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There's nothing quite like the aroma of Homemade Pumpkin Pie baking in the oven, especially during the holidays. My recipe is made entirely from scratch with fresh pumpkin and a buttery, flaky crust that makes it a family favorite.
I've been making this traditional pumpkin pie for years, and it's still the one dessert my family requests every Thanksgiving, along with my Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey and Sweet Potato Casserole.
Every fall, while picking out pumpkins to carve, I also grab a few pie pumpkins to make my own homemade pumpkin puree for pies (See the link to my easy recipe below!). It adds an incredible natural sweetness and flavor you can't get from canned puree.
Don't worry if you've never made pie from scratch; my process is simple. I'll walk you through all the steps!
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Ingredients and Notes
- Crust - The recipe below makes the best flaky crust for pumpkin pie. It's enough dough for up to a 9 ½-inch pie dish. However, if I'm short on time, I'll grab a store-bought pie crust instead.
- Pumpkin - For the pumpkin pie filling, I use 2 cups of pumpkin puree. This can be fresh pumpkin puree from real pumpkins or canned pumpkin. If using canned pumpkin, I make sure to get pumpkin purée or 100% pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling (This is already seasoned).
- Milk - I use evaporated milk because it's thicker, creamier, and has a bit of a cooked flavor that works well in the pumpkin pie filling. I've also substituted regular milk, and it works well.
- Spices - Instead of using pre-made pumpkin spice, I opt for my own blend. The spices you will need for pumpkin pie are ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground cloves.
Want the quick version? Jump to the recipe card below. Or, keep reading for a detailed, step-by-step guide.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie from Scratch
Make the Pie Dough - Pulse the flour, salt, and cold butter in a food processor until small pea-sized pieces form. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until the dough just begins to come together. (It should hold together when you pinch it, but doesn't need to be one big ball of dough.)
Turn the dough out onto a tea towel, twist the towel to shape it into a disc, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Make the Filling - In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix both sugars, the salt, and all the spices.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth, making sure no lumps remain. Chill the filling mixture in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld.
Roll Out Crust - When the dough is done chilling, use a rolling pin to roll it out on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. (If the crust cracks while rolling, simply press it together and use extra flour if it's too sticky.)
Crimp and Fill - Place the crust in a greased 9 ½-inch pie pan, and press it down gently to flatten it against the sides and bottom.
Use your thumbs and index finger to crimp the edges. Pour the chilled pie filling into the pie shell and gently tap the dish on the counter a few times to pop any bubbles.
Bake and Chill - Bake at to brown the crust, then cover the crust with foil or a pie shield and bake until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the pie.
Let the pie cool at room temperature, then chill it completely in the refrigerator. For the best results, refrigerate overnight. Then, slice with a sharp knife, and serve as is or topped with whipped cream!
Amanda's Expert Tips
- Use cold ingredients for the crust. Cold butter and ice water are key to creating flaky layers in your pie dough. If your kitchen is warm, you can even chill your flour for 15 minutes before mixing.
- Don't overmix the dough. Mix just until it comes together. Overworking it will make the crust tough instead of tender and flaky.
- Shield the crust. Use foil or a pie shield once the crust is lightly golden to prevent burning while the filling finishes cooking.
How to Store
Once the pumpkin pie is baked and chilled, it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days ahead of time. Pumpkin pie can be either served cold or at room temperature. However, don't leave the pie at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Pumpkin pie can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to one month.
Make the pie dough and filling ahead of time! Pie dough can be stored wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. The filling can be kept in an airtight container for 2 days in the refrigerator or freezer for 2 months. (Don't forget to leave time for thawing!)
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
More Recipes to Make with Pumpkin Puree
If you enjoyed this Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe, don't miss out on these pumpkin recipes, too!
- Sweet and Salty Maple Pumpkin Seeds - The perfect use for leftover seeds after pumpkin carving, making for a delicious, crunchy snack.
- Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta - A 15-minute comfort food that's rich, creamy, cheesy, and kid-friendly!
- Pumpkin Roll with Mascarpone Filling - Soft, spiced pumpkin cake wraps around a spiced mascarpone and cream cheese filling.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread - A fluffy quick bread infused with pumpkin flavor and studded with melty chocolate chips!
Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- 3-5 Tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 2 cups pumpkin puree, or 100% canned pumpkin
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Add the flour, salt and cold butter pieces to a food processor and pulse the ingredients 8-10 times, until the butter is the size of small peas.
- Add the ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing 3-5 times after each addition, until the mixture can be pressed together with your fingers. (The mixture will be crumbly).
- Turn the dough mixture out onto a tea towel. Pull the ends of the towel up and twist to wrap the dough in the towel and form it into a disc.
- Remove the disc from the towel and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and grease a 9.5 inch pie plate with butter or baking spray.
- Combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk everything together until no lumps remain. Chill the filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you roll out the crust.
- After the dough is chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it is approximately ¼ inch thick.
- Carefully lay dough onto the prepared pie plate and gently press it down so it lays flat against the sides and bottom.
- Use your index finger and thumbs to gently crimp the pie dough all the way around the edges.
- Pour the chilled filling in the crust and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Cover the crust with foil or pie shield and bake an additional 35-45 minutes until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
- Let the pie cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then chill completely in the refrigerator. For the best results, refrigerate overnight.
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