There is something wildly comforting about a Pumpkin Pie that actually delivers. Not overly sweet, not weirdly spiced, not watery in the middle. Just smooth, rich filling sitting in a crisp crust that holds together when sliced and does not collapse into sadness. That is the vibe we are going for here.

This Pumpkin Pie leans into balance. Warm spices without being loud, a custard that sets beautifully without cracking, and a method that keeps things simple without cutting corners. Whether you are baking for a holiday table or just because you felt like it, this one understands the assignment.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie, Canned or fresh pumpkin puree with cream (or evaporated milk), brown sugar(s), white sugar, eggs and delicious fall spices. - 1
  • What Makes This Pumpkin Pie Work
  • What Goes Into This Pumpkin Pie
  • Optional Tweaks And Swaps (Because You’re In Charge)
  • How To Make This Pumpkin Pie
  • Pro Tips From Someone Who Has Made A Lot Of Pie
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • Pumpkin Pie Recipe

What Makes This Pumpkin Pie Work

  • Creamy, not sloppy filling: The custard bakes up silky and sliceable thanks to the right ratio of eggs and dairy, so you get clean slices without sacrificing that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Spice-forward but controlled: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves work together instead of competing, giving you classic Pumpkin Pie flavour without tasting like potpourri.
  • Reliable every single time: No fancy tricks, no temperamental steps. This Pumpkin Pie recipe works whether it is your first bake or your fiftieth.
  • Simple method, bakery-level results: The steps are straightforward, but the end result looks and tastes like something you would proudly put on a dessert table.

What Goes Into This Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients shot: pumpkin purée, heavy cream, pie crust, eggs, light brown sugar, white sugar, dark brown sugar, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla. - 2

With just a few kitchen staples, you can whip up this luxurious sauce in minutes. Here’s what you’ll need for the creamiest, most foolproof Pumpkin Pie:

  • Pumpkin Purée: Use pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) for a rich, velvety texture and deep pumpkin flavor.
  • Heavy Cream: Thickens the filling beautifully and gives it a luxurious, custard-like finish. You can also use evaporated milk for a lighter option.
  • Brown Sugar: A mix of light and dark brown sugar adds depth and a hint of molasses that pairs perfectly with the spices.
  • Ground Cinnamon: The star spice of any pumpkin pie recipe, giving the filling its warm and familiar flavor.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

Optional Tweaks And Swaps (Because You’re In Charge)

Want to play around a little? These options work beautifully and do not mess with the base recipe.

  • Maple Syrup: Swap part of the sugar for maple syrup for a deeper, slightly caramel-like sweetness.
  • Brown Sugar: Use brown sugar instead of white for a richer, more molasses-forward flavour.
  • Evaporated Milk: If you prefer a slightly lighter filling, evaporated milk can replace the cream while still keeping things smooth.
  • Extra Spice Boost: Add a pinch of cardamom or allspice if you like a little extra warmth.

How To Make This Pumpkin Pie

Pie crust with tiny holes using fork. - 3
  1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare your 9-inch pie crust and place it into a pie dish. If it’s raw, prick the base with a fork a few times to prevent bubbling. Set aside.
Whisked eggs with light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin purée, cream , vanilla, ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. - 4
  1. Make the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and all three sugars until smooth. Add pumpkin purée, cream (or evaporated milk), vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
Pumpkin pie filling poured into the pie crust. - 5
  1. Fill the Pie Crust: Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Pour the prepared filling into the crust, smoothing the top with a spatula if needed.
Pumpkin Pie on a baking sheet inside the oven. - 6
  1. Bake the Pie: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 50 to 55 minutes.
Knife's tip inserted near the center of the pie and the crust edges covered with foil. - 7
  1. Check: Insert a knife in the center; it should come out clean with a bit of moisture. The center will be jiggly like gelatin. Cover edges with foil if they darken.
Pumpkin pie on a wire rack. - 8
  1. Cool and Store: Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool for 2 hours. It will deflate slightly as it sets. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

If you’re serving this for a holiday feast, it rounds out beautifully with a hot cup of Nutella Hot Chocolate or Dalgona Coffee . And if you’re going all in on dessert, a slice of Heavenly Chocolate Pecan Pie or Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow along with this Pumpkin Pie will take it to the next level.

Pro Tips From Someone Who Has Made A Lot Of Pie

  • Bake your Pumpkin Pie on the middle rack to ensure even heat and prevent over-browning on top.
  • If the crust starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil halfway through baking.
  • Do not overbake. A slight jiggle in the centre is exactly what you want. Overbaking leads to cracks and a dry filling.
  • Let the pie cool fully before refrigerating. This helps the custard finish setting without weeping.

Your pie is done when it looks glossy on top and feels set around the edges, but still has a gentle wobble in the center. Don’t wait until it’s fully firm—it will continue to cook and set as it cools.

Cracks usually happen when the pie is overbaked. To prevent them, take it out of the oven while the center is still slightly jiggly. The residual heat will finish the job without drying it out

Absolutely. Cracks don’t affect the flavor one bit. And if you want to dress it up, just cover the top with a few decorative pastry leaves or a swirl of whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pie with cream - 9 Karina in a white and black dress with her hair blowing back, standing in front of her cooktop, cooking salmon in a pan - 10

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IngredientsUSMetric1x2x3x

  • ▢ 3 eggs large
  • ▢ 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • ▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • ▢ 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • ▢ 15 ounce pure pumpkin puree canned, not pumpkin pie filling
  • ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream thickened cream or evaporated milk
  • ▢ 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ▢ 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • ▢ 9 inch pie crust or store bought pie shell

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare pie crust . If using uncooked pie crust, prick the base a few times with a fork to prevent air bubbles before pouring in the filling. Set aside.
  • Whisk eggs and all of the sugars together until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, cream (or evaporated milk), vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Mix to combine well.
  • Place prepared pie shell onto a baking sheet. Pour filling into shell and bake pie for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for a further 50-55 minutes, or when a knife tip inserted in the middle comes out relatively clean but still a little wet. The centre of the pie should be a little jiggly like jello. If the edges of the crust start to become too dark, cover with a thin strip of foil.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours. (The pie will be puffed up as soon as it comes out of the oven, but it will deflate and flatten while it cools.)
  • To store: Cover room temperature pie loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Notes

PUMPKIN PUREE

  1. ROAST: Halve a small 2 pound pumpkin vertically through the stem. Use a mental spoon to scrape out the seeds and strings. Arrange pumpkin, cut side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast, uncovered at 350°F (175°C) until fork-tender (1 hour). Allow to cool. Scrape flesh from skin and puree flesh in a food processor or blender in batches of two or three, depending on the size.
  2. STEAM: Chop pumpkin into large chunks (about 2-3 inches) and steam until fork-tender. Blend as mentioned above.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Top view of Pumpkin Pie - 11

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs large
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 15 ounce pure pumpkin puree canned, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream thickened cream or evaporated milk
  • 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 9 inch pie crust or store bought pie shell

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare pie crust . If using uncooked pie crust, prick the base a few times with a fork to prevent air bubbles before pouring in the filling. Set aside.
  • Whisk eggs and all of the sugars together until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, cream (or evaporated milk), vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Mix to combine well.
  • Place prepared pie shell onto a baking sheet. Pour filling into shell and bake pie for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for a further 50-55 minutes, or when a knife tip inserted in the middle comes out relatively clean but still a little wet. The centre of the pie should be a little jiggly like jello. If the edges of the crust start to become too dark, cover with a thin strip of foil.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours. (The pie will be puffed up as soon as it comes out of the oven, but it will deflate and flatten while it cools.)
  • To store: Cover room temperature pie loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Notes

PUMPKIN PUREE

  1. ROAST: Halve a small 2 pound pumpkin vertically through the stem. Use a mental spoon to scrape out the seeds and strings. Arrange pumpkin, cut side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast, uncovered at 350°F (175°C) until fork-tender (1 hour). Allow to cool. Scrape flesh from skin and puree flesh in a food processor or blender in batches of two or three, depending on the size.
  2. STEAM: Chop pumpkin into large chunks (about 2-3 inches) and steam until fork-tender. Blend as mentioned above.

Nutrition

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