Classic Pumpkin Pie (Printable)

Silky spiced pumpkin custard in buttery flaky pastry crust, perfect for autumn gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought

→ Pumpkin Filling

02 - 15 oz canned pumpkin purée
03 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 cup evaporated milk
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
02 - Roll out the pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
05 - Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 40 minutes, or until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
06 - Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
07 - Serve plain or with whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly silky, almost like a elegant French custard but with all the nostalgic spices we crave
  • Its deceptively simple, coming together in minutes but tasting like you spent all day
  • The high initial temperature creates that gorgeous golden top while the low slow finish ensures the center sets perfectly
02 -
  • The center should still jiggle slightly when you remove it from the oven, as residual heat completes the cooking process
  • Using pumpkin pie filling instead of purée is the most common mistake and will result in an overly sweet, strangely textured dessert
  • Chilling the crust before filling prevents those dreaded soggy bottom blues nobody wants at their holiday table
03 -
  • If your crust edges start browning too quickly, tent them with foil after the first 15 minutes of baking
  • The toothpick test doesn't work here, instead look for that slight wobble in the very center like gelatin
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the filling for a smoother texture
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