Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe has been a personal and fan- favorite since I originally published the recipe in 2014. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with sugared cranberries and whipped cream.
One reader, Denise, commented: “This might sound dramatic, but this is the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had, like ever! Honestly, I was nervous because of the amount of spices… I was afraid of it being too ‘spicy’ but it’s perfect. The texture is smooth… but not mushy, there are so many different flavors happening at one time, it’s awesome! ★★★★★“
Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin smoothie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin Bundt cake, and so on. Pumpkin pie deserves a moment, and perhaps the biggest moment of all!
Developing a truly great pumpkin pie recipe is a lot more challenging than it seems. Should you use fresh pumpkin or canned? Brown sugar or white? Ginger or no ginger? Cornstarch, flour, both, or neither? Back in 2014, I tested nearly every possible iteration I could think of and came out with today’s recipe. Trust me, my pumpkin pie standards are high and I’m really happy to announce that this is THE great pumpkin pie.
The recipe below has become so popular that I decided to publish it in my New York Times best-selling (!!!) cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101. In that version, I very slightly scaled down the filling recipe to perfectly fit a standard (non deep dish) pie dish. The recipe today is the original version and excellent if you have a deep pie dish.
One reader, Ellie, commented: “I’ve made pumpkin pies for decades and none have been as good as this. The frosted cranberries and little pastry leaves were a superb addition. The homemade pie dough was amazing, too. We had some leftover filling and baked it in ramekins. Excellent all around. ★★★★★“
Pie Crust
Let’s start with the pie crust. Every pumpkin pie has to start with a stellar pie crust. My homemade pie crust uses a mix of shortening and butter so you get the most buttery tasting, tender, flaky (so flaky) pie crust. It’s easy to make. And I have a video tutorial and step-by-step photos in my pie crust recipe.
If you skip the leaf decorations on top, you’ll have a 2nd pie crust you can use to make leftover turkey pot pie, mini pecan pies, or even a simple pear tarte tatin! Or if you like extra thick pie crust, use some of your 2nd pie crust to make a decorative crimped or fluted edge. My how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial will walk you through all the steps.
Fresh or Canned Pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie?
I tested this recipe with both and I truly liked the pie using canned pumpkin better. The canned pumpkin pumpkin pie (say that 3 times fast) was a little more sturdy when baked for the same amount of time. The pie baked with fresh pumpkin puree tasted grainy and a little… herbaceous? I prefer using fresh pumpkin puree in savory recipes, not desserts. This is your call, you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin.
Other Ingredients in Pumpkin Pie
- Eggs. Eggs set up the pumpkin pie filling. They give the filling its rich, luxurious texture.
- Heavy cream. Heavy cream makes pumpkin pie silky smooth. It’s thick, creamy, and absolutely heavenly in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of milk. I found that 1 and 1/4 cups of heavy cream (or more) was simply too much. Too thick, too gloppy! You can also use the heavy cream to make homemade whipped cream for the topping.
- Cornstarch. A starch thickener is one of the most important ingredients in a pie filling. I use a touch of cornstarch in my pumpkin pie because it helps set up the pie. Makes it a little sturdier and firm, while keeping everything smooth.
My Secret Ingredient
This sounds so incredibly weird, but I add freshly ground black pepper to my pumpkin pie filling. It’s bizarre, I know. But I’m being serious. I got this tip from the genius kitchen crew over at King Arthur Baking. And I am forever grateful. Because this little addition turns your pumpkin pie into the BEST pumpkin pie. No one will know it’s there except for you. And they will all be wondering what makes this spiced pie so good… it’s a pinch of pepper.
I actually add it to my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, too! Feel free to replace the ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper below with my homemade spice. (Keep the cinnamon in the filling though!)
How to Avoid Cracks in Pumpkin Pie
Silky yet thick, this pumpkin pie cuts beautifully as long as it is baked for the right amount of time. The bake time is about 55-60 minutes. At this time, the center of the pumpkin pie will be slightly wobbly. It will set as it cools. Careful not to overcook; overcooking it will cause the filling to crack.
P.S.: For some fun twists on this classic, try this recipe as mini pumpkin pies, with a crunch topping on pecan praline pumpkin pie, or with extra spices in chai pumpkin meringue pie. You can also make pumpkin hand pies, pumpkin cheesecake pie, or pumpkin pie in a jar!
So from my kitchen to yours, enjoy The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe. And if you’re looking for more inspiration for your dessert table, here are all of our favorite Thanksgiving pies and a list of 30+ best pumpkin dessert recipes.
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The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes (includes blind bake)
- Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 8-10; 1 cup sugared cranberries
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Bursting with flavor, this pumpkin pie recipe is my very favorite. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes incredible on my homemade pie crust and served with whipped cream. The pie crust leaves are purely for decor, you can leave those off of the pie and only make 1 pie crust. You can also leave off the sugared cranberries.
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries
- 1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Pie Dough (full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for leaf decor)
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
- one 15-ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree*
- 3 large eggs
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*
- 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg*
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
Instructions
- If garnishing with sugared cranberries, make those first: If you want to decorate the pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup (150g) of sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour. Pour remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar into a large bowl. Toss the cranberries in the sugar, coating them all the way around. Place on a parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For more uses, see how to make sugared cranberries.
- Make the pie crust through step 5 according to my directions and video tutorial in my pie crust recipe. Or use your favorite pie dough or store-bought.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out the chilled pie crust: Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2-inch deep dish pie dish (this is the one I use; it is 1.75-inches deep). Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Review my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial if you need extra help with this step. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture.
- Par-bake the crust: Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create steam vents and return crust (without weights) to the oven for 7-8 more minutes or until the bottom is *just* starting to brown. (Review this how to par-bake pie crust page if you need extra help with this par-baking step.)
- Make the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.
- Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly—that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.
- Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.
- Decorate with sugared cranberries and pie crust leaves (see note). You’ll definitely have leftover cranberries… they’re tasty for snacking. Serve pie with whipped cream if desired.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pumpkin pie freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Pie crust dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. If decorating your pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before. You’ll also begin the pie crust the night before as well (the dough needs at least 2 hours to chill; overnight is best). The filling can be made the night before as well. In fact, I prefer it that way. It gives the spices, pumpkin, and brown sugar flavors a chance to infuse and blend. It’s awesome. Cover and refrigerate overnight. No need to bring to room temperature before baking.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Saucepan | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Pie Weights | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack | Fall Cookie Cutters
- Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries, not frozen. The sugar syrup doesn’t coat evenly on the frozen berries, leaving you with rather ugly and some very plain shriveled cranberries.
- Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin is best in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use and recommend Libby’s brand. If using fresh pumpkin puree, lightly blot it before adding to remove some moisture. The bake time may be longer.
- Spices: Instead of ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, you can use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Be sure to still add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
- Pie Crust: No matter if you’re using homemade crust or store-bought crust, pre-bake the crust. (Step 5.) You can use graham cracker crust if you’d like, but the slices may get a little messy. Pre-bake for 10 minutes just as you do with regular pie crust in this recipe. No need to use pie weights if using a cookie crust.
- Pie Crust Leaves: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the balls of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Roll out into any shape you really want (doesn’t matter) and 1/8 inch thickness. Using leaf cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Brush each lightly with the beaten egg + milk mixture. Cut leaf veins into leaves using a sharp knife, if desired. Place onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool before decorating pie.
- Mini Pumpkin Pies: Many have asked about a mini version. Here are my mini pumpkin pies. They’re pretty easy—no blind baking the crust!
Pie Crust Leaves
My pie crust recipe makes enough for two crusts. So with the extra dough, you can make adorable leaves for decoration on your pumpkin pie. Or any pie, really. I’ve seen the pie crust leaves baked directly on top of the rim of the pie—and I tried that—but was not thrilled with the results. Too much uneven baking. The underside of the leaves weren’t really cooked through and the tops got a little burnt (even through my pie shield). So, to make things easier, just bake the pie crust leaves separately and place them on top of your pie before serving. You can also sprinkle them with a little cinnamon-sugar right before baking. I was going to do that, but I forgot.
My leaf cookie cutters (affiliate link) don’t have “veins” so I made leaf veins myself using a sharp paring knife. It’s tedious, but if you want authentic looking leaves you can go ahead. Don’t worry if your veins aren’t perfect. That’s a weird sentence.
My directions for the leaves are in the print-out recipe above.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have made many a pumpkin pie in my 74 years and I have to say this recipie is exceptional. The texture is absolutely silky. I was a little aprehensive about the amount of spices and the pepper, but everything was perfect. And indeed the pepper was ivisible, but added next level tweek to the flavor. Dont usually review, but had to say thank you Sally!
BEST. PUMPKIN. PIE. EVER! When a friend brought me 10 pie pumpkins, I knew I needed to find the perfect recipe, and I knew EXACTLY where to go. You and your team never disappoint. I did a post of my pie that had some airbrush accents
Perfection! Made this for Thanksgiving as my friend is a huge fan of pumpkin pie. She said it was the best she’s ever had. Other guest who were more like me, usually not a huge fan, agreed….it was tasty! I do think the suggestion of mixing ingredients the night before was key. The flavors were so good. And the sugared cranberries was a nice festive touch that just elevated the dessert. If you are searching for a great pumpkin pie recipe….you’ve found it!
I baked this for Thanksgiving and my mom accused me of bringing a pie from the bakery and trying to pass it off as my own! I was nervous about the amount of cream in this pie filling, but it set up absolutely perfectly and had an amazingly firm yet soft and silky texture. There wasn’t a single piece left.
I make this every time. It’s the best ever! I sometimes use more cinnamon instead of the ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, but NEVER leave out the pepper! You don’t taste it but it is delicious with it!
Made this for thanksgiving this year on my first year hosting and finally changed my moms mind about not liking pumpkin pie!
I really liked it perfect sweetness and texture!
Disclaimer: I do not like pumpkin pie, but this pie has changed me!!
My husband lives for Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie. 2024 is my second using this recipe, and it’s a keeper!! The texture, flavor, and ease of process are the stars!! Thank you for converting me!!!
Since I have loved all the previous recipes of your I’ve made, I made this pie today. (We are doing Thanksgiving dinner Friday because I had to work late Wednesday and I do most of the meal) The filling was delicious raw (yes, raw), and the pie looks PERFECT. Made two little ramekins of extra that we will eat tonight. I can’t wait until the family tastes it! The prettiest pumpkin pie I have ever made, even without the leaf cutouts.
I make this recipe every year with fresh pumpkin and I love it! Since I used fresh pumpkin I have left over pie filling. About a cup of it. Any recommendations on what to do with the pie filling? That’s not pie
Best pumpkin pie ever. Just sweet enough. Not too sweet. Just dense enough. Not too dense. Packed with flavor. Used store bought first because we didn’t have time for that. Imagine it would be even better with the homemade crust. Even so, absolutely delicious.
What rack should I use to bake the pumpkin pie?
Hi Lisa, bake on the center rack. Hope the pie is a hit for you!
I have made this the past 3 years. It is wonderful. I always made my husband the obligatory pumpkin pies but I never liked them until I found this recipe. I use store bought pie crust but make the cute cutouts and sugared cranberries. It is beautiful and delicious.
I never leave reviews but I just had to for this pumpkin pie! Definitely the best I have ever made, and better than any store bought pie. I do have a question, though, Sally as I see you recommend making the filling the night before. I was thinking since I am making this pie for Thanksgiving of making the filling tonight (so two days before) – would this be okay? Another day in the fridge? I am guessing so, but on the off chance you see this and respond, I would love the confirmation. Thanks!!
Should be fine, Isabella! So glad you love this pie.
Nooo! My crust wall fell down, looks super doughy underneath, and was all puffy. I didn’t have any weights to use so I hoped for the best… will the crust still be usable or should I start over? 🙁 This is why I started early! Thanks
Hi Sarah! The crust will taste fine, but may not work very well for pumpkin pie if it’s quite shrunk. There are many things you can use for pie weights – uncooked rice or dry beans work well in a pinch!
I just use a ziplock bag of dried beans, cool and store them for the next time. But I let the egg wash get into the bottom of the pie, and the parchment did stick to some. Luckily didn’t tear the crust all the way through.
Hi there! Could I only use butter instead of the shortening?
Hi Carolina, here’s our all butter pie crust recipe.
Do I need to pre-bake? Thanks!
Hi Deb, You will par-bake this pie crust. See the step directions in the recipe for details.
I did prebake. I wasn’t sure when I asked if I had enough beans.
Everyone really liked this pie! I made the leaves but ran out of time/steam and skipped the sugared cranberries. Next year!
Can one substitute evaporated milk (like the Libby’s recipe) for the heavy cream and milk? Curious because my heavy cream is for whipping cream.
We don’t recommend it. We’ve tried evaporated milk and the two don’t compare. Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Hope you enjoy the pie!
Hi! Can I prep the filling two days in advance? Thanks in advance!
Hi Julia, we actually prefer to make the filling in advance – it gives the spices, pumpkin, and brown sugar flavors a chance to infuse and blend. We haven’t tested it longer than overnight but it should be okay covered and refrigerated for a day or two. We wouldn’t recommend any longer than that. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi Sally! I see the make ahead notes, but can I bake the pie 24h before serving? Does it need to be refrigerated in those 24h or can it be at room temp? Thanks! Xx
Hi Jessie, you can make this pie 24 hours in advance. You can refrigerate it overnight, and then bring to room temperature before serving (or feel free to serve cold).
It was suggested that I make the filling a day in advance before baking so the flavors have time to blend together – good idea or not?
Hi Lori, The filling can be made the night before and we actually prefer it that way. See the make ahead notes under the step instructions of the recipe for details.
Nevermind!! Totally missed that part of the make ahead notes!! Sorry
Excited to make this this year! I’ll be making the crust dough today so it’s good and chilled for tomorrow’s baking. Can I make the filling ahead as well, or will chilling that mess up the temp or fluffiness when putting in warm cooked crust?
Hi Marsha, The filling can be made the day before baking. See the make ahead notes under the step instructions of the recipe for details.
Sorry, I had commented on your par-baking instructions on another page, that you link to in this recipe, but I meant to leave my question here. My question is about the first time baking the pie crust. In this recipe, it says to do 10 minutes, take it out, poke it, and put it back in without the weights and bake for 7-8 more minutes. But when I did that, my pie crust slunk down in the pan and got shorter. In your stand-alone par-baking recipe, the directions say 15-16 minutes, then poke, then 7-8 more minutes. Which one is correct?
Hi Natalie, if you are having trouble with the pie crust shrinking down the sides, you can definitely do the first bake with weights for longer. Sorry for the confusion!
Can you use 2% Reduced lactose free milk for this recipe?
We really recommend sticking with milk and heavy cream for best results.
Can i make the filling and refrigerate a day in advance before baking? Wanting to make the crust and filling today and then planning on baking everything tomorrow. Will that be okay?
Yes! See recipe Notes for make-ahead options.
Hi,Sally should the ingredients for the pumpkin pie filling be at room temp.?
Hi Liza, we didn’t specify because it won’t matter for this recipe. Hope you love it!
I used this recipe last year. Love this method
I am using your pumpkin pie recipe this year for Thanksgiving. I will be baking the pie the morning of Thanksgiving, however I will need to prepare the sugared cranberries a day or two ahead of time. How would you recommend storing them until the pie is served that evening?
Hi Debinbama, you can store them lightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a few days. If they start to look a little wet, just toss them in a little more sugar. Enjoy!
What size pie dish are you actually using? The recipe says 9×2” but the link takes you to a dish that is 9.5×1”.
Hi Ashley, This recipe uses a 9-inch deep dish pie dish. The one we use is 1.75″. Enjoy!