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Perfect Pumpkin Pie is easier to make than you might think! The filling is a one-bowl breeze, and bakes to creamy, perfectly spiced perfection. I’ll also walk you through each and every step of making homemade pie dough so you can whip up a pie with confidence!
My Pumpkin Pie is:
- Easy to Make – Pie crust can be intimidating, but I’ve taken all the guesswork out of it for you with my thorough directions. And, pumpkin pie filling is possibly the easiest thing you’ll ever mix up!
- Flaky – We’re making a buttery, flaky crust! With my tips, you’ll make the best homemade pie crust.
- Classic – My pumpkin pie is a classic recipe, but swaps in some heavy cream so you’re not left with unused evaporated milk!
- Great Make-Ahead Dessert – Pumpkin pie is great on the first day, or the next day, after being refrigerated!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Pumpkin Purée – Be sure to use canned pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling – these are not the same!
- Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Heavy Cream – We’re using heavy cream in place of evaporated milk, because we wouldn’t use up the whole can and that’s just annoying.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-Free – Make your favorite gluten-free pie crust or gluten-free graham cracker crust to bake your filling in.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie:
Step 1: Make the Pie Dough. Make your dough by following my recipe in my Perfect Pie Crust post. It has TONS of troubleshooting advice, tips, and step-by-step photos. Allow it to chill at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
Step 2: Par-Bake the Pie Crust. Follow the directions below to par-bake your pie dough. This is essential to make sure the crust is sturdy enough to hold up a wet filling like this.
Step 3: Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling. Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, sugar, evaporated milk, heavy cream, spices, and corn starch in a large bowl. Pour over the par-baked crust.
Step 4: Bake. Bake as directed in the recipe card below. Use foil as an easy pie shield, to prevent the edges from over-browning.
Step 5: Cool. Let pumpkin pie cool on the countertop for about 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge to cool for another 1-2 hours before slicing and serving with my Homemade Whipped Cream!
Serving + Storing:
Slice and serve with whipped cream! Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
Special Tools:
- Rolling Pin – Obviously an essential tool! I recommend a simple wooden one with handles.
- Pastry Cutter – This makes cutting the butter into the flour a complete breeze! I never make pie without this tool. If you only use one tool in your pie making, let this be it.
- Pastry Brush – This is how you’ll brush on your egg wash, which is how you achieve that nice, deep, golden brown crust!
More Pie Recipes to Love:
- Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Salted Caramel Apple Galette
- Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Brûléed Maple Pie
- French Silk Pie (No Raw Eggs!)
- Bourbon Cherry Crumble Pie
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 195 grams
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 7 tbsp cold salted butter, cubed, 98 grams
- 2 tbsp shortening, 24 grams
- 4-5 tbsp ice cold water
For the Filling:
- 1 and 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 320 grams – do not use canned pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, 125 mL
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, 40 grams
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 110 grams
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloes
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 and 1/2 tsp corn starch
For Baking:
- 1 egg, for egg wash
- raw sugar, for sprinkling on the crust
For the Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- pinch of nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Pie Dough: Use the ingredient quantities listed above, but make the pie dough according to my post on How to Make Perfect Pie Dough. If you're unfamiliar with homemade pie dough, read through the whole post first. Prepare the dough through Step 4, allowing at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours for the dough to chill.1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 7 tbsp cold salted butter, cubed, 2 tbsp shortening, 4-5 tbsp ice cold water
- Roll Out the Dough & Prepare for Baking: Follow Steps 5 through 7 in my post on How to Make Perfect Pie Dough.
- Par-Bake the Crust: After the dough is in the pie plate and crimped, make sure to freeze it for at least 15 minutes. Then, follow step 9 for directions on par-baking. Make sure to add the egg wash and raw sugar after you've taken out the parchment paper and pie weights, before finishing the par-bake. Once the crust is par-baked, set it aside to cool while you make the filling.1 egg, for egg wash, raw sugar, for sprinkling on the crust
- Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling: Set your oven to 375℉. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Then, whisk in the spices and corn starch.1 and 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloes, 1/4 tsp allspice, pinch of black pepper, 2 and 1/2 tsp corn starch
- Bake: Place a large piece of foil over your pie plate with the crust. Cut out the center, so you have a ring of foil that will completely cover the edges of the crust. Set aside. Pour the filling into the par-baked pie crust. Bake at 375℉ for 45 to 52 minutes, checking at the 20-25 minute mark to see if the edges are browning too much. Add the homemade pie shield if needed. Pie is done when the center has a slight wobble and the edges appear set. A toothpick inserted into the center should leave a defined hole, and most importantly, the internal temp of the center of the pie should be 190℉ to 200℉ when taken with an instant kitchen thermometer.
- Cool: Let pie cool on a cooling rack for 1-2 hours, then transfer to the fridge to chill completely (1-2 hours).
- Make Whipped Cream: Make this according to my Homemade Whipped Cream recipe. Stabilize the whipped cream for piping, if desired (the post linked above covers this). Make this just before you're ready to serve the pie. It is not a make-ahead recipe!1/2 cup cold heavy cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar , pinch of nutmeg, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Serve & Store: Slice and serve the chilled pie with fresh whipped cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
