Classic Pumpkin Pie

Classic Pumpkin Pie. The most classic pie of them all.

We love all kinds of pie, from Homemade Apple Pie to Classic Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping, and even Pecan Pie Cheesecake. But if there’s one pie to make this holiday, you’ve just got to go with Classic Pumpkin. And you won’t believe how easy it is to prepare!

CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE IS SIMPLE TO MAKE AT HOME

The ingredients list is not extensive for homemade pumpkin pie.

Blending the ingredients in stages helps to produce a smooth, luxurious pie.

Watch us show you how easy it is to make Classic Pumpkin Pie in your own kitchen!

MAKE THE DOUGH FOR THE CRUST AHEAD OF TIME

Homemade crust is a must when you’re making pumpkin pie from scratch.

You can make the dough up to 2 days in advance, or even 1 month when frozen.

EXPERT TIP: Be careful not to overwork the dough. And also, don’t handle the dough too much. The warmth from your hands will warm the butter in the dough, which will not make the dough as flaky as we like. Folding the dough into quarters makes it easier to transfer to the pie dish.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the eggs with the pumpkin puree.

We like to add one egg at a time and fully incorporate the mixture before adding the next egg.

EXPERT TIP: Make sure to get 100% pumpkin puree from the market, not pumpkin pie mix. If you want to cook and puree your own pumpkin, don’t use field pumpkins (used for jack-o-lanterns), go with the sugar pumpkins or Long Island cheese pumpkins. Honestly…we find the canned variety is delicious and works perfectly.

WORK OUT ANY LUMPS IN THE SPICE MIXTURE

We love using either dark or light brown sugar in this Classic Pumpkin Pie.

Sometimes, however, small chunks of the brown sugar will be present. This is just a little moisture that has caused the sugar to clump.

Use a fork to work the spices until they are uniformly fine.

Evaporated milk can be found in the baking section of almost all supermarkets.

We think the taste and texture are perfect for this pie, but you could also use half-and-half or light cream.

EXPERT TIP: Be sure to fully incorporate each round of ingredients as you are building the batter. If you see clumps of pumpkin or spices, use a fork, or your fingers, to fully mix them with the other ingredients. This results in a perfectly smooth and uniform-appearing pie.

Be sure to spray the pie dish with cooking spray before laying in the pie dough.

No need to blind or pre-bake the dough.

Just pour the gorgeous batter directly into the prepared pie dish.

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM IS AWESOME

So folks, you can’t have Classic Pumpkin Pie without whipped cream topping, right?

Well, if you’re making the pie and the crust from scratch, let’s make the topping, too! It’s so easy!

All you need are a couple of cups of heavy cream, some sugar, and a dash of vanilla extract.

EXPERT TIP: Placing a metal bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before mixing the cream helps it become nice and thick, and quicker, too. We use a hand mixer on high to blend it all together, and within minutes, you’ve got the best-tasting whipped cream you’ll ever taste!

BAKE CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE ON HIGH AT FIRST

You’ll want to bake the pie in an oven pre-heated to 425°F for just 15 minutes.

This begins the process of cooking the pie and helps to set the filling.

After lowering the temperature to 350°F and cooking for another 40 to 45 minutes, it’s time to take the pie out of the oven.

EXPERT TIP: Though it’s tempting to eat the pie right out of the oven, it still needs to cool, which will allow the pie to set and become the silky pie that we all know and love.

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY DESSERT

There is just something so comforting and heart-warming about enjoying a slice of Classic Pumpkin Pie with loved ones after a beautiful Thanksgiving or any kind of holiday feast.

The spices and the whipped cream topping, along with the flaky homemade crust, all work together to make a dessert that is truly magnificent.

And the pie can easily be prepared 1 to 2 days in advance. You can even freeze the pie for up to 1 month before thawing and serving. Other great pumpkin recipes are our Easy Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, and our Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding!

Classic Pumpkin Pie

This Classic Pumpkin Pie is about as classic as they come. The Loon could eat this pie year round. It is really good, and surprisingly easy to make! Be sure to use plain pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. Enjoy!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Resting time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 9-inch Perfect Pie Crust or store bought

For the Pie Filling

• ▢ 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

For the Cream Topping

• ▢ 2 cups heavy cream
• ▢ 4 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Make the Perfect Pie Crust (or use store-bought) and place it in a lightly greased pie dish.
  1 9-inch Perfect Pie Crust
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin and the eggs, one at a time, until evenly combined.
  1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree, 3 large eggs
• In a separate bowl, using a fork, stir together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg until completely mixed. Use the back of a fork, or your fingers, to break apart any clumps.
  ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Stir the sugar/spice mixture into the pumpkin/egg mixture. Stir until completely combined.
• Add the evaporated milk and stir again until smooth and fully combined.
  1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell.
• Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges, but still soft in the middle (The pie will firm up as it cools).
• Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Let cool for at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping by placing a large metal bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Then, remove the bowl and add the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.
  2 cups heavy cream, 4 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Using a handheld mixer, mix on high until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream along the edges of the pie, or slice, and spoon a dollop of cream on top of each slice.

Notes

Be sure to use pureed pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.

If you can't find ground allspice, simply increase the nutmeg to ½ tsp.

Be sure to work any clumps out of the sugar/spice mixture before adding to the pumpkin/egg mixture.

Adding the ingredients in stages helps to ensure everything is completely blended, which yields a luxurious and uniform-looking pie.

Store the pie in an airtight container for up to 3 days to 1 week.  The pie will also freeze nicely for up to 1 month.  

The whipped cream can be made up to 4 hours in advance.  Keep chilled in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1008IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg

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