You can’t go wrong with a homemade Pumpkin Pie.
For most people, pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving staple, but in my family, we also eat it on Halloween. My grandfather’s birthday was on Halloween, and he loved pie, so it became a tradition to celebrate with a pumpkin pie every year.
But regardless of whether you enjoy this classic in October or November, there’s no doubt that it holds the essence of fall in every bite. The smooth, spiced filling and buttery crust make it the perfect cozy dessert to enjoy as the air turns crisp and the leaves change.
A few notes:
- Keep your butter cold: Cold butter = flakey pastry. That’s why I will freeze my butter before cutting it into the flour and also use ice water when bringing my dough together. Additionally, allowing the dough to rest in the fridge and freezing the crust once it’s in the pie pan will ensure a tender crust that will hold its shape when baked.
- Blind baking: No one wants a soggy bottom or raw pastry. Blind baking helps ensure that the crust cooks all the way through. Make sure to poke some holes in the bottom before freezing and use pastry weights when baking (dried beans are the perfect budget friendly option) so that it doesn’t puff up before the filling is added.
- Make pie crust cookies with any leftovers: Never let good pastry go to waste! Place any extra on a lined baking sheet, cut it into smaller cookie sized pieces, sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. They’re the perfect snack to hold you over until the pie is ready.
- Use canned pumpkin: Fun fact, the pumpkin used for canning is not the same as the classic orange ones you can buy in the store. Therefore, if you use roasted pumpkin in a pumpkin pie, it’s not going to taste the same (it tends to be less sweet) so I don’t find it to be interchangeable with the canned variety.
- Decorate if you’re feeling fancy: I think a freshly baked pumpkin pie is beautiful, but if you’re up to the challenge, you can decorate your pie with some piped whipped cream or even a chocolate Jack O’Lantern face!
Pumpkin Pie
A classic homemade pumpkin pie with a smooth, spiced filling and flaky crust—perfect for cozy fall gatherings and holidays.
Equipment
- 9 inch Pie Pan
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Weights
- Hand or Stand Mixer (for whipping cream)
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 125 g Ap Flour
- Pinch of Salt
- 55 g Unsalted butter cubed and frozen
- 2-3 Tbsp Ice water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 Can Pure Pumpkin (15 oz)
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Cinnamon heaping
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ginger heaping
- ¼ tsp Cloves
- 1 Can Evaporated Milk (12 oz)
Optional Decorations/Toppings
- Chocolate Chips melted
- Whipped Cream
Instructions
Make the Pastry
- Cube the butter and then place in the freezer for ~10 minutes.55 g Unsalted butter
- Add the flour and salt to a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. Once mostly incorporated, finish by rubbing any larger pieces into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.125 g Ap Flour, Pinch of Salt
- Fill a cup with cold water and add a few ice cubes. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to the flour mixture, kneading as you go, until it comes together into a dough ball.2-3 Tbsp Ice water
- Shape into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, roll the dough out until it’s only a few millimeters thick. Transfer to the pie pan, note: the rolling pin can help with this, and press the pastry into the corners of the pan.
- Cut off any excess greater than about an inch. Fold any that remains back over the edge and then crimp to form a nice border.
- Poke the bottom with a fork several times and the freeze again for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cover the pie crust with parchment paper weighed down with baking weights (or beans). Bake for ~15 minutes.
Make the Filling
- While the crust blind bakes, make the filling.
- Whisk together the pure pumpkin and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then add the eggs and mix again.1 Can Pure Pumpkin, ¾ Cup Sugar, 2 Eggs
- Add the salt and spices, mixing well to combine.1 tsp Cinnamon, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Ginger, ¼ tsp Cloves
- Lastly, add the evaporated milk, whisking well and making sure to scrape down the edges to get any unincorporated pumpkin.1 Can Evaporated Milk
- When the pie crust is done blind baking, pour in the filling and return to the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F and then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 40 minutes. It will be done when the center still has a slight jiggle and a knife inserted near the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature and then place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
Decorate the Pie (Optional)
- If you’re feeling fancy, melt some chocolate in the microwave and then pipe onto a sheet of parchment paper the classic shapes of a Jack O’Lantern. Place in the fridge to set for about 10 minutes.Chocolate Chips
- Using a knife, carve a few curves the mimic the ridges of a pumpkin into the top of the pie.
- Place your set chocolate and then using whipped cream that has been dyed green, pipe on a few leaves.Whipped Cream
- Serve with more whipped cream.
Notes
- Keep your butter cold: Cold butter = flakey pastry. That’s why I will freeze my butter before cutting it into the flour and also use ice water when bringing my dough together. Additionally, allowing the dough to rest in the fridge and freezing the crust once it’s in the pie pan will ensure a tender crust that will hold its shape when baked.
- Blind baking: No one wants a soggy bottom or raw pastry. Blind baking helps ensure that the crust cooks all the way through. Make sure to poke some holes in the bottom before freezing and use pastry weights when baking (dried beans are the perfect budget friendly option) so that it doesn’t puff up before the filling is added.
- Make pie crust cookies with any leftovers: Never let good pastry go to waste! Place any extra on a lined baking sheet, cut it into smaller cookie sized pieces, sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. They’re the perfect snack to hold you over until the pie is ready.
- Use canned pumpkin: Fun fact, the pumpkin used for canning is not the same as the classic orange ones you can buy in the store. Therefore, if you use roasted pumpkin in a pumpkin pie, it’s not going to taste the same (it tends to be less sweet) so I don’t find it to be interchangeable with the canned variety.
- Decorate if you’re feeling fancy: I think a freshly baked pumpkin pie is beautiful, but if you’re up to the challenge, you can decorate your pie with some piped whipped cream or even a chocolate Jack O’Lantern face!
