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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Thank you so much for providing the best recipes on any cooking site, Two questions about pumpkin pie recipe. My glass pie dishes are 9.5″. I can’t find just 9″ in my area. Will this work with your pastry and filling. Also, I do not have a large food processor, Just a small one. Can I cut in butter and shortening with my pastry tool that I use for biscuits? Again, I am so appreciative of your recipe site. Asked for your new cookbook for Christmas! Happy Thanksgiving. Jennie
Hi Jennie, The 9.5 pie dish is perfect (that’s actually what I have) and it’s perfectly fine to cut in the butter and shortening by hand. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
We have an electric oven, so where in the oven(i.e middle, bottom 3rd, etc.) should we blind bake the crust, and then the pie based on the cooking times in your recipe?
Thanks,
Rick
Actually, I have an electric oven so you can just follow the recipe as it’s written. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I’m a new recipient of your recipe emails. I have tried your crustless quiche and it turned out amazing. This is huge for me since I don’t consider myself talented in the area of cooking. I’d like to try this pumpkin pie recipe however, I don’t think I’ll be able to create the crust (don’t have the necessary food processor). That said, could I substitute the homemade crust with a ready made one? I know ready made isn’t typically the best tasting but i wanted to confirm before purchasing the ingredients.
Thoughts??
Thanks for your amazing recipe ideas.
Definitely, Gina – a store-bought crust is perfectly fine. Just be sure to get a crust that will fit a 9-inch deep dish pan and follow the instructions on the package for blind baking (that’s just pre-cooking the crust) rather than the instructions in the recipe. Please lmk how it turns out!
Hello, the pie looks incredible! I’m planning to make it for Thanksgiving and I was wondering if I could make the crust the day before and refrigerate overnight?
Thanks!
Sure, Adri – that’s fine. Enjoy!
I’ve never ben a huge pumpkin pie fan but this recipe has made me a convert! Can’t speak to the crust, because I used my own recipe for that, but the filling spices are so well-balanced and there is just the right amount of sugar. I’m eating a slice for breakfast and I think it’s even better the next day. This is perfection!!
What spice do you sprinkle on the top of your whipped cream?
Hi Ann – it’s cinnamon 🙂
Made this pie last night. Was too lazy to make my own crust so of I used a frozen Marie callender’s crust and baked for an extra 20 minutes on 325. The pie was absolutely amazing. Delicious! Not one complaint about this recipe. Awesome awesome awesome 🥧
I made this pie for a contest at the fair. Won first place! 😀 thank you for sharing a great recipe!
Yay! 🏆
I made this for Canadian Thanksgiving and it was a huge success! My family loved it. It was my first time making pumpkin pie and blind baking the crust. I was a little nervous but the directions were clear and easy. Crust turned out flakey and delicious and not soggy at the bottom, and filling was so yummy! Thank you!
This was the second pumpkin pie I’ve baked in my life and I probably made lots of mistakes but oh my, this turned out DELICIOUS! I used a store-bought crust because I didn’t have time for the real thing and that custard is just a million times too good for it. I probably used too big a pie dish so the filling is spread rather thin and the crust did not go high enough on the edges, leaving me with too much filling, and I probably should’ve taken the pie out 5 minutes early, but even with all this, the pie is just incredible – which really speaks for the recipe. Can’t wait to try again with everything I’ve learned now!