Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe

I am a huge fan of whipping up and serving classic pumpkin pie during pumpkin everything season. I am talking golden crust, the silky pie filling and fragrant spices and all the yum. It is one of my most loved crowd pleasing desserts and I look forward to it all year long.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pie

This isn’t one of those complicated pies that requires fancy steps or a dozen ingredients. It’s simple, cozy, and absolutely foolproof. Here’s why it’s a keeper:

• Made with pantry staples: yeap pumpkin purée, sugar, milk, eggs, flour etc.
• Make-ahead dessert: Great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or dinner or whenever you want stress free entertaining. Make extra and serve later.
• Beginner-friendly: If you use a store bought crust, then this is ideal for anyone new to baking pies.
• Versatile: Can be had chilled or warm, can very spices, can be served plain, or topped with whipped cream or nuts.
  

Ingredient Notes & Easy Variations

The beauty of this pumpkin pie is that it’s flexible. No fancy ingredients needed, just simple things you probably already have in your pantry.

The Pie Filling

• Pumpkin Purée: I have used both canned pumpkin or fresh pumpkin purée depending on what I have to hand. If using fresh, I make sure to roast and then mash it, making sure to strain any excess liquid to avoid a watery pie. Make sure you are using pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• Sugar: I use granulated white sugar, but also love using brown sugar which adds a caramel taste. Adjust to taste if you prefer a less sweet pie.
• Spices: Pumpkin pie spice is the easiest option, but I prefer my combination of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg. I have also used some ground cloves and ground all spice. Adjust spice level to your taste.
• Eggs: I suggest using room temperature eggs for the best results.
• Evaporated milk: I love using evaporated milk for that classic pumpkin pie taste, without that heaviness. Feel free to use some  half-and-half or heavy cream for a richer taste.

The Pie Crust

You can absolutely use store-bought crust for convenience (which I tend to do about half the time). But if you’re up for it, a homemade butter crust is delish.

• All-purpose flour: This is my go-to for a tender yet firm crust, which is most likely what you already have in your pantry. Tip moment here, To avoid a dense crust, measure it correctly using the spoon-and-level method.
• Cold butter: My secret to that flaky, buttery pie crust. I totally cube it straight from the refrigerator so it doesn’t melt into the dough too soon.
• Ice-cold water: I tend to add ice cubes into cold water to it stays extra cold. This helps keep the butter, as well as the dough chilled and no sticky.
• Optional: I love adding in a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice into the dough so that little extra flavor.
• Optional topping: You can try whipped cream, chopped candied pecans, nut crumble topping and even use seasonal pie crust cut-out decorations.

Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!

For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.

Bintu’s Tips For Baking Success

I’ve made this enough times to know that these tips and tricks make a big difference:

• Chill the pastry: Keeping the pastry cold, rolling it cold and filling it just before baking is the secret to a flaky crust.
• Strain filling: Strain the filling before adding to the crust for a silkier texture.
• Bake on a baking sheet: This allows for even heat and easier handling.
• Bake straight after filling: Bake straight after filling the crust with the spiced pumpkin mixture. If left for a while, the crust will become soggy.
• Don’t overbake: The center should wobble slightly when you pull it out. Over baking leads to cracks (which you can hide with a topping).
• Pie shield: To prevent the edges from burning whilst baking, feel free to cover them with strips of aluminum foil.
• Cool completely on a wire rack: I know it can be hard to wait, but allow the pie cool completely so that the filling sets for easier slicing.
• Chill for easier slices: If you would like the slices to look good, then chill to firm up the filling before slicing.

Storage

• Prep ahead: Prep pie crust in advance, chill, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the pie crust for up to a month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using it. Refrigerate the filling for up to 24 hours before baking. Stir it well before adding to the crust.
• Storage: Wrap completely cooled baked pie it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
• Freeze: Allow the pie cool completely before freezing it. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Serving Suggestions and More Recipes You’ll Like

Fell free to whip this up as part of your Thanksgiving Desserts table or as part of your Thanksgiving sides collection next to your Stuffed Turkey Breast, or easy Brussels Sprout Pasta and Air Fryer Whole Chicken.

You might also want to check out these Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls, this 5 ingredient Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip as well as this Ninja Creami Pumpkin Ice Cream.

Did you make this recipe? Then I would love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and star rating below. And I really appreciate you sharing this recipe with your family and friends. Enjoy every mouthful 😊🍲 – Bintu

Pumpkin pie

This isn’t one of those complicated pies that requires fancy steps or a dozen ingredients. It’s simple and cozy Pumpkin pie.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Western

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 331kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy | Budget Delicious

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 ¼ cups 156g all-purpose flour 156g all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup 113g cold butter cubed
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water

Pie Filling:

• 1 ¾ cups 420g pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup 240ml evaporated milk

Instructions

How To Make The Pie Crust:

• Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Pulse to mix.
• Add the cubed butter to the mixture. Pulse in short bursts until it has coarse crumbs.
• Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, continuing to pulse until the dough starts to come together.
• To check if the crust is ready, take a handful of the dough and press it together. If it holds without crumbling, it’s ready.
• Transfer the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a square or round as you wrap it. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to chill and allow the butter to firm up.

How To Make The Pumpkin Filling:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F / 220 degrees C.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, and granulated sugar. Mix well.
• Gradually pour in the spices and evaporated milk, mixing continuously until the filling is smooth and well combined.

How To Assemble The Pie:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a circle slightly larger than your pie dish.
• Carefully transfer the dough to the pie dish and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.
• Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared pie crust.
• Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C and continue baking for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until the filling is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Once done, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• Chill the pastry: Keeping the pastry cold, rolling it cold and filling it just before baking is the secret to a flaky crust.
• Strain filling: Strain the filling before adding to the crust for a silkier texture.
• Bake on a baking sheet: This allows for even heat and easier handling.
• Bake straight after filling: Bake straight after filling the crust with the spiced pumpkin mixture. If left for a while, the crust will become soggy.
• Don’t overbake: The center should wobble slightly when you pull it out. Over baking leads to cracks (which you can hide with a topping).
• Pie shield: To prevent the edges from burning whilst baking, feel free to cover them with strips of aluminum foil.
• Cool completely on a wire rack: I know it can be hard to wait, but allow the pie cool completely so that the filling sets for easier slicing.
• Chill for easier slices: If you would like the slices to look good, then chill to firm up the filling before slicing.
• Storage: Let the pumpkin pie cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 8861IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg