My Favorite Pumpkin Pie

This outrageously good pumpkin pie is silky smooth, perfectly spiced, and so easy to make.

What’s your go-to holiday pie? First in my heart is usually Dutch apple , but pumpkin pie is a very, very close second.

Yet despite its high marks in my personal pie rankings, I didn’t have a tried and true favorite pumpkin pie recipe in my arsenal.

So this year, I set out to change that. I have tested and tasted so many pumpkin pies over the last couple of months, and can now officially share with you, my favorite pumpkin pie.

The best pumpkin pie sliced on a plate. - 1

The best pumpkin pie sliced on a plate. - 2

The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Most pumpkin pie recipes making a classic pie are going to look fairly similar. The dairy they use might vary, you might have an extra egg or yolk in there, maybe there’s a little flour in the custard, but overall the ratios and ingredients for a good pumpkin pie won’t change a whole lot.

So when designing your perfect pie, you’re really tweaking the ingredient levels for optimum deliciousness.

This pie has just the right level of sweetness, with a mix of brown and white sugars. It’s generously spiced, but not in a way that overwhelms the pumpkin flavor the way the spices in some pumpkin pie recipes can.

And the texture is absurdly creamy, smooth and firm (but not too firm!). In short, this pie is perfect, and pretty much everything you want a pumpkin pie to be.

Ingredient Notes

Sugar: I used a mix of brown and white sugar here because I like the darker molasses flavor the brown sugar gives the pie, but you can use all white or all brown sugar if you’d like. If you prefer a less sweet pie, you can reduce the sugar to ¾ cup.
Pumpkin pie spices: I really like this particular blend/ratio of spices for pumpkin pie, but if you have pumpkin pie spice in your drawer, you can replace the spices (not the salt) with 1¾ teaspoons of pumpkin spice. If you’ve made my pumpkin pie spice blend , it’s pretty much the same ratio as the spices in this pie, so you can use that and get the same effect.
Pumpkin puree: Pumpkin puree is pure pureed pumpkin. If you don’t regularly purchase it, double check the can to make sure you’re not accidentally getting pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Evaporated milk: Same goes for evaporated milk. You can usually find this in a can in the baking or coffee aisle sold alongside condensed sweetened milk. Make sure when you grab it off the shelf, you’re picking the right thing.
9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust: Use your favorite pie crust recipe here. I used a half batch of my favorite buttermilk pie crust (if you are a pie crust novice, this is such a great recipe to start with because it’s suuuuuuper easy to work with). Frozen, store-bought crusts work great as well.

A note on pie crust: If making and rolling out pie dough does not bring you joy, I urge you to just grab a frozen pie crust at the grocery store. They absolutely get the job done and with a pie this good, no one’s going to complain you didn’t make the crust yourself.

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being made part 1. - 5

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being made part 1. - 6

Mix your dry ingredients: Whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well-mixed and no lumps remain. If you get some stubborn brown sugar lumps, run them between your fingers until they break apart.
Add eggs and puree: In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, and the sugar and spice mixture. Whisk until well-combined.

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being made part 2. - 7

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being made part 2. - 8

Add evaporated milk: Drizzle in the evaporated milk while whisking gently. Once milk is mostly incorporated, switch to a silicone spatula and stir a few more times, making sure to scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl so the mixture is uniform in color, but do not over mix.

Don’t go crazy with the whisking. You don’t want to whip a lot of air into the mixture because you can get air bubbles that will leave little craters in the top of your pie.

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being poured into pie crust. - 9

Collage of pumpkin pie filling being poured into pie crust. - 10

Fill your pie crust: Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. If you’re using a store-bought crust, you’ll probably have some filling leftover. This is normal.
Bake: Place pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and set on the lowest rack in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes before setting the oven temperature to 350°F. The high starting temperature will help the bottom of the pie set up quickly so you don’t get a soggy crust.
Continue to bake: Bake for an additional 40 minutes to 1 hour, until the pie is set at least two inches from the crust but the center still wobbles slightly or the pie reads 175°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

If at any time your crust begins to get too dark, shield the crust with pie shields or foil. During testing, none of my smaller store-bought crusts needed this, but the pie in the photos got one for the last 10 minutes of baking time.

Pie shield note: If you’ve never made a pie shield before, I really like this simple method .

Cool: Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve topped with whipped cream, and enjoy!

How do I know my pumpkin pie is done?

Pumpkin pie can be a little tricky to test for doneness because a perfectly baked pie always looks undercooked, and if the pie looks fully set in the oven, it’s absolutely been overcooked.

You can tell the pumpkin pie is done when the pie is set (not wobbling) at least two inches from the crust, but the center still wobbles slightly.

Some people swear by using a knife to check for doneness (insert a knife and it should come out mostly clean), but I find this method unreliable and the place where the pie was pierced often develops into a larger crack.

How do I keep my pie from cracking?

Don’t overcook your pumpkin pie. Cracks are caused when the eggs in the custard become overcooked and begin to contract, making the pie pull away from the edges of the pie crust or crack in the center.

To prevent cracking, bake your pie just until the outer edges of the pie look set. The center should still wobble slightly.

And real talk, sometimes though, cracking is just a part of pumpkin pie life. If your pie cracks as it cools, don’t sweat it. It’s still going to be delicious.

Do I have to let pumpkin pie cool for 2 hours?

Yes. The custard will finish cooking and set as it cools. If you try to eat pumpkin pie right out of the oven, it will be a hot liquidy mess and no one’s idea of a good time.

Is it OK to not refrigerate pumpkin pie?

As long as it has sufficient cooling time, you don’t need to refrigerate pumpkin pie before eating it. But custard pies like pumpkin pie should be stored in the refrigerator overnight or if you’re not eating them as soon as they’ve cooled.

Do I need to defrost my store-bought crust before baking it?

Probably not. If using a store-bought, frozen pie crust, follow the instructions on the packaging. Most of them are designed to go straight from the freezer to the oven. There is no need to defrost them first, and starting with a frozen crust will not change the cooking time.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Bread With Streusel
Pumpkin Pancakes
Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Small-batch Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Slice of pumpkin pie with a forkful removed. - 13

Slice of pumpkin pie with a forkful removed. - 14

Recipe Notes

Evaporated Milk Substitutions: You can replace the evaporated milk with a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, simply reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons (any mix of brown/white sugar is fine) or omit it completely. You can also use 1¼ cups heavy cream (the amount of sugar will stay the same).
Storage: Store the pie tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Whole Pumpkin Pies: Pumpkin pie freezes well. If you’re planning on freezing your pie, bake it in a disposable aluminum pie tin. Once cooled, double wrap the pie with plastic wrap and then an additional layer of aluminum foil if you have it. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Freezing Pumpkin Pie Slices: Flash freeze slices on a plate or baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Once frozen, wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap and then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight or at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

The best pumpkin pie sliced on a plate. - 15

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) lightly packed brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ Pinch to ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
▢ 2 large eggs preferably room temperature
▢ 1 15-ounce can (scant 2 cups ) pumpkin puree
▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 12-ounce can ( 1½ cups ) evaporated milk
▢ 1 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well-mixed and no lumps remain.
In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, and the sugar and spice mixture. Whisk until well-combined.
Drizzle in the evaporated milk while whisking gently. Once milk is mostly incorporated, switch to a silicone spatula and stir a few more times, making sure to scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl so the mixture is uniform in color, but do not over mix.
Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Place pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and set on the lowest rack in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes before setting the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 40 minutes to 1 hour, until the pie is set at least two inches from the crust but the center still wobbles slightly or the pie reads 175°F when tested with an instant read thermometer.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve topped with whipped cream, and enjoy!

Here’s how to make a quick apple pie spice mix at home.

During the fall baking season, apple pie spice is a wonderfully convenient spice blend to keep on hand.

Instead of digging a bunch of rarely-used spices out of the back of your spice drawer each time you want to make an apple dessert, you can reach for a single jar of premade apple pie spice.

But in my experience, unlike pumpkin pie spice , apple spice isn’t something a ton of people keep stocked in their kitchen. So today I’m going to show you how to mix up a batch at home.

Homemade Apple Pie Spice Substitute

And if you’re here because you’re making a recipe that calls for apple spice and don’t have any mixed up, here are the ratios for a couple different measurements you might need.

For 1 tablespoon

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

For 1 teaspoon

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ lightly heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg Generous pinch ground allspice Generous pinch ground cardamom

What is apple pie spice made of?

Ingredients for apple pie spice in a glass bowl. - 18

Ingredients for apple pie spice in a glass bowl. - 19

Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon is the base flavor for apple pie spice, so you can’t really substitute for or omit it.
Ground nutmeg: People tend to have strong feelings about nutmeg. If you don’t like nutmeg in your apple pie, you can reduce the amount in your blend by half or omit it completely.
Allspice: Allspice has a warming, peppery kick to it. It really boosts the flavors of the other spices, but if you don’t have any, you can omit it. You can also replace the allspice with cloves if you prefer.
Cardamom: Cardamom has an herbal, citrusy flavor that pairs exceptionally well with apples, but again, if you don’t have any, you can omit it.

How to Make Apple Pie Spice

Mix: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together until well-mixed.
Store: Store in an airtight container (recycled spice jars work GREAT for this) in a cool, dry place for up to 4 months.
Use: Use in recipes that call for apple pie spice or your favorite apple recipes when you want to spice things up a little.

Apple Recipes to Spice Up

Dutch Apple Pie
Small Apple Cake
Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins

What is a substitute for apple pie spice?

Aside from making a homemade substitute with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom, in a pinch, you can simply substitute cinnamon for apple pie spice. The dessert won’t have the same depth or complexity of flavor, but apple pie spice is mostly cinnamon, so using cinnamon alone will get the job done.

If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can also substitute it for apple pie spice because they contain similar ingredients.

Apple pie spice in a bowl with a measuring spoon. - 20

Apple pie spice in a bowl with a measuring spoon. - 21

What is the difference between apple pie spice in pumpkin pie spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is usually made with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice or ground cloves. Apple pie spice is typically cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. They can be used somewhat interchangeably.

Pumpkin pie spice works well in most apple desserts, but some people might not like the citrusy herbal flavor of cardamom in pumpkin desserts, so you’ll want to really consider the flavor you’re going for before substituting apple pie spice that contains cardamom for pumpkin pie spice.

More Kitchen Staples

Homemade Taco Seasoning
Cinnamon Sugar
How to Make Whipped Cream
What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree

Apple pie spice in a bowl with a measuring spoon. - 22

Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ ½ teaspoon ground allspice
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together until well-mixed.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 4 months.

This adorable small pumpkin pie is sweet, creamy, and everything you love about pumpkin pie but miniaturized.

Craving pumpkin pie, but not quite sure you want an entire full-size pie sitting around the house? I have just the recipe for you.

This cute little 6-inch pumpkin pie is a scaled-down version of my perfect pumpkin pie recipe that I posted yesterday. It’s rich, super creamy, and packed with warming fall spices.

Slice of mini pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. - 23

Slice of mini pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. - 24

A 6-inch pie is almost exactly half the size of a 9-inch pie, so it makes 4 generous slices or 6 smaller ones and is the perfect size for a couple of people to enjoy over a weekend.

Ingredient Notes

Small pumpkin pie ingredients on a table. - 25

Small pumpkin pie ingredients on a table. - 26

Sugar: You can use any combo of granulated sugar/brown sugar here, but I like a 50/50 mix. For a less sweet pie, cut the sugar by up to 25%.
Pumpkin puree: This recipe will use just over half a can of pumpkin puree. For storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers, go check out my post, What to Do With Pumpkin Puree (I recommend making a quick small batch of pumpkin muffins or a mini loaf of pumpkin bread ).
Pumpkin pie spice: You can replace the pumpkin pie spices (not the salt) with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice .
Evaporated milk: You can find evaporated milk in the baking or coffee aisle of your grocery store. Most stores sell smaller, 5-ounce cans alongside the full-size ones, so try to find a mini can if you don’t have any use for evaporated milk leftovers (though it’s pretty good as a coffee creamer if can’t find a smaller can).
Pie crust: Pre-made, refrigerated (not frozen) pie crusts from the grocery store work great here. Just drape the crust over your pie pan and cut it down to size. You can also use your favorite pie crust recipe. A 6-inch pie dish will use half the dough that a 9-inch pie does. So if you have a double crust recipe, quarter it. A single-crust recipe can be halved. I used my favorite buttermilk pie crust for the pie in the photos.

How to Make a Small Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie filling being made part 1. - 27

Pumpkin pie filling being made part 1. - 28

Combine dry ingredients: Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk until well-mixed and no lumps remain.
Mix (almost) everything together: In a medium bowl, add the egg and beat lightly. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar and spice mixture, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well-combined.

Pumpkin pie filling being made part 2. - 29

Pumpkin pie filling being made part 2. - 30

Add the evaporated milk: Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk until mostly combined. Switch to a rubber spatula and finish mixing, being sure to scrape the bottom and edges of the bowl.

Pumpkin pie filling being poured into a pie shell for a small pumpkin pie.. - 31

Pumpkin pie filling being poured into a pie shell for a small pumpkin pie.. - 32

Add filling to crust: Pour pumpkin pie mixture into your prepared pie crust and place pie on a baking sheet. This will catch any drips if your pie overflows and save you the pain of having to scrape burnt pie filling off the bottom of your oven.
Bake: Bake on the lowest rack in your oven for 15 minutes so your crust can set. Change the temperature to 350°F, and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, until the pie is set at least an inch and a half from the crust but the center still wobbles slightly or the pie reaches 175°F.
Cool: Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours and serve or cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream (try cinnamon whipped cream for a spicy twist), and enjoy!

How do I know my pumpkin pie is done?

You can tell your pie is done when the outer edges of the pie are set and look firm but the center still wobbles slightly.

Can you eat pumpkin pie right out of the oven?

No! The pie filling finishes cooking as it cools. Pumpkin pie right out of the oven should still be a little wobbly and not finished setting. You don’t want to try and eat that.

Can you freeze pumpkin pie?

Yes! Pumpkin pie leftovers freeze quite well. Freeze individual slices on a plate and then wrap them each in plastic wrap before storing them in a freezer bag. Store for up to two months. Allow slices to sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to thaw before eating.

Small pumpkin pie slice with a bite taken out of it. - 35

Small pumpkin pie slice with a bite taken out of it. - 36

More Small-batch Fall Favorites

Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
Hot Chocolate
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts
Small Apple Cinnamon Cake
Cinnamon Sugar Mini Banana Bread

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make-ahead instructions: Filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Store filling in the mixing bowl (do not fill the pie crust in advance) tightly covered in the refrigerator. When ready to use, whisk gently, pour into prepared pie crust, and bake according to recipe instructions.

Slice of mini pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. - 37

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup ( 50g ) granulated sugar
▢ ¼ cup ( 50g ) lightly packed brown sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ Pinch of ground cloves
▢ 1 large egg preferably room temperature
▢ 1 cup ( 244g ) pumpkin puree
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ ⅔ cup ( 1 5-ounce can) evaporated milk
▢ 1 6-inch unbaked deep-dish pie crust
▢ Whipped cream optional for topping

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk until well combined and no lumps remain.
In a medium bowl, add the egg and beat lightly. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar and spice mixture, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well-combined.
Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk until mostly combined. Switch to a rubber spatula and finish mixing, being sure to scrape the bottom and edges of the bowl.
Pour pumpkin pie mixture into your prepared pie crust and place pie on a baking sheet.
Bake on the lowest rack in your oven for 15 minutes. Change the temperature to 350°F, and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, until the pie is set at least an inch and a half from the crust but the center still wobbles slightly or the pie reaches 175°F.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours and serve or cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream, and enjoy!

Notes