• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
Home / Recipes
1 hour 20 minutes
4.69 from 32 votes
24 Comments

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Jump to RecipePrint RecipeJump to Video
  • 551
by: Joanna Cismaru
11.22.21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for pumpkin pie.

This Classic Pumpkin Pie is creamy, sweet and luscious! Completely homemade from the crust to the creamy filling. It’s utterly delicious and bursting with flavor! It also freezes well! Perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table!

pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream with a slice on a plate in the background.

Seriously The Best Pumpkin Pie

If there’s one recipe that’s a must at every Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving for me is this Pumpkin Pie! I love pumpkin pie. No I really really love pumpkin pie, like starry eyed hopelessly smitten kind of love.

I know some of you must be nodding along as you read this, I mean who doesn’t dream all year of sinking their teeth into a slice of this perfectly crafted and lovingly baked sweet center piece? So yes, out of all the pie recipes, this is my most favorite.

This is a recipe I published quite a few years back so over the years I’ve had time to perfect it in order to give you guys the best pumpkin pie recipe possible. It all starts with the perfect crust!

Homemade Crust Makes The Difference

There’s just something about homemade pie crust, especially mine, I guess I’m a little biased. It’s buttery, flakey, golden perfection – if I do say so myself. I mean I guess you can go with store bought if you want, but it might lack that razzle dazzle.

overhead shot of a freshly made pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

Pie crust

  • Follow my recipe here for the best pie crust recipe with all the tips and tricks you need. If you don’t want to make your own, you can use store bought pie crust.

Filling

  • SUGAR – We’re using both granulated white sugar and packed brown sugar today to sweeten up our pie.
  • SPICES – You can use your favorite pumpkin pie spice, or simply make your own using my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe here. I also like to add a little extra cinnamon to my pumpkin pie.
  • EGGS – We’re using entire eggs and egg yolk to act as a rich binder for our filling.
  • SEASONING – Salt is a very important flavor enhancer for our filling, be sure to include it! It really does bring out all the flavors together.
  • LEMON – Were using a bit of lemon zest to brighten up and balance the flavors in our filling. Just a bit makes all the difference.
  • MILK – Evaporated milk is recommended because it creates a creamier filling. Evaporated milk actually acts as a thickener in pumpkin pie filling so you don’t end up with a runny mess.
  • PUMPKIN – This is the star ingredient of our pie. You’ll need pure pumpkin purée, one small can. You can definitely make your own, but it’s so much easier to just use the store-bought canned stuff. That’s what I do anyway. Just make sure you’re using pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling because that has some other spices and ingredients in it.

How To Make Pumpkin Pie

process shots showing how to assemble and bake a pumpkin pie.
  1. PREPARE THE CRUST: Make the pie crust according to this pie crust recipe. You can also use store bought pie crust.
  2. PREPARE THE OVEN: Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  3. MAKE THE FILLING: In a large bowl combine the sugars, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and salt. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well until well incorporated and smooth, using a mixer or whisk. Set aside.
  4. PREPARE THE PIE CRUST: If using your own homemade pie crust, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes. This is required to soften the dough a bit, so that you can roll it out. Roll out the disc using a rolling pin. If your dough is sticking to the surface or to the rolling pin add a bit more flour as necessary. Roll it until it’s about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Place the pie dough lightly into a pie plate. I usually roll it on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. (see video) Crimp the edge and cut off excess dough.
  5. BLIND BAKE THE CRUST: Place a piece of parchment paper over the pie shell and fill it with pie weights. If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dry beans. Place the pie shell into the oven and blind bake it for 15 minutes. Read ALL about blind baking here. Once done, remove the pie weights and the parchment paper from the pie shell.
  6. BAKE THE PIE: Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.
  7. SERVE: I love to serve this luscious pie with lots of whipped cream.
a slice of pumpkin pie on a white plate.

How Do I Know When My Pumpkin Pie Is Done Baking?

Every oven is different so keep an eye on it once you start to reach that 30 minute mark after reducing your oven temperature. The pie should still have a bit of jiggle to it when removed from the oven! Overcooking will cause it to crack.

What Is Blind Baking?

Blind baking basically means baking your pie crust before filling it and baking the entire pie. This is necessary when making a pie with a custard filling like ours here as it prevents the crust from becoming soggy. Don’t forget to read the post on making the perfect pie crust and all about blind baking!

What Are Pie Weights?

These little weights prevent the pie crust from forming air bubbles and from puffing up. The crust will stay nestled nicely right against the pie plate and bake uniformly. You can buy ceramic or metal weights or just use plain old dried beans.

Expert Tips And Tricks

  1. CHILL THE DOUGH. This is the secret to a flaky crust.
  2. PRE-BAKE YOUR CRUST. This will prevent your crust from getting soggy.
  3. DON’T SKIP THE BROWN SUGAR. It adds a little bit of caramel flavor to the pie.
  4. USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS. It’s important to always use room temperature ingredients for the filling because they blend more evenly in batters. Cold ingredients can result in lumpy batter, a stodgy texture and require longer baking time.
  5. COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE SLICING. After baking, you should allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. You want to make sure you allow the pie to set properly. Cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack before serving.

Leftover Pie

Pumpkin pies are great because they can easily be made a day or two ahead. You can bake it, cool it, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Can I Freeze Pumpkin Pie?

Absolutely! It’ll last up to a month in the freezer. Just make sure you wrap it tightly with plastic wrap after it comes to room temperature. Wrap it with a few layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil.

To defrost, place the pie in the fridge overnight and let it defrost slowly.

overhead shot of a freshly baked pumpkin pie with whipped cream topping.

More Must Try Pumpkin Recipes

  • Pumpkin Delight
  • Best Ever Pumpkin Roll
  • Pumpkin Magic Cake
  • Healthy Whole Wheat And Oats Pumpkin Pancakes
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
  • The Best Pumpkin Pancakes

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream with a slice on a plate in the background.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

4.69 from 32 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 8
Print Pin Rate
This Classic Pumpkin Pie is creamy, sweet and luscious! Completely homemade from the crust to the creamy filling. It's utterly delicious and bursting with flavor! It also freezes well! Perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table!

Equipment

  • 9-inch Pie Plate
  • KitchenAid Hand Mixer
  • Pie Weights

Ingredients

Pie Crust

  • ½ recipe pie crust

Pumpkin Pie Filling

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 12 ounce evaporated milk 1 can
  • 2 cups canned pumpkin
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Make the pie crust according to this pie crust recipe. You can also use store bought pie crust.
  • Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  • In a large bowl combine the sugars, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well until well incorporated and smooth, using a mixer or whisk. Set aside.
  • If using your own homemade pie crust, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes. This is required to soften the dough a bit, so that you can roll it out.
  • Roll out the disc using a rolling pin. If your dough is sticking to the surface or to the rolling pin add a bit more flour as necessary. Roll it until it’s about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Place the pie dough lightly into a pie plate. I usually roll it on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. (see video) Crimp the edge and cut off excess dough.
  • Place a piece of parchment paper over the pie shell and fill it with pie weights. If you don't have pie weights, you can use dry beans. Place the pie shell into the oven and blind bake it for 15 minutes. Read more about blind baking here. Once done, remove the pie weights and the parchment paper from the pie shell.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F degrees and bake for another 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  • Cool before serving. Top with whipped cream if preferred.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Check out the recipe to make this easy pie crust with video and step by step instructions here.
  2. CHILL THE DOUGH. This is the secret to a flaky crust.
  3. PRE-BAKE YOUR CRUST. This will prevent your crust from getting soggy.
  4. DON’T SKIP THE BROWN SUGAR. It adds a little bit of caramel flavor to the pie.
  5. USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS. It’s important to always use room temperature ingredients for the filling because they blend more evenly in batters. Cold ingredients can result in lumpy batter, a stodgy texture and require longer baking time.
  6. COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE SLICING. After baking, you should allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. You want to make sure you allow the pie to set properly. Cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack before serving.
  7. Pumpkin pies will last 3 to 4 days stored in the fridge.
  8. To freeze, just make sure you wrap it tightly with plastic wrap after it comes to room temperature. Wrap it with a few layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil and store up to a month in the freezer.
  9. To defrost, place the pie in the fridge overnight and let it thaw slowly.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 294kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 41g (14%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 11g (17%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 77mg (26%)Sodium: 316mg (14%)Potassium: 312mg (9%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 25g (28%)Vitamin A: 9725IU (195%)Vitamin C: 3.7mg (4%)Calcium: 158mg (16%)Iron: 2.1mg (12%)
Course:Dessert, Pie
Cuisine:American
Keyword:classic pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie, thanksgiving recipes
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 551
  • 5

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

a roasted chicken on a serving platter along some roasted root veggies.
Previous Post
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
stacks of shortbread on a cooling rack.
Next Post
The Perfect Shortbread Cookies

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. restaurantthatdeliversnearme.website says

    November 25, 2021 at 10:24 am

    Thanks for the classic pumpkin pie.

    Reply
  2. Christine Adams says

    November 23, 2021 at 2:12 pm

    Hi from Australia. I would very much like to try a pumpkin pie. We see it in movies and tv shows all the time. One problem though, we, in Australia, cannot purchase canned pumpkin. Do you have a recipe using fresh pumpkin please?

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      November 23, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      Here you go:
      1) First halve the pumpkin and scoop out all the seeds.
      2) Heat an inch of water in a saucepan till boiling. In the meantime, slice the pumpkin into chunks. Boil these pieces of pumpkin briefly before reducing the heat, covering and allowing to simmer for 30 minutes.
      3) Drain and cool before removing the pumpkin from the peel. Mash it all up and you’re good to go!

      Reply
      • Christine Adams says

        November 30, 2021 at 7:32 pm

        Thank you. I thought that a can of pumpkin was especially for pie making and it had spices already. I did not realise it was straight pumpkin.

  3. Nikki says

    October 18, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    4 stars
    The pie tastes amazing, but mine didn’t set quite right. I cooked it longer with no luck. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 18, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      You might need to bake it a bit longer, each oven is quite different.

      Reply
  4. Elaine Radu says

    October 11, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    Insanely delicious! Easy peasy directions. I used a glass pie plate for this
    one because I wanted to see the “finished” bottom crust…. Thanks again
    JO… you continue to make me look like a “star”. My mother would be proud;
    she was a fantastic baker… I shall bake a second pie tomorrow morning for
    Thanksgiving dinner.

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 11, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      I’m so happy to hear this! Enjoy the pie!

      Reply
  5. Kaye Fortin says

    October 6, 2020 at 1:08 am

    hi Jo!
    What size pie would this recipe make? Would you suggest cutting the recipe in half if I wanted to make 2 4inch pies? TIA!

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 6, 2020 at 10:17 am

      This pie is using a 9-inch pie plate, so yeah you could make 2 4-inch pies.

      Reply
  6. Marilyn says

    November 11, 2018 at 6:27 am

    A couple of years I baked pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving from the libbys can recipe. What made it special was the Triple Treat pumpkin seeds that I planted in my garden. I grew my own pumpkins in a garden. Maybe I will try this recipe next year with pumpkins right out of a garden. Has anyone tried this with sweet potatoes/yams?

    Reply
    • Nicole Beaulieu says

      November 13, 2018 at 9:42 am

      That would be fantastic with fresh pumpkins! We haven’t made this recipe with sweet potatoes but I’m sure it would taste great. I would cut down on some of the sugar in the recipe because of how sweet the potatoes are.

      Reply
  7. hotmail says

    November 4, 2018 at 9:04 pm

    5 stars
    It looks so sweet and shop. Fabulous flavor!!

    Reply
  8. Lori Harland says

    October 7, 2018 at 6:56 am

    5 stars
    Hi Jo, I read your recipe for the pumpkin pie, and it is pretty much the same pie that I have made for the past 35 years! It is and has always been my favourite pie to make and eat, and I look forward to each year. I highly recommend this pie, with canned or fresh pumpkin purée, look out Costco, you have been beaten by the best pumpkin pie!
    Keep the awesome recipes coming Jo, and Happy thanksgiving this weekend!

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      October 7, 2018 at 5:46 pm

      Thanks, Lori!

      Reply
  9. Tammie says

    October 5, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    Looks good! Pumpkin pie is my favorite. I’ve always made my own pie filling and pie crust. I’ve made it with canned pumpkin and the Libby’s famous filling recipe (about 40 years now). You’re pie is so beautiful and looks so good, I’m trying it this year. I’m using your crust recipe too, mine uses Crisco and it’s very flaky and good but I’m trying to cut the heavily processed fats out of our diet. Butter is better so they say! I love your recipes, your site is my go to place when I’m looking for something new to try! The crabby commenter that said you should cook your own pumpkin was a trip! I’ve cooked my own many times and to be totally honest, I like the canned pumpkin better!

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      October 5, 2018 at 12:26 pm

      Thank you, Tammie! 🙂 😘

      Reply
  10. Kelly | Foodtasia says

    October 5, 2018 at 9:48 am

    Costco 🙂 Looks delicious! I could eat pumpkin pie all year long!

    Reply
  11. Rachel says

    October 21, 2013 at 1:59 am

    5 stars
    Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! I feel about pumpkin pie the same as you–I have it for American Thanksgiving, and that’s enough for me. My husband, on the other hand, loves it so much, he’ll eat it multiple times during the period from October to December.

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 21, 2013 at 3:12 am

      Thank you Rachel! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Christin@Spicysouthernkitchen says

    October 20, 2013 at 11:26 pm

    5 stars
    Classic recipes are always the best! Your pumpkin pie looks divine Jo!

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 20, 2013 at 11:28 pm

      Thanks Christin!

      Reply
  13. Judy says

    October 19, 2013 at 11:28 am

    Canned pumpkin filling. You should have made that yourself too. Were to make this I’d have to make my own.
    What do you Canadians celebrate thanksgiving for?

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 19, 2013 at 1:53 pm

      I am making my pumpkin filling, I’m just using store bought canned pumpkin, which is different than filling. Of course you could always buy a pumpkin and bake it and all that, so feel free. 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Favorites

black pepper chicken on a bed of rice on a black plate.

Black Pepper Chicken

a slice of pastitsio on a black plate.

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

side view shot of a piece of eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce in a white plate garnished with parsley and a piece cut out and held by a fork

Eggplant Parmesan

side view shot chicken souvlaki skewers with a little tzatziki on a plate

Chicken Souvlaki

yakisoba noodles with chicken and vegetables in a large serving platter.

Yakisoba

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

a chicken gyro wrapped in paper and topped with lots of tzatziki sauce with another gyro in the background

Chicken Gyros

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

Air Fryer Recipes

a roasted chicken on a serving platter along some roasted root veggies.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

apple pie bombs on a white plate with the top one cut in half.

Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs

3 cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

air fried chicken drumsticks in a basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

cooked chicken thighs in the basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

eggs inside an air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

lobster tails on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Lobster Tails

hands pulling apart a mozzarella stick with the rest in the background

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

freshly made bread in air fryer on a cutting board cut into slices.

Air Fryer No Knead Bread

bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
chow mein in a white asian bowl.

Asian

creamy chicken marsala pasta in a white platter.

Italian

chicken fajita taquitos with sour cream and salsa on a white platter.

Mexican

chicken and mushroom in creamy dill sauce over a bed of rice in a blue bowl.

Romanian

freshly made lamb korma in a beige braiser.

Indian

freshly made hummus drizzled with olive oil and garnished with tomatoes cucumbers and olives.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

roast chicken with roast potatoes on a roaster.

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2022 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!