The Best Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Discover the best and easy pumpkin pie recipe, featuring a crispy, buttery crust and a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin filling, flavored with warm spices. It's the quintessential Thanksgiving and autumn dessert.
SERVING:8 servings
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EQUIPEMENTS
- 26 cm pie dish
INGREDIENTS
For a 26x4 cm (10x1.5-inch) deep dish pie dish, or a 23x5 cm (9x2-inch) deep dish pie dish.
Pie Dough:
- You’ll have some leftover dough to make cookies for decorating the pie. See the dedicated pie crust recipe for all the tips on crimping the edges, blind baking, and more. You will learn how to get that perfect, buttery, crisp crust every time, plus little tricks that make your pie look as amazing as it tastes.
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 180 g cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 1 level tablespoon granulated sugar optional - adds flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk optional - for a richer, more flavorful crust
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar optional - helps with preservation
- 60 ml cold water more or less depending on flour absorption and butter quality
Egg Wash (optional):
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon milk
Pimpkin Pie Filling:
- 425 g pumpkin puree homemade or canned - Check out my homemade pumpkin puree recipe
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 397 g / 14 oz
- 3 large eggs
- 20 g dark brown sugar optional, adds caramel flavor
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves optional
PREPARATION
Prepare the Pumpkin Puree
- Check my pumpkin puree recipe
- Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds.
- Place the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, flesh side down, and bake at 200 °C (400 °F) for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tender.
- If you’re short on time, you can steam the peeled and chopped pumpkin before blending.
- Once cooked and slightly cooled, scoop out the flesh and blend until very smooth.
- Note: If using a pumpkin variety with more water, let the puree drain through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Let the puree cool completely before using.
Pie Crust
- Prepare the pie crust according to my recipe and line your pan following the steps. You’ll see how to crimp the pie edge for an authentic pumpkin pie. If you don’t want to blind bake, chill the pan in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before filling. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork.
- For blind baking, cover the dough in the pan with crumpled parchment paper, letting it extend over the edges. Fill with pie weights or chickpeas. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F).
- For a full bake, bake until the crust is golden, about 50 minutes. As soon as the edges are lightly golden, remove the pan from the oven, take out the parchment paper and weights, then return the pan to the oven. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil. Ten minutes before the end of baking, brush the bottom and edges with an egg yolk mixed with a few drops of milk, then return the pan to the oven to finish baking. Let cool completely before filling.
- For a partial bake, bake until lightly golden, remove the pan from the oven, then fill immediately.
Prepare the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- In a large bowl, gently mix the eggs with the sugar, spices, salt, and vanilla extract. Avoid whisking vigorously. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir until combined.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree just enough to get a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Baking the pumpkin pie
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to release any air bubbles and smooth the surface.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is fully set.
- Note: Keep an eye on it towards the end to avoid overbaking, which can make the filling too firm and increase the risk of cracks.
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing. As it cools, a shiny syrup may form on top, giving the pie a beautiful finish.
- Serve with a bowl of whipped cream or add a rosette or quenelle on each slice. You can also decorate with cookies made from the leftover pie dough, as described below.
Decorative Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- With the leftover pie dough, you can make small cookies to decorate the pie.
- Roll out the dough to 3 mm (about 1/8 inch) thick on a Silpat or a lightly floured work surface, then cut out autumn-themed shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with a perforated Silpat mat.
- Bake at 190°C (375°F) for fifteen minutes until lightly colored.
- Remove from the oven and brush with an egg yolk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon milk.
- Return to the oven for ten minutes to brown them well, then let cool before storing.