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 have never baked a pie before, though I am an avid cook. I was nervous because you can’t really “taste” the pie if you’re bringing it somewhere (unless you want to cut a slice out) but the pie turned out amazing. The filling was softer than store-bought which made it more decadent but not runny (still held its shape), but I took it out at 50 mins when the centre was slightly jiggly still. Everyone loved it, some said it was the best they’ve ever had, and there was none leftover. Perfect amount of spice but I used just a pinch of pepper. Great recipe! Also used the pie crust recipe from here which was good too.
We have just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving and my family have voted this our best pumpkin pie ever! The recipe was easy to follow and the result perfect – although I’d held back on the black pepper a little after reading some of the negative comments.
For convenience I had bought a pack of two ready-made frozen pie shells which, although labelled ‘deep dish’ really weren’t, and it actually turned out there was enough filling for both of them, especially when topped off with the requisite whipped cream, and allowed 2nd helpings all round! I am looking forward to trying some more recipes from this site.
I made this using a store-bought deep dish pie crust and just pulled it out of the oven and it turned out perfect. Since there were no directions on blind-baking crust on the package I just followed Jen’s directions. I did have about a cup of filling left over so I sprayed a mug with nonstick spray, poured in the filling and microwaved for 3 minutes and I had a custard! So while I haven’t tasted the pie yet I’ve had the cooked filling and it’s great. Thank you!
I’ve since tasted the pie and it is great. The crust on the bottom was a bit over baked but it was just fine for my family. Next time I’ll just bake the crust for about 15 min on the second baking. Other than that the texture was perfect- soft and creamy but held its shape after cutting. Thank you
i followed the recipe exactly and the middle was still like a pudding texture after refrigerating
and i didn’t like the black pepper addition either, it was too much.
Ugh. This is not a good recipe. My pie refused to set and is a waste of good ingredients and pie crust. Going to try a better recipe — bakers beware!!
Sometimes it can be temperature of your oven that your pie didn’t cook through. I have temperamental oven too. So I have a thermometer that hangs inside to make sure that my oven is baking at the correct consistent temperature throughout my bake. I check it every quarter throughout my bake. My oven is that bad. ( propane gas oven) grr 😠 but usually a pumpkin pie for me I leave it 1 hour out on counter and 4-5 in fridge for it to set good. Just my humble tip.. HAPPY BAKING😊🥰
This is the best pumpkin pie recipe I’ve ever tried! Absolutely loved it
I’ve made pumpkin pie many times over the years and this is the first time it hasn’t cracked. Thank you for this easy peasy delicious recipe. I had to bake it for 70 min because it was still too jiggly after an hour, but it turned out perfectly. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody!! 🥧
If you are using frozen crust, do you use the metal pan it comes in to bake in or do you use a pie pan like you showed for the home made crust??
You can just use the metal pan. 🙂
This is absolutely the Perfect. Pumpkin. Pie! Thank you for another recipe that hit it out of the ballpark!!
Can you replace the sugar with powdered sugar?
I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
Hi! What would you do to make this egg free? My brother is allergic. Thanks!
Hi Mikayla, because the custard filling really relies on eggs, unfortunately, I don’t think this is a great recipe to make with an egg substitute. Sorry!
Pie didn’t set correctly. I have made many pies, pumpkin especially. Blind baked the crust was fine, but after I put the filling in and baked after the first 60 minutes the center was still too liquidy. So I cooked for another 10 until the right consistency and let chill at room temperature before chilling in fridge. I will not be trying this recipe again. Maybe too much liquid, or too low of a temperature. I don’t know.
I had the same problem! I just made this at the exact temperature stated and the pie is so runny. I’m reheating the oven to cook it again and hoping it helps. My first attempt at making a pie but sure why it’s turned out like this. Disappointed as I was so excited to bake my first pie.