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.
Comments
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Can you replace Crisco with butter? I know Crisco gives baked goods wonderful texture, but it still contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil. I do not use it.
Hi Allie, Yes, it’s fine to sub butter in for the Cricso, but the dough won’t hold its shape as well when baked — you’ll lose those crimped edges.
Hi Jenn,
This recipe sounds fabulous! I’m going to try it for Thanksgiving next week. What can I use if I don’t have a food processor?
Thanks,
Nancy
A good old fashioned pastry cutter would work here if you don’t have a food processor. Hope you enjoy!
Hello, Jen,
I am so grateful that there is such a fabulous resource like your website!
Have you ever done this recipe days in advance? If so, How many days in advance did you do it and was there any change in texture?
Thank you
Hi Myra, Glad you like the recipes! I think you could make this a maximum of two days in advance and just store it on the counter. (It should not change the texture.)
Do you think I could substitute lard for the shortening in the crust? I’m assuming it wouldn’t be a problem but wondering if any one else has tried it.
Sure Samantha, that should work. Enjoy!
I baked a “trial run” of this pie to prepare for Thanksgiving. It really is outstanding. For the big day (or perhaps the night before), I will not extend the crust too far over the pie plate edges because my practice pie’s crust kind of crumbled once I cut into it. But the crust! It is SO good and very much worth your time to make it. I did not make any adjustments to the seasonings (even for the black pepper, which I really wanted to omit). Trust the recipe! The pie filling has all the right fall notes. No one spice dominates the other. It’s just an excellent pie. Thank you for this recipe.
Would it taste differently if I used pumpkin pie spice instead of the others??
Hi Cecily, It will taste slightly different than using the individual spices, but you can get away with it. I would still add the black pepper in addition to the pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!
Jen, would you use 2 & 5/8 tsp of pumpkin pie spice and then add 1/8 tsp black pepper? Thanks in advance…
Sure Allyson, It will taste slightly different than using the individual spices, but you can get away with it.
Greetings from Canada! I plan to make your pumpkin pie to celebrate American Thanksgiving with our family in Buffalo! I am excited to try a new recipe although my previous favorite had some maple syrup. Any suggestions on incorporating a bit of maple syrup or maple sugar to give a bit of maple flavor?
Hi Anne in Canada! I wouldn’t change anything with the recipe because pumpkin pie can be pretty finicky, but this would be delicious with maple whipped cream on top. The one that tops this pie looks delicious (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried the recipe myself).
Thanks, this is the best pumpkin pie recipe
Is the bake time and temp assuming regular bake or convection? (And do you recommend using convection if you have it?)
Hi Stacie, It’s assuming the regular setting and I’d use it for this as that’s how I made and tested it. Hope you enjoy!
HI Jenn,
I made your pumpkin pie for Canadian Thanksgiving. It was the best I’ve ever had!
I used a ready-made shortbread crust (pre-baked for 5 minutes,according the label instructions).
Thank you very much for this amazing recipe!