Perfect Pumpkin Pie
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If you’re looking for a pumpkin pie that sets beautifully, tastes absolutely delicious, and always gets a “wow,” this recipe delivers every time.
Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving classic, and when it’s made well, it’s hard to beat—a silky, warmly spiced pumpkin filling baked into a flaky, buttery crust. But for a dessert that seems so simple, pumpkin pie can be surprisingly finicky. Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of recipes and run into just about every issue: fillings that won’t set, unsightly cracks, and soggy crusts. Let’s just say the person who coined the phrase “easy as pie” had clearly never baked a pumpkin pie!
The good news is that all that testing paid off. This pumpkin pie recipe checks every box: a crisp, sturdy crust, a smooth, rich filling, and no cracks. And the best part? It’s truly easy to make.
If you’re planning your dessert lineup for the holidays, don’t miss my pecan pie, sweet potato pie, or apple crisp—they’re all wonderful alongside this pumpkin pie.
“I’ve been baking pumpkin pie for what seems like an eternity. The custard always cracks. Not this time…it’s absolutely delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Pie Crust – Use a homemade pie crust or store-bought—whichever you prefer. If using store-bought, opt for the frozen kind in an aluminum pie pan; it’s easier to blind bake and less likely to shrink.
- Pumpkin – Adds rich flavor and a smooth texture. For the best results, go with Libby’s canned pumpkin puree.
- Egg & egg yolks – The whole egg binds the filling, while the yolks bring extra richness and a silky texture.
- Granulated sugar & Light brown sugar – A combination of sugars adds complex sweetness; the brown sugar lends a deeper, molasses-like flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Slightly thickens and stabilizes the filling to prevent unsightly cracks.
- Spices (ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper) – This classic pumpkin pie spice blend gives the dessert its warm, signature flavor, with just a hint of heat from the black pepper.
- Evaporated milk – Makes the filling creamy and smooth, giving the pie a luscious, velvety texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blind bake the crust. If you’re using a store-bought crust, just follow the package directions. For homemade dough, fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan and chill it. Line the chilled crust with parchment, fill it with pie weights (or dried beans), and bake at 375°F until the edges look set. Remove the weights and bake a bit longer until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden. Then drop the oven temp to 325°F and you’re ready for the filling.
Pro Tip: Blind baking—or baking the crust before the filling goes in—gives it a head start so it stays nice and crisp once the wet pumpkin filling is added.
Step 2: Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, egg yolks, both sugars, the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and evaporated milk. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Step 3: Assemble and bake. Pour the filling into the warm, pre-baked crust and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
Step 4: Serve. Slice and serve right away, or refrigerate the pie for up to a day before serving. For longer storage, you can freeze pumpkin pie for up to 1 month—just wrap it well. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
More Holiday Desserts You’ll Love
Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 1 homemade pie crust or 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust shell thawed
- 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin (about 1¾ cups)
- 1 large egg
- 3 large eggs yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1¼ cups evaporated milk (you'll need one 12-oz can but you won't use all of it)
Instructions
- Blind Bake the Crust: If you’re using a store-bought frozen crust, follow the blind-baking instructions on the package. If you’re using a homemade crust, roll out the dough and gently fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, making sure it’s snug against the bottom and sides. Chill the crust for at least 30 minutes.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Place the chilled crust on a baking sheet (it makes it much easier to move in and out of the oven). Line the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill it about three-quarters full with dried beans or pie weights.Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, lift out the parchment and weights, and tent the edges with a few strips of foil folded in half lengthwise to keep them from getting too dark. Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden. If it puffs up a bit, just press it down gently with a flat spatula—try not to puncture it. Remove the foil, but keep it nearby in case you need it again later.After blind-baking the crust, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and evaporated milk. Whisk until smooth, then pour the filling into the pre-baked crust.
- Bake and cool: Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes (at 325°F), until the filling is just set. It should look dry around the edges, but the center should jiggle just slightly if you nudge the pan. Keep a close eye on the pie as it bakes; if ever the crust looks like it's browning too quickly, tent the edges with foil strips. Let the pie cool on a rack (leave it on the baking sheet) to room temperature, a few hours. Slice or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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SUCH A HIT JENN!! I followed the recipe exactly & trusted you & the other reviewers & added the black pepper! You can’t actually taste it but it brings this pie to another level. Perfectly spiced! I’m a Jewish grandma who takes great pride in making very tasty food & you have made me look really great! I have made many of your delicious recipes (including Brie en croute also for Thanksgiving) and I come out looking like a rock star! I feel like wearing an apron that says “YOU MAY THANK JENN SEGAL!” From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all the hard work you have put into your passion. ❤️ Your dedication, precision & passion SHINE through. YOU ARE SPECIAL 🥰 There’s only one thing on my wish list for Hanukkah, and that’s your cookbook! 😍
Thanks for your incredibly sweet words, Linda! So glad you like the recipes! ❤️
I previously posted on 11/25 saying I had made my pie dough but only had used 2 T. of water instead of the 4 in the recipe. I blind baked the crust before filling and it did not shrink and the bottom never puffed up. It was the perfect pie crust. When I made the filling, since I am diabetic, I substituted Swerve granulated and brown sugars for the regular sugars. I also didn’t have all the spices called for so I just used about 2 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice. This worked out perfectly but I did have to cook my pie about 20-30 minutes longer as the custard was fairly wobbly when I took it from the oven. Once it cooled off, it was set and was the perfect consistency. And it was delicious! Today I wrapped 3 individual pieces of pie in Saran Wrap then put in a freezer bag and put in my freezer for later. For those who are diabetic and may choose to use Swerve, I couldn’t taste a difference in that from regular sugar which is a good thing. I feared taking my number this morning since I had eaten the pie as well as stuffing with gravy at our Thanksgiving meal. Imagine my surprise when I got up this morning and my number was only 112. This is the first time I’ve used Swerve in a pie. This is a wonderful recipe. I loved the crust and the custard was delicious. Thank you Jenn for this delicious recipe. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Made this for Thanksgiving this year and it is by far the best pumpkin pie I have ever made.
Thanks for sharing the recipe and technique. I will never use another recipe. Love all of your recipes.
Hi – I love all the photos! And I am so glad I read this all the way through…however I can not see any suggested oven temperature in the receipe. Let me know – I am standing by and would love to make it next weekend for my husband’s birthday.
Thanks And Cheers!
Christian Gruye
cgruye@me.com
Hi Christian, You’ll bake the crust at 375°F/190°C and then reduce the oven temp to 325°F/165°C when you bake the fully assembled pie. Hope you enjoy!
This was a really delicious, traditional pumpkin pie which is what I love! I may have overworked the dough a bit so was a little tougher than I wanted, but that’s my fault and will try again. The dough was very easy to work with. The filling was perfectly spiced, didn’t crack and great texture. Can’t wait for another slice today!
Have never eaten or made a pumpkin pie! Not sure what I was thinking when I said I would……made for the first time yesterday and it didn’t crack and everyone LOVED it. Was told it was the best they had ever had. THANK YOU!!!!
This really is the perfect pumpkin pie. Sometimes I make the pumpkin pie filling and just bake that off in a round deep dish oven proof dish. I scoop the cooled filling into bowls and top with whipped cream.
I live in a country that doesn’t have a lot of dairy products, so I ended up using a substitute for evaporated milk (part melted butter, part milk and blended together.) Even with this change, the pie turned out wonderfully! My husband said it’s the best pumpkin pie he’s ever eaten. Highly recommend this recipe!
I made this today for Thanksgiving. (I used my own pie crust recipe.) This pumpkin filling is the best. Never again will I just use the recipe on the pumpkin can! The flavor and texture of this pie was divine.
We made this pie last night and it turned out BEAUTIFULLY! I had a brief moment of panic when I realized we didn’t have shortening for making the crust, but we substituted room-temperature coconut oil and crossed our fingers. The crust turned out sooooo delicious- like a flaky shortbread cookie. I will be using this recipe every year from now on, thank you!!