Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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The best, most delicious Pumpkin Pie recipe with simple ingredients for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert! The homemade pumpkin pie filling is full of warm fall flavors and baked in an easy pie crust that can either be made from scratch or store-bought.

Baked homemade pumpkin pie garnished with pie leaved and sugared cranberries.

The holidays are almost here and this delicious Pumpkin Pie recipe makes the best Thanksgiving dessert!

The delicious pumpkin pie filling is homemade from scratch and full of warm fall spices. It's sweetened with brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk and flavored with pumpkin pie spice and extra cinnamon for the perfect flavor blend.

I prefer my Homemade Pie Crust for this recipe since it's tenderly flaky and simple to make, but you can also use store-bought for convenience. Directions for both are provided in the recipe card below.

Pumpkin pie is so much fun to decorate! I prefer to garnish with pie crust leaves (directions are in the recipe card below), sweet whipped cream, and sugared cranberries. They make the pie look extra beautiful and festive!

This holiday dessert pairs perfectly with my Juicy Baked Turkey and Southern Cornbread Dressing. If you love pumpkin desserts as much as I do, you'll also love my award-winning Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes that won first place in a local baking contest - they're that good!

Baked homemade pumpkin pie in a blue pie dish on a white marble countertop.

Where did pumpkin pie originate?

Pumpkins were one of the many crops Native Americans grew and it's believed that they gave them as a gift to the first settlers. This led to pumpkin pie being served at the very first Thanksgiving feast in America - how cool is that?!

Why You'll Love It

Pumpkin pie has always been my favorite Thanksgiving Day dessert. There are so many reasons why you'll love this recipe but here are just a few:

Made with simple ingredients
Easy to make
Silky smooth and creamy
Can be made in advance
Freezes well
Fun to decorate and garnish
Downright delicious!

What You'll Need

This recipe uses basic ingredients you probably already have on hand. (For measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card below.)

Homemade pumpkin pie ingredients (eggs, sweetened condensed milk, pie shell, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice) on a white marble countertop.

Pumpkin - This recipe calls for canned pumpkin puree. Make sure the can reads "pure pumpkin" and NOT "pumpkin pie filling" (they look very similar). You can also make fresh pumpkin puree; however, it won't give the most consistent results as canned.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - I love baking with sweetened condensed milk because of it's rich flavor and creamy consistency. Make sure you buy "sweetened" condensed milk and not plain or your pie will not be sweet enough and will taste bland.
Brown Sugar - for a rich molassesy sweetness
Eggs - for structure and rise
Spices - pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
Pie Crust - I prefer my Homemade Pie Crust for this recipe since it's tenderly flaky and simple to make, but you can also use store-bought for convenience. Directions for both are provided in the recipe card below.

Pie Crust

I prefer to use my Homemade Pie Crust recipe since it's tenderly flaky and easy to make. You can also use a frozen store-bought pie shell - just make sure it has been thawed but is still cold before using.

If you make your pie dough from scratch, it will need to be blind-baked before filling. This is to prevent the pie from having a "soggy bottom" (appearing under baked). To do this, the dough is lined with parchment paper and then filled with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice before baking. This will also help prevent the sides from sliding down your pie dish while the crust bakes.

A homemade pie shell lined with parchment paper and filled with dry rice for blind baking.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

This pie filling is full of delicious pumpkin puree and warm fall spices, such as pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.

It also has the perfect consistency that resists cracking while baking.

A pre-baked homemade pie crust filled with pumpkin pie filling in a blue pie dish.

How to Prevent the Filling from Cracking

Overbaking pumpkin pie can cause moisture and cracks to form on top of your pie filling while it cools. Be sure to take your pie out of the oven when the edges look dry but the center still jiggles slightly when the pie dish is gently shaken. Don't worry, the filling will continue to set as it cools.

Baked homemade pumpkin pie in a blue pie dish.

Garnishes

This pie is beautiful on its own but if you're feeling festive here are some decorating ideas:

Whipped Cream - I prefer to garnish each slice of pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of my homemade Sweet Whipped Cream.
Sugared Cranberries - Follow this simple recipe to make candied cranberries that are not only a tasty snack but can also be used to beautifully garnish any holiday dish.
Pie Crust Leaves - Decorate the top of your pie with festive fall pie crust leaves. Simply make or buy extra pie crust dough, use leaf shaped pie crust cutters, and follow the baking directions listed in the recipe card notes below.

Storage

Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead

This pumpkin pie can be baked one day in advance. Simply wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight until ready to serve.

This pie also freezes well. Once cooled, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow thawing completely in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie

By: Christi

5 from 7 votes

Print Rate Pin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Homemade Pie Crust (optional) 1

Total Time 2

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 228 kcal

Recommended Equipment

Ingredients

1 Homemade Pie Crust or store-bought 9-inch deep-dish pie shell (thawed)
1 can (15 ounces) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 can (14 ounces) SWEETENED condensed milk (make sure it says "sweetened" on the can)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (make sure it has "cloves" in the ingredients)
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Crust

If using a store-bought pie shell:
Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight. Keep chilled until ready to use. Skip to the "Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling" step.
If using a homemade pie crust:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place chilled pie dough disk onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly sprinkle flour on top of the disk and your rolling pin. Roll dough out into a circle about 13-inch wide, frequently turning it to prevent sticking. Carefully roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and unroll onto your 9-inch ungreased pie dish. Gently lift the edges and lower it into the bottom of the dish making sure to not stretch the dough. Using your fingers, carefully mold it to the inside of your pie dish.
Cut excess dough off the edges leaving a half-inch for decorating, if desired. Crimp edges with a fork or make a flute pattern with your fingers.
Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pie crust several times. Line with a large piece of parchment paper that has been waded up several times to make it pliable. Fill pie dish ¾ full with pie weights (2 sets), dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 375°F. Remove from oven and remove pie weights and parchment paper. Bake for 5 more minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the pumpkin pie filling.

Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together until combined and smooth.
Pour pie filling into prepared pie crust (don't fill over ¾ full). If using a homemade pie crust, tent edges with strips of aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to prevent over-browning.
Bake in the oven at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue cooking for 25-35 more minutes. The pie is done when only the center jiggles slightly when the dish is gently shaken. You can also check for doneness by inserting a knife 1-inch from the edge of the crust - if it comes out clean the pie is done (this will leave a crack in your pie that will later need to be covered with garnish once pie is cooled).
Allow to cool completely on a wired rack for about 2-3 hours before serving. If not serving right away, wrap cooled pie in plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Garnish with pie crust leaves (see note), sugared cranberries, and sweet whipped cream.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storage:

Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead:

Pumpkin pie can be made one day in advance. Simply wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight until ready to serve.
This pie also freezes well. Once cooled, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Pie Crust Leaves:

Be sure to make or buy extra pie dough.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough out to a quarter-inch thickness.
Using leaf shaped cookie cutters, cut out pie crust leaves and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Allow to cool completely before using to decorate the pie.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 228 kcal | Potassium: -1 mg

*Nutritional facts are calculated by third party sources and are not always accurate. If you are on a special diet, we highly recommend you calculate these values personally.

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FAQ About This Recipe:

Can pumpkin pie be frozen?

Pumpkin pie freezes well. After baked and cooled, wrap the pie in several layers of plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Does pumpkin pie need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Since pumpkin pie contains dairy products it can spoil if left out at room temperature for too long. Be sure to keep the pie refrigerated until ready to serve. Leftovers need to be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Where did pumpkin pie originate?

Why does pumpkin pie crack?

Comments

5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)