pecan pies! Or if you like extra thick pie crust, use some of your 2nd pie crust to make a decorative crimped or fluted edge. My how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial will walk you through all the steps.
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.
P.S.: 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. You can also make a pumpkin cheesecake 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.
PrintThe 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 (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
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: If you want to decorate the pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup (150g) of sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour. Pour remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar into a large bowl. Toss the cranberries in the sugar, coating them all the way around. Place on a parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For more uses, see how to make sugared cranberries.
- 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 9×2-inch deep dish pie dish (this is the one I use; it is 1.75-inches deep). 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. Review my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial if you need extra help with this step. 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): Glass Mixing Bowls | Saucepan | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Pie Weights | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack | Fall Cookie Cutters
- 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!
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.
I made this pie because Trader Joe’s is selling the small pumpkins for making pies now. They are NOT the large pumpkins for carving. (Texture and taste is different). I just stuck the whole little pumpkin in my oven and baked until very soft. (too difficult to cut in half when raw) Then I just scooped out the pulp and puréed it in the food processor. (It made 2 cups). I only had a Ready made chocolate Cookie crust on hand so that’s what I used. Great combination. I added the salt and pepper as directed but Instead of all the rest of the spices I used 2 teaspoons “pumpkin pie spice” because I had that in my panty. IF you use pumpkin pie spice I recommend adding half a teaspoon at a time and taste it as you go until you like the flavor. Lastly i did not have brown sugar or heavy cream so I substituted the sugar and heavy cream with a can of sweetened condensed milk.
Amazing recipe!!! I was wondering if I can use the left over crust and filling to make tarts in a muffin tin? If so how long should I cook it for?
Hi Kandace, You can! It depends how big the mini tarts are. Use your oven light to keep your eye on them and bake until the pie filling is just about set.
If you are using a store-bought crust, do you bake it before you add the filling?
If you are using an unbaked store bought crust then yes, pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes as directed in step 5. Happy baking!
Does it matter if I use pumpkin pie filling from a can vs pumpkin purée from a can??
Hi Carissa, Yes it matters 🙂 Pumpkin pie filling not only is filled with spices and sugar, its consistency is completely different. If you are interested in making your own puree, some readers have reported making fresh pumpkin puree this way: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe-1922629
I have made several of your other recipes but not this one yet. You have great recipes and I appreciate you sharing them! I think I will make this over the weekend but wondered with the left over filling if used in store bought individual tart shells, would you just put the filling in the frozen shells and bake? Or would you pre bake the tart shells prior to putting your filling in? Thanks for your time and the recipes!
Hi Jennifer, You can pre-bake the mini crusts, but it’s not necessary. The smaller surface area will bake just fine under the filling.
If making into mini pies. What would be the bake time at what temp?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah, It depends how big the mini pies are. Use your oven light to keep your eye on them and bake until the pie filling is just about set.
This recipe looks delicious, but I can’t have heavy cream. Any substitutions that will work? Canned coconut?
Hi Julie, You can definitely use canned coconut cream here. Let us know if you try it!
The best
Do you use canned plain pumpkin puree? Alot of canned pumpkin puree has different seasonings added..
Yes Dan, use pure pumpkin puree with no spices in it. This way, you can control what spices go in and how much. I hope that answers your question.
This was excellent! Mine was pretty runny when I put it in (sloshy?), but firmed up and tasted delicious! Thank you!
Made two pies today for the first time. Made with your crust and whipped cream. Delicious! Both pies went fast.
Also have tried the pumpkin cookies, the carrot cake and your scones. Love em all!
My Hubby is a type 2 diabetic so I am always looking for treats for him I can make. Changed this recipe to low sugar and it was absolutely wonderful! That little bit of cornstarch made the pumpkin hold together beautifully. I replaced the brown sugar with 3/4’s of a cup of Swerve sugar replacement and I added a tablespoon of dark sorghum to bring up the flavor to that of brown sugar. That pie was so good! The spices are just right and I love the black pepper in it. Thank you Sally for sharing this one! It will be my go to from now on.
best pumpkin pie! I did a battle of the pies this weekend with three recipes and this pie won first place amongst my friends. This will be my go-to from now on. And i always use sally’s pie crust recipe using the shortening and butter; it always turns out.
Best our whole family has ever had! Agreed with other comment that the pie filling was not even just a little thick. Turned out perfection. Added to the recipe book immediately. Mind Blown.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thrilled with my pie using this recipe! I read that using kabocha or red kuri squash would make the best “pumpkin” pie (apparently the line between squash and pumpkin is blurry, and canned pumpkin is frequently squash). I used a red kuri and just loved the pie. Very happy with this recipe, it will be my go-to pumpkin pie recipe.
Super silky and great flavor! Very simple pie filling with great payoff. Not grainy or gummy. Will make this one again.
I didn’t want all the cream calories so I substituted only one cup evaporated milk instead of the 1 and a fourth cream and raised the cornstarch to 2.5 Tablespoons. I felt lazy and wanted a quick dessert so I put whole ginger snap cookies on the sides and bottom and baked in square pyrex dish. Turned out very well but was real sweet. Topped with a little whip cream. I had always tried the recipes on the pumpkin can and never did like them. They weren’t spicy enough and didn’t like the texture. This one is great!
I made this pie for Sunday night dinner (yes, I’m aware it’s only August) and this was seriously, hands down, the absolute best pumpkin pie I’ve ever tasted. I loved it! My husband glared at me after he tasted it because he’s always maintained that his grandma makes the best pumpkin pie, and he refused to admit that this one dethroned hers (she always just used the classic libbys pumpkin pie recipe). She passed away a few years ago so I settled with letting him declare this the SECOND best pumpkin pie he’s ever tasted. Even though we both knew it was the best ever I’ll never use a different recipe again! I can’t wait to make this for the in laws this holiday season.
This was good, but not great. Here’s what I though could be better, and will be modifying next time:
-I did not find it to be as flavorful as my local bakery’s pies. I’ll try it again by adding doubling up on the spices, or maybe .5x
– I found that I could have poured the entire batter into the crust, not just 3/4 as the recipe states. It could have used some more height
Hi Sally,
I made this recipe for the first time tonight (actually my first homemade pie ever! What have I been doing with my life?!), and loved it. I still have leftover batter, and saw that you mentioned in Step 6 that we could maybe use it for making mini pies. Mine was pretty runny, but do you think there is any chance I could make some kind of muffins or cupcakes instead from what is leftover? I know there is no baking powder in the batter, so wasn’t sure how much that would affect it. Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! So glad you loved this pumpkin pie recipe. For the leftover batter, you could make mini pumpkin pies similar to these mini key lime pies (with the graham cracker crust). Or how about adding a graham cracker crust (perhaps halve this recipe) to a 9×5 inch loaf pan, pre-baking the crust for 10 minutes, pouring the remaining batter on top, and baking until it’s set.
I made Sally’s pumpkin pie recipe for two Thanksgiving seasons. My father is a pumpkin pie snob and has definitely passed his test! I tend to have trouble baking pumpkin pies in general – I swear, for some reason pumpkin pie is my kryptonite – I always tend to have them overdone or underdone. But for this recipe, I do not have any trouble!
This was so delicious!!!
It was Not “a little thick” after adding the liquid, so I was worried I did something wrong, but it turned out deliciously!!
This recipe was simple yet amazingly tasty!!
This is going in my recipe stash. It was so good I’m not even gonna look for another pumpkin pie recipe. This IS IT.
Try it. You will not be disappointed!
[Only one tiny change: I added sugar to my crust bc I like a slightly sweet crust (2-3 Tbsp)]
{I did not have pie weights, so I just baked it.}
Thank you for this recipe. I tried this on the family and no one noticed the black pepper but raved about the pie. The black pepper really adds a not-spicy kick to this recipe that I always felt pumpkin pies needed.
Making this for the second time (first time was last week). I used a cup of fresh pumpkin that I’d frozen. I used a frozen pie crust. I halved the recipe. Didn’t use the cranberries. Didn’t use the egg wash. Baked for 70 minutes. It looked very dark but it was very delicious. It wasn’t thick at all.
Which reminds me of a story my mom told me. She was a young bride and decided to make a pumpkin pie. She got the can out, and dumped it into the crust. It WAS thick. She spread it around the crust and threw it into the oven (the can said “complete pumpkin pie mix”).
She was confused because she remembered her mom being so careful putting it into the oven, so it wouldn’t spill over!
And, that’s the way I remember her doing it, and that’s how I did it just now, lol.
I laughed so hard when she told me that.
So I had leftover filling, but not much dough. Rather than making mini pies I used the filling for pumpkin french toast. Definitely give it a try!
Oh, and the pie was delicious.
Great pumpkin pie recipe, best one I’ve tried.
Amazing recipe! Thank you.
Best pumpkin pie I have ever had.
Pumpkin pie in April, why not! HAd all of the ingredients during this stay at home order and we loved the results. Wonderful texture and the crust was very workable. Thank you for sharing this one and we can’t wait to make it again for Thanksgiving.
Hi Sally, I just wanted to let you know that this is the best! I won’t ever look at another recipe for pumpkin pie! Cranberries were out of stock, but still an amazing pie. I also used your all butter pie crust ( without alcohol because we don’t do alcohol) and it was ever so flaky and delicious. Thanks again and again!