Learn how to make homemade pumpkin pie from scratch that tastes amazing and turns out every time. Step-by-step instructions, pictures, and a video!
The Best Pumpkin Pie Ever
I’m so excited to share this classic Thanksgiving recipe with you all!! Pies have been something I’ve had to practice making to get right, and having a good recipe makes all the difference. Pies are now one of my favorite things to make, they are beautiful and unique and delicious.
This homemade pumpkin pie recipe is not the simplest. But the extra step is totally easy and worth it and will make all the difference in the flavor of your pie! I think that is what makes it the best pumpkin pie. I’ll give you more details on that later!
Pumpkin Pie From Scratch Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Water
For the Pumpkin Pie
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Eggs
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
- Maple extract
- Pumpkin puree
- Sugar
- Honey
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Allspice
- Nutmeg
- Salt
How To Make Pumpkin Pie From Scratch
- Prepare pie crust ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. When ready to bake the pie, roll it out and get it in the pie plate and then back into the fridge while you prep the filling.
First up, the pie crust. I usually make a few batches of my All-Butter Pie Crust recipe a week before Thanksgiving so I have it all ready. I have a great tutorial on how to make pie crust here! I’d definitely pop over and go through that tutorial if you’re hesitant about making pie crust or have never done it before. - Prepare the ingredients for the filling that will be cooked down on the stovetop and get them cooking.
The crust and filling will need to come together while both are warm, so I like to prep my crust first, stick it in the fridge in the pie plate and then get the filling going. Once the ingredients that get cooked down are in the pot, I’ll bake the crust and prep the rest of the filling ingredients. Then, when the crust is done par-baking, the filling is ready to mix together and put in the pie plate.
While those start cooking, place the pie crust in the oven {with pie weights inside of it!!} and prep the other filling ingredients. Once you have your crust made and ready, you are going to bake it for a little bit before you put the filling in. This makes sure it stays nice and crisp instead of floppy and soft. I actually like to bake my pies on a pizza stone for this same reason, but if you don’t have one that’s totally fine.
The pie crust will puff up if you don’t have something inside of it to weigh it down. You can buy fancy pie weights, but the easiest thing to do is to place parchment or foil in the crust and then fill it with dried beans or rice. I like to push them up the edges gently so it keeps the sides up nice and high.- Once the pie crust is done par-baking, remove the pie weights and set aside.
- Finish mixing the filling.
- Fill the pie crust and place it on a cookie sheet for easy transportation to and from the oven.
Fair warning!! This filling will be too much for a shallow pie dish. Mine is about 2 inches high, so you’ll want to bake this pumpkin pie in something deeper than 1.5 inches, which is typically how deep the smaller pie plates are. If all you have is a shallow pie dish, just make some mini-pies in a muffin cup with some extra pie crust. Cute and easy! Or save it for pancakes or ice cream…the possibilities are endless. 🙂
Finish baking!
Let it cool completely before serving.
- I actually make all my pies the day before Thanksgiving, they are perfectly fine to sit in the fridge overnight! Just don’t cover them {too much condensation} and remove them about 2 hours before serving to take the chill off.
I promise you will have the best pumpkin pie ever if you follow this recipe. Homemade pumpkin pie is a total game changer and so delicious! One of the other difficult things about pumpkin pie is knowing when it’s finished baking. I have a little trick for this – of course! I use my instant read Thermapen Thermometer from Thermoworks {affiliate link}.
How to tell if Pumpkin Pie is done
The perfect temp for a pumpkin pie is 175 degrees F. Obviously you just stick it in partway, right in the center. If you get the temp right you can easily smooth the hole back over while the pie is warm, no harm done! The middle will also jiggle slightly when done, but I highly recommend the thermometer approach – so easy and a guarantee of perfection every single time.
If you notice the crust getting a little too brown during the baking process, simple cover the edges with foil to prevent it from getting too browned. I usually only have this problem though if I’ve accidentally left it in a few minutes too long during the par-baking step. So don’t panic if that happens! You can make up for it later.
How to store Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to make Pumpkin Pie from scratch FAQ
It can be left at room temperature for a short time but should be refrigerated for longer periods of time.
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin pie. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then freeze in a freezer container or freezer bag.
Pumpkin pie can last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can add leftover pumpkin pie filling to pancake batter to make delicious pumpkin pancakes. You can also add it to the cinnamon mixture in cinnamon rolls for pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
It doesn’t have to be, but it is more convenient to bake the pumpkin pie ahead of time. So yes, you can make pumpkin pie the night before.
Pumpkin pie crust should be pre-baked, as outlined in this recipe.
I hope you love this homemade pumpkin pie recipe as much as we do! It’s been one I’ve worked on perfecting for a few years, it’s based on the America’s Test Kitchen Pumpkin Pie recipe but with a few changes to the ingredients and baking procedure. Let me know if you love it too!
More favorites from Longbourn Farm
Pumpkin Pie (Homemade)
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter very cold, sliced
- 3 tablespoons sour cream very cold
- 1/2 cup water ice cold, you won’t use it all!
For the Pumpkin PIe
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounce can, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Pie Crust
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Cut very cold butter in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs with a few larger pea-sized pieces.
- Mix a couple tablespoons of water with the sour cream and pour it into the dough.
- Add a couple more tablespoons of water to the dough and mix until just combined.
- Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together and isn’t crumbly. You may not use all the water! Do not over mix!
- Divide dough into 2 portions, wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. This pumpkin pie recipe will only use one of the pie crusts, the other can be used for an additional pie or frozen for up to 3 months.
For the Pumpkin Pie
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and be sure the oven rack is on the very bottom setting. See note.
- Roll out one of the pie crusts into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Place it in the pie plate and crimp the edges.
- Using a fork, poke a few holes in the bottom of the pie crust.
- Place foil or parchment inside of the crust and fill it mostly full with pie weights or dried beans. Gently push the beans up the side of the crust to keep the sides of the pie crust from slipping down while baking.
- Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake for 5 more minutes.
- While the pie crust is baking, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, honey, spices, and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
- Cook until reduced, about 10 minutes. The pumpkin will be dark and shiny. Be sure to stir frequently and manage the heat appropriately so the pumpkin doesn’t burn!!
- While the pumpkin is cooking, prepare the rest of the filling ingredients.
- Combine the heavy cream, milk, eggs and egg yolks, and both extracts.
- Once the pumpkin is cooked down, quickly whisk about 1/2 cup into the egg mixture to temper the eggs so that they won’t start to cook when you add the rest of the hot mixture.
- Add the rest of the cooked pumpkin to the cream mixture and whisk so it is combined well and smooth.
- Pour into the par-baked pie crust and place the pie plate on a baking sheet for easy transport.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F.
- Bake pie for about 50 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the crust isn’t browning too quickly. If the crust starts to get too brown, cover the edges with foil to prevent browning.
- Depending on the size of your pie plate, your pie may take up to 60 or 65 minutes to bake.
- The pie is done when the internal temperature of the filling reaches 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer {affiliate link to my favorite} or when you gently wiggle the pie plate and the center barely moves.
- Let cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving.
Noelle says
This is legit the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever made. Has a great texture, and nice spice flavor. Excellent.
I did run out of heavy cream and replaced part of that with eggnog(like good thick stuff from the local dairy).
Really please. Great recipe. My go to from now on!
Alli says
Great flavor and perfect crust!