This homemade pumpkin pie recipe has the most delicious filling and the golden, flaky crust is out of this world. Your search for the perfect pumpkin pie is over.
I love pumpkin pie, especially using this recipe that we have perfected over the years. The filling is outrageously simple and made with heavy cream instead of sweetened condensed milk, which makes it super rich and creamy.
This pie’s filling can be made in under 5 minutes and tastes amazing. You can use canned pumpkin (it’s excellent!) or make your pie from scratch with homemade pumpkin puree. This recipe is a keeper!
Key Ingredients
- Pie Crust: You can use your favorite homemade pie crust or a store-bought one. I love using my homemade butter pie crust for this classic pumpkin pie. It hasn’t failed me yet.
- Pumpkin: This pie recipe works well with either canned or homemade pumpkin puree. I love using canned puree (I use Libby’s), but making your own fresh pumpkin puree is easy and means your pie is 100% homemade. Plus, when you make your own puree, you get to roast the pumpkin seeds! If you prefer sweet potatoes, I highly recommend our sweet potato pie.
- Eggs: I use 3 eggs to help the pumpkin pie filling set up. They also add a rich flavor that you’ll love.
- Sugar: This pie is less sweet than other pumpkin pie recipes. I hold back on the sugar but love using both granulated and brown sugar together. The brown sugar adds a bit of extra flavor.
- Cream: Instead of sweetened condensed milk, I use heavy cream, which makes the pie filling super smooth, rich, and delicious.
- Spices: I like tasting the pumpkin in the pie, so I don’t go overboard with my spices. I love using vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and some salt. Since publishing this recipe, we have shared our pumpkin pie spice blend, which you can use in our recipe below (tips are below the recipe).
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pie
Tip 1: Watch our video! Our pumpkin pie filling takes less than 5 minutes to make. You’ll whisk the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cream, and spices until blended. Watch our video in the recipe below to see just how easy this pie is to make!
Tip 2: Use a great pie crust. I highly recommend using our flaky butter pie crust (pictured below), which you can make well in advance (I’ve shared make-ahead tips in my pie crust recipe).
This is a single-crust pie, so you’ll need to roll out enough pie dough to fit into the bottom of your pie dish (watch the video to see how I do it). Then, you’ll pour in your pie filling and bake!
Tip 3: Don’t blind bake the crust. I do not blind-bake my crust for pumpkin pie. Blind baking means partially cooking the crust before adding the filling, which helps it stay crisp and flaky. I actually love the more soft and tender bottom crust when you don’t blind-bake the crust in this recipe. The bottom of the crust is golden and flaky, but where the crust and filling meet, it’s softer and tender.
If you’d prefer to bake blind, feel free! I have shared tips for blind baking the crust in my pie crust recipe.
Tip 4: Use two oven temperatures. I use two oven temperatures when baking pumpkin pie. First, I preheat my oven to 425°F. The pie bakes for 15 minutes, and then I reduce the oven temperature to 375°F for the remaining bake time.
Tip 5: Cool your pie. From there, you want to cool your pie to room temperature and, if you have the option, refrigerate it overnight. I do this with both pumpkin and sweet potato pie. Refrigerating overnight improves the texture of the custard filling. It also makes this pie perfect to make in advance!
More Holiday Recipes
I love making this pie for Thanksgiving. For more classic Thanksgiving recipes, see my favorite apple pie, this incredible homemade apple cobbler. I also have to share this garlic herb butter roast turkey with you (it seriously makes the best Thanksgiving turkey).
Easy Pumpkin Pie
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I love this easy pumpkin pie recipe. You can use canned pumpkin or our homemade pumpkin puree to make a fresh pumpkin pie from scratch. I prefer a lightly spiced pie. For more spice, increase the cinnamon and ginger a little.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 (9-inch) single crust homemade pie crust, our recipe makes enough for 2 single crust pies
3 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
⅓ cup light brown sugar (65g)
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree or 1 ¾ cups homemade pumpkin puree (420g)
¾ cup heavy whipping cream (175ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Homemade whipped cream, for serving
Directions
- Prepare Crust
1Roll out half of the pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish (keep the remaining dough chilled). To prevent sticking, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center outwards for even thickness, lifting and rotating the dough by a quarter turn as you go. Check the size by inverting the pie dish over the dough (it should be about 2 inches larger).
2Grease your pie dish with butter, then carefully place the dough into the dish without stretching it, and trim the edges to within 1 inch of the dish. Refrigerate while you prepare your filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Filling
1Whisk the eggs and both sugars together until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Whisk until well blended.
- Bake the Pie
1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Set aside a large baking sheet.
2Place the pie dish on your baking sheet. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell.
3Bake the pumpkin pie at 425°F (218°C) for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick or thin knife plunged it into the pie, about 2 inches from the edge, comes out clean. Rotate once or twice during baking. If, while the pie is baking, the top of the crust becomes too dark, cover it with a thin strip of aluminum foil.
4Cool completely on a wire rack for 2 to 3 hours or until room temperature. Serve or refrigerate overnight (the pie sets even more after a night in the fridge).
5Cut into eight wedges and serve alone or topped with whipped cream.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Since this recipe has eggs and cream, we recommend storing it in the refrigerator unless you are serving it. It can sit out at room temperature for 2 hours. Homemade pumpkin pie will last in your refrigerator for up to three days. As a bonus, the texture of the filling improves after some time in the fridge.
- Freezing pumpkin pie: Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in foil before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen pumpkin pie overnight in the fridge.
- How to tell when your is done: Take the pie out of the oven when the majority of the pie looks shiny and set on top. It should jiggle a little like jello, but not much more. The middle will still look wet on top. It will continue to cook as the pie cools on the counter. As a final test, grab a toothpick or thin knife, then plunge it into the pie, about 2 inches from the edge. If it comes out clean, the pie is done.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Substitute 2 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Here’s our homemade pumpkin spice blend.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I’ve used the Libby’s recipe for years… this is by far the better recipe. Followed exactly as instructed and it was fabulous! This will be the new “go to” pumpkin pie 🥧. The all butter crust was… YUM too.
Yay! 🙂
First time pumpkin pie baker from Harare, Zimbabwe! I used butternut and the filling was nice and firm. I also used my own short crust pastry recipe which worked well (no baking blind). Thanks for the easy to follow recipe with great results. It yielded two pies.
Hey there! Thank you so much for leaving this review. Happy to hear that butternut worked as a tasty filling. Love it 🙂
Hi! I have a question. Can I use evaporated milk instead of the cream? And how much? Same amount as the cream?
Thank you!
Hi Marina, I’d look for a recipe that calls for evaporated milk as it will be a bit different to ours.
I just made this pie and it is delicious! So quick and easy to make. This will be my go to pumpkin pie recipe from now on.
I followed your recipe using my own puree that thawed in refrigerator for 3 days which have it time to drain excess liquid. Instead of heavy whipping substituted 3/4 c. Greek Yogurt and lightly buttered both sides of pie crust. It looked beautiful and tasted fantastic!! I will definitely use this recipe again!! Thank you!
My pie came out quite dark.what did I do wrong.
I made this pie a few days ago for my husband and he loved it. Now I’m making another one for him. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi – can I replace the pumpkin with butternut squash? Do I make any changes to the spices? Thanks.
Hi Amanda, Yes, you can replace the pumpkin with butternut squash. Just cook and purée it until very smooth. No need to change the spices. The pie should turn out almost identical in flavor. Let me know how it goes!
I have been making this recipe for the past two years with our surplus pumpkins from the allotment and we absolutely love it, its so easy to make and so delicious!
Thank you ! So easy 😋
It turned out great. I half blind-baked the pastry, and put tin foil round the edges after adding the pumpkin ingredients. I used 3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice which was perfect for my taste. I advise, if using fresh pumpkin like I did, that the puree is drained of excess water; the first batch I did was too wet, my fault for not draining it through a sieve. I’m going to cook my wet first batch tomorrow without pastry,hoping it’ll be ok. This recipe is good and I’m going to use it every time.
Hi Hazel, Thank you so much for sharing this. I’m glad it turned out great for you, and your notes are really helpful. When I make purée using roasted pumpkin, I don’t usually do this, but if the pumpkin seems especially wet, draining is a fantastic idea! It makes such a difference. Baking the extra filling without pastry should work just fine, more like a pumpkin custard. I’m so happy the recipe is one you’ll use again.
This pumpkin pie looks amazing!!! I just have one question…..do you blind bake the crust first and then add the filling or just add the filling right away to the crust and bake? Hope this makes sense.
Thanks 😊
Hi Tammy, Thank you! I don’t blind-bake the crust for this recipe. The filling goes straight into the unbaked crust, and it bakes together. It turns out tender and fully cooked without the extra step. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Do the eggs and/or cream need to be at room temperature?
Hi Tracey, I’ve made this pie with the eggs and cream straight from the fridge before without any issues.
I’ve made the standard Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe for years. Last year I used this recipe. Everyone noticed it was different and raved that it was the best pumpkin pie they had ever had. I’m making it again right now. To practice with a sourdough discard crust. Don’t know how the crust will turn out but the pie will be delicious.
Would it be worth blind baking the pie crust before filling it?
Hi Patricia, It is really up to you. I like the slightly wetter crust where the filling and crust meets (the bottom is still golden and flaky). If you like it a little firmer, you can blind-bake (instructions are on our pie crust recipe).
I absolutely love this pumpkin pie recipe. I make it every time my family requests it and it also made me like pumpkin pie now. Question if I wanted to make hand pies with this recipe what do I need to tweak so it’s not to runny and spill out from the hand pies ?? (Please help me)
Hi Kathy, Thanks so much! We’re so glad this recipe has become a family favorite. You’re absolutely right to be concerned about the filling; the standard pie filling would be too soft and runny for hand pies. To make it work, you’ll need to thicken the filling so it holds its shape. If you wanted to experiment, you’d need to significantly reduce the amount of cream in the recipe.
Love the recipe. I’ve made it 3 times. Will make it for the holidays !
That’s amazing PC! Thank you for coming back and letting us know!
I have made this twice. My family love it. I know it’s an American dessert but I live in Perth Western Australia ☺️ And I love it
My husband proclaimed this the best pumpkin pie he’s ever had! I humbly agree. Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
Thank you for this recipe. I made it exactly as the recipe said and it turned out lovely, although I had shallow pie tins so divided the filling between two pie crusts. Please could you advise me whether the pie freezes OK?
Hi Emma, You can freeze this pie. Here are the tips for freezing from the recipe: “Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in foil before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen pumpkin pie overnight in the fridge.”
The first time I made this, I followed the recipe exactly as written and it tasted a little odd to me because of the vanilla. So the second time I made it I left out the vanilla and it tasted so much better. The flavor is perfect. I also made the pie crust recipe and it turned out great.
Delicious recipe, will make again
I love this recipe, and it’s earned me lots of compliments and requests for second helpings, also requests for the recipe itself for others to use. Thank you 😊I used the full pumpkin spice mixture with the allspice and nutmeg added to the other spices. By the way, I’m not good with shortcrust pastry and I’ve started adding a small amount of ground almonds to the flour, and this seems to have improved the texture
This looks like a great pumpkin pie recipe I’d like to make. I’d like to have it less sweet by cutting the amount of sugars in half. What should I do to make up for how this might affect the overall texture of the pie? Thanks!
It would be worth experimenting with using a 1:1 sugar substitute like swerve to replace some of the sugar in this (if you’re worried about sugar content). Or, I wonder if a splash of bourbon would provide a nice foil to the sweetness if you are just worried about taste. I actually did find this one borderline too sweet, personally. I normally use the old school Festal Golden Pie recipe for pumpkin pie. It doesn’t actually use less sugar, but uses more milk and a different ratio of spices so maybe that’s why. Also, brown > white sugar for pumpkin pie
That’s a great question! We’ve only tested this recipe as written, so we can’t guarantee results if you change the sugar content. Reducing the sugar could affect the pie’s texture and consistency. Sugar plays a role in browning, moisture, and overall structure. On a personal note, I don’t like super sweet desserts and love this pie.
this was lit
Hi I’m English and despite 40+ trips to the US I have never had pumpkin pie so I have just made one! Not tasted yet, but I fear I’ve overbaked it. I followed the instructions to the letter, timings temps etc but it is a bit darker than I expected and it has unfortunately cracked and I had no jiggle! I baked it for15 mins at high temp then checked after about 31 mins at reduced temp but maybe my oven runs a bit hotter? It smells delicious and I’m sure it will taste just as good. Thank you for a great recipe
I wanted to love this recipe. I really did. But it did NOT fill 2 pie crusts (well, the filling is 1/2″ deep/tall). The baking instructions were odd. I felt like the pies were probably done after 10 minutes at the lower temp, but continued baking. They aren’t burned but the color is unappetizing and the taste just isn’t there. I’ll go back to the Libbeys recipe after this.
I’m sorry to hear the pie recipe didn’t meet your expectations! To clarify, this recipe is intended to fill one pie crust. It seems there might have been a misunderstanding about the yield. Regarding the baking time, the initial high temperature helps set the crust, and the lower temperature allows the filling to cook through without burning. However, oven temperatures can vary, so it’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on the pie and adjust the baking time as needed.
It sounds delicious, and I bet it will still taste great! It does seem like your oven might run a bit hot, which is common. For future pies, maybe try a slightly lower temperature to prevent over-baking. Consider buying an oven thermometer to double-check the actual temperature inside. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe despite the little hiccup.
Well, I haven’t TASTED it yet! but the house sure smells wonderful! I didn’t have evaporated milk, so appreciated that your recipe simply calls for whipping cream (don’t ask, I ALWAYS have whipping cream in my fridge, to make ganache.) I replaced the sugars with 0-calory substitutes (in my case, Monkfruit for the granulated sugar, and Splenda brown sugar.) my one and only complaint was… I had two pie crusts and had WAY too much filling left over! So I was FORCED (twist my arm why don’t you) to make a third pie, but with a Graham cracker crust, since I didn’t have any pie dough. We’ll see how that one turns out. All in all, a VERY generous recipe, makes 3 pies in my case, so some of it is going in the freezer (HA! as if!)
Best recipe ever I made this for my family who does not like pumpkin pie and they loved it, I have 4 members in my family and it was gone in a day!! I also used their recipe for homemade pumpkin purée to use in the pie and it worked great! I did not have heavy whipping cream but I subbed that out for sweetened condensed milk and it worked great! Overall, highly recommend this recipe for thanksgiving!
I’ve made this recipe multiple years now!
Absolutely perfect!
I wanna make this but recipe at start says roll out half the dough, and the second half is never mentioned beyond chilled? What happens to it? 😳
We only use half of the dough for this pie (our pie crust recipe makes enough dough for 2 pumpkin pies).
I’ve made quite a few pies of various kinds over there years, but as a couple people mentioned, I also got pools of butter; but I think it was because I didn’t get some of the butter down to pea-sized. I was doing it by hand and got tired. I’m sure arthritis in hands was the problem so I’m going to buy a food processor. The recipes were a tad difficult as I noticed some confusion over the amount of crust produced and filling. Long time bakers probably won’t have a problem….hope everyone has happy Thanksgiving and blessed…
I made the pie but I found the crust was baked too much but I still have to make sure the filling was done. Can I reduce the heat at the start or leave the same temperature but bake it in less time and the filling will still be done? Any suggestion? Thank you, Gloria ( I am not a baker LOL ) But i would like to get better at making the dough 🙂
Hi Gloria, No problem! Try reducing the oven temperature slightly, or shield the crust with foil. You can also start checking for doneness a bit earlier. And remember, a little jiggle in the center is okay! Keep practicing, you’ll get the hang of it.
I’ve been making this recipe for years. It has had rave reviews. I dare say it helpte dto ingratiate myself to my then boyfriend’s, now fiance’s family! Among the very best recipes I’ve ever found online. I’ve tried their apple pie too. It’s also a hit. I highly recommend it.
Thanks so much, Cindy! We appreciate you so much for coming back.
My first review, ever. Made this pie tonight using a real, fresh pumpkin. Absolutely exquisite!!!! Never tasted a better one. Followed the recipe to the T except, I purchased the Pumpkin Spice mix from the store and the pie turned out so tasty, creamy… Talk about outstanding. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE RECIPE I’LL ALWAYS USE FROM NOW ON FOR PUMPKIN PIE!!! Never had a better one from a fresh pumpkin! Definitely a keeper!!! Try it and you won’t be disappointed, believe me!
Hi E.J., Thank you so much for coming back. We are thrilled that you’ve fallen in love with out recipe 🙂
The crust was perfect, so was the filling. Wish I had found this recipe before Thanksgiving but now that I have it, I will always use it. Thank you!
Made all of it from scratch exactly as the recipe called. The crust, the pumpkin itself, and the filling. I am in Italy and like another person said, appreciated not having to convert everything. It was the best spiced pumpkin pie I have ever made! Grateful to have a taste of America during Thanksgiving while abroad in Italy!