Perfect Pumpkin Pie
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Make the perfect pumpkin pie with a buttery, flaky crust and a smooth, crack-free filling. It’s the ultimate holiday dessert!
Pumpkin pie is a holiday classic, and when it’s done right, it’s as comforting as dessert gets—a smooth, warmly-spiced filling in a flaky, buttery crust. But for such a seemingly simple dessert, pumpkin pie can be tricky to get just right. Over the years, I’ve tested at least a dozen recipes, and I’ve run into every pitfall: fillings that won’t set, unsightly cracks, and soggy crusts. Whoever coined the term “easy as pie” had clearly never baked a pumpkin pie!
Part of the challenge lies in the many variables. The type of pan you use—ceramic, glass, or metal—makes a big difference in how the pie bakes. Then there’s the pie crust—no two homemade crusts behave exactly the same. And finally, like cheesecake or flan, pumpkin pie is a custard, which means you need to pull it from the oven while it’s still a little jiggly. Take it out too early and it won’t set; leave it in too long and it’ll crack. Sometimes, even perfect timing can’t prevent that dreaded crack!
But after years of testing, I’ve cracked the code. This pumpkin pie recipe is perfect in all the ways that matter: a buttery, flaky crust, a smooth, rich filling, and no unsightly cracks. It’s everything a pumpkin pie should be—and it’s easier than you’d think.
Table of Contents
“I’ve been baking pumpkin pie for what seems like an eternity. The custard always cracks. Not this time. And, not only does the the pie look great, its absolutely delicious! Thank you.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Pie Crust – The flaky, buttery base for the pumpkin filling; use homemade pie crust or store-bought—whichever you prefer. If you’re going with store-bought, opt for the frozen kind in an aluminum pie pan—it’s easier to blind bake and less likely to shrink.
- Pumpkin – The star of the show, adding rich, earthy flavor and a smooth texture. For the best results, go with Libby’s canned pumpkin puree.
- Egg & egg yolks – The whole egg binds the filling, while the yolks bring extra richness and a silky texture.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps balance the warm spices.
- Light brown sugar – Adds a deeper, molasses-like sweetness that complements the pumpkin.
- All-purpose flour – Slightly thickens and stabilizes the filling to prevent unsightly cracks.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors and keeps the sweetness in check.
- Spices (ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper) – This classic pumpkin pie spice blend gives the dessert its warm, signature flavor, with just a hint of heat from the black pepper.
- Evaporated milk – Makes the filling creamy and smooth, giving the pie a luscious, velvety texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blind Bake The Pie Crust
If using a store-bought crust, simply follow the blind-baking instructions on the package. If using a homemade pie dough, roll it out with a rolling pin and fit it snugly into a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish, then chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and place it on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven).
Cover the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill it about three-quarters full with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake for 20 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven and remove the parchment paper and beans/pie weights.
Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is dry and golden. Don’t worry if the bottom puffs up; just press it down gently with a flat spatula, taking care not to puncture it. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Step 3: Make The Filling
While the crust finishes cooking, combine the pumpkin pie filling ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Step 4: Bake the Pumpkin Pie
Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust.
Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is just set. It should look dry around the edges and the center should jiggle just slightly if you nudge the pan. The pie will look a little puffed when it comes out of the oven, but it will settle as it cools.
Cool the pie on a wire rack (leave it on the baking sheet) to room temperature, a few hours. Slice or refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Make the perfect pumpkin pie with a buttery, flaky crust and a smooth, crack-free filling. It’s the ultimate holiday dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 homemade pie crust or 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust shell (thawed)
- 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin (about 1¾ cups)
- 1 large egg
- 3 large eggs yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1¼ cups evaporated milk (you'll need one 12-oz can but you won't use all of it)
Instructions
Blind Bake the Crust
- For homemade crust: Roll out the dough and gently fit it into a (9-inch) deep-dish pie pan, ensuring it's snug against the pan's edges and bottom. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Remove the chilled pie crust from the refrigerator and place it on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Cover the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill about three-quarters full with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven; remove the parchment paper and beans/pie weights and tent the edges with a few strips of foil folded in half lengthwise (this will protect the edges from getting too dark). Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is dry and lightly golden. Don't worry if the bottom puffs up; just press it down gently with a flat spatula, such as a pancake turner, taking care not to puncture it. Remove the foil but don't throw it away; you may need it again.
- For frozen crust: Follow the instructions for blind-baking on the package.
- After blind-baking the crust, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and evaporated milk. Whisk until smooth, then pour the filling into the pre-baked crust.
- Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes (at 325°F), until the filling is just set. It should look dry around the edges, but the center should jiggle just slightly if you nudge the pan. Keep a close eye on the pie as it bakes; if ever the crust looks like it's browning too quickly, tent the edges with foil strips. Let the pie cool on a rack (leave it on the baking sheet) to room temperature, a few hours. Slice or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make Ahead: Pumpkin pie can be made one day ahead of time and refrigerated.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dough can be made ahead, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. If you freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. The pie can be frozen after baking for up to 1 month. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 335
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Sugar: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 287mg
- Cholesterol: 103mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’ve made a lot of pumpkin pies in my life and this one is honestly the best I’ve made. First, the crust. I usually make all-butter crusts and, although tasty, they often end up tough. I used lard in place of shortening (It’s what I had in my pantry and I don’t like to use hydrogenated shortening). It was a very unmanageable mess when I was rolling out the dough, so I was concerned. It ended up more like a pat-in-the-pan crust or pate sucre. But the end result…fabulous! Flavourful and tender! The filling was so delicious and no cracks! This will be my new go-to recipe! Thanks!
This was an amazing pie, one that I’ll now be baking often during the season. I didn’t have a food processor so I tried to use a hand blender. I didn’t get the crumbly texture, it was a smooth dough – but it still turned out amazing. Thank you!
Hi,
This by far THE best pumpkin pie recipe I’ve made! Wondering if you think I could substitute in some maple syrup somehow? Would love to add my son-in-law’s syrup to this!
So glad you like it, Sandra! I wouldn’t recommend incorporating maple syrup into the filling — sorry!
How about Maple whipped cream for serving?
Sounds like a great option! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I love this recipe and have made it the past 2 years for Thanksgiving. I was just wondering what your thoughts are on using lard instead of shortening for the crust? Just wondering if one outperformed the other or if one was better for you over the other?
Hi Cathy, when I developed this recipe, I tried it with both lard and shortening. I found that I liked it better with shortening but it would be perfectly fine for you to swap the shortening out for lard if you’d prefer. Hope that helps!
I have tried multiple different recipes for pumpkin pie. This is the best recipe I ever made. I was short on time so I bought a store bought pie crust but I followed the advice to prebake the pie crust and it turned out 100% intact !!! This will be my ongoing recipe. Also I want to add the pie is not sweet. You really taste the pumpkin and its true spices. Everyone loved it.
Hi, could I change the crust to a graham cracker crust? If so, would I need to Pre-bake it some before the filling gets poured in? Btw, delicious very spiced pie! Unbelievable NO cracks!!
Hi Bri, A graham cracker crust would work here. Yes, you’ll still need to blind bake it but that initial bake time will definitely be a lot quicker than that of the pastry crust. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I’m planning to try your recipe, and wondering if you or anyone else have used fresh puréed pumpkin, instead of canned??? Advice quickly as I plan to make in the next few days. Thanks
I’ll rate when done but it looks fabulous
Hi Bekka, A few readers have commented that they’ve used fresh pumpkin successfully, but I’ve never prepared it that way. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Love pumpkin pie and can’t wait to make this with my children 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
I would like to change my rating to two stars, but I’m apparently not able to. The filling itself tasted OK, although we (wife and I) both noted that it tasted more like milk than pumpkin. The crust itself was SUPER hard, almost impossible to cut with a fork (required two hands and a good portion of my body weight). I honestly don’t understand why this recipe is rated so highly. I find it mediocre, with an emphasis on appearance over flavor.
I really want to try this recipe but I don’t have evaporated milk on hand. Can I substitute with milk and heavy cream? Thank you for all the great recipes!!
Hi Maryam, I haven’t tried it with anything but evaporated milk so I’m not sure it would bake up perfectly, but it’s worth a try. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I did use milk and heavy cream, as I always did before. I did everything else as indicated, and it turned out OK, except that the pie did crack when cooling down. It looked perfect out of the oven, but the cracks appeared after a few minutes, and deepened. Could it be because I did not use evaporated milk?
Hi Anne, I haven’t tried this without evaporated milk, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect that’s what caused the problem.
I wouldn’t say it was the perfect pie, but I did love it! I had a fun time making it, but I did run into some problems (maybe a fault of my own). I love the pictures and step by step instructions, those were helpful, thanks! At first, the pie crust really did crumble a lot and had to add extra water before it started to hold shape, but it tastes great anyway, so I can’t complain too much. For the pie filling, it could be my own taste, but i taste too much of the evaporated milk and also, the filling rose, a lot. By the end, it was an entire inch taller than it originally was, not sure why that was. Either way, great pie! 9/10 would make again!
I reviewed the “perfect pumpkin pie” last season as it was the best I have tasted. This review is to let your readers know how easy it is to make this pie and how it is successful each and every time. My 11 year old grandson (Roman) loves to cook and pumpkin pie is his favorite. Although he used a premade crust, he followed your filling recipe and made this pie for our dinner dessert. It was so delicious, light, creamy, with perfect blend of spices. So pumpkin Pie isn’t just for the fall. It is perfect on a summer night with whipped topping. You have a new follower now and he is maybe your youngest!?
So glad it’s a family favorite and I love that your 11-year-old grandson made it! 🙂
Way too much dough for a pie pan. Maybe mention you need a really deep pan before I make the whole thing.