Skip to Content

The Best Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

If you are looking for the BEST Homemade Pumpkin Pie recipe, look no further! Seriously, throw away any other recipe that you have and save this one.

Ok, if you have your Grandma’s handwritten pie recipe, keep it. But put it in a frame and hang it as a keepsake or have it transcribed onto a cutting board or kitchen towel and put it on display.

Because once you try this recipe it will become your favorite pumpkin pie of all time! It is smooth, silky, creamy and absolutely mouth-watering delicious!

pumpkin pie with piece cut out
The BEST Pumpkin Pie – the recipe that you will want to use year after year. It’s so good that you don’t need any whipped cream!

So what makes this pie so great? It is a combination of the perfect ratio of ingredients in addition to some simple baking techniques.

Although it has taken me years to perfect this recipe, the flavor and texture of filling is what makes this pie so delicious. In fact, it is so good that around the holidays, when time is short, I skip making my Easy Homemade Pie Crust and put it in a store bought pie crust instead.

And I promise you, you won’t even notice the difference!

The Best Homemade Pumpkin Pie

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, diced
  • 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée or homemade pumpkin puree*
  • 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
  • 1 pie crust, chilled

*Although we do make our own Homemade Pumpkin Puree from pie pumpkins, I actually prefer the store-bought cans when making pumpkin pie.

The canned variety tastes a little milder and the flavor is more consistent than homemade pumpkin puree. In fact, it might surprise you that those cans of pure pumpkin puree aren’t actually made from pie pumpkins.

Instead, they are made from winter squash. Therefore, when I make homemade pumpkin puree I freeze it in one cup portions to use in smoothies, cheesecakes, cookies, and donuts.

Although be cautious when you head to the grocery. You must be sure to purchase 100% Pumpkin Puree and NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling.

The two products are not interchangeable, even in this homemade pumpkin pie recipe. Pumpkin pie filling contains additives including sugar and spices.

Although you can make a pie from the filling following the instructions on the back of the label, we will be adding our own sugar and spices in this recipe.

homemade pumpkin pie filling
Homemade pumpkin pie filling is delicious and surprisingly easy to make.

The Pie Crust

As mentioned above, around the holidays I don’t make my own pie crust. Sure I have in the past and I do when time allows.

However, there is already enough to do around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and homemade pie crust doesn’t get the priority.

Instead, I use a good-quality refrigerator pie crust. I prefer the rolled pie crust that is found near the canned biscuits and crescent rolls at the grocery store.

And this is one time that I will splurge and purchase the name brand pie crust. However, no matter what brand you use, the key is to keep the crust chilled until you are ready to use it.

Otherwise it will become too soft and it will be difficult to manipulate.

Instructions

Now that you have the ingredients, it is time to make the best homemade pumpkin pie that you have ever had. And as mentioned above, it all starts with the filling.

Start by placing two large eggs and 1 additional egg yolk in a large bowl. Whisk until well incorporated.

Then add the granulated and brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice to the eggs. Although I have tried various ratios of white to brown sugar, I have found that the ratio listed in the recipe below produces the best results.

whisking eggs
Be sure to whisk the eggs so that they are light and fluffy for best results.

The Surprise Ingredient

Next add the surprise ingredient, lemon zest. Lemon zest actually enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

However, be sure to finely chop the zest so that you don’t get large pieces or see the zest throughout the filling.

I use a fine mesh zester to make easy work of the process. This tool eliminates the need to chop the zest as it is already super fine when it comes off the lemon peel.

Mix the zest with the egg mixture. Then add in the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk. Mix one final time and set aside.

Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick spray. Carefully place the pie crust into the pan and gently push the crust into the bottom and sides.

Crimp the top crust into the desired shape. Do this by placing your index finger behind the pie crust and use your thumb and index finger of the opposite hand to crimp the dough in place.

Continue to work your way around the edge until the crust is completely shaped. Then prick the bottom of the crust with a fork in several areas.

pricking holes in pie crust
Be sure to poke holes in the crust to prevent it from bubbling up when baked.

Pricking the bottom of the pie dough with a fork is called docking. The purpose of this step is to help air escape during the baking process, preventing large bubbles forming in the bottom crust.

*For a crisp, golden brown crust, place the crust in a preheated oven set at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and let it cool.

If you prefer a softer crust use a glass pie plate and skip placing the pie crust in the oven. The crust will be softer but will hold together when served.

Once the crust is prepared and ready, pour the homemade pumpkin pie filling into the crust. Spread the filling evenly across the surface, being sure the the filling touches the edges of the crust.

Baking Instructions

Before placing the pie in the oven, there is one thing that you can do to prevent the top of the pie from cracking.

Place a baking pan filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven. The extra moisture during the baking process will keep the pumpkin pie nice and smooth on top.

Now place the pie in the preheated oven. You can do this directly on the middle rack of the oven or place the pie pan on a baking sheet.

After 15 minutes of baking, reduce the oven temperature and continue to bake for an additional 45-55 minutes.

Halfway through the baking time, apply a pie shield or foil around the crust to prevent it from browning too much.

pumpkin pie on cooling rack
Be sure to let the pie cool on a cooling rack before slicing it so that it has time to set and firm up.

When To Take The Pie Out Of The Oven

So how do you know when the pie is baked perfectly? The first test is to slightly jiggle the pie pan.

If the center of the pumpkin pie jiggles, it needs more time to bake. However, if the only the very middle of the pie (the size no larger than a dime) jiggles slightly, the pie is ready to come out of the oven.

Place the pumpkin pie on a cooling rack and let it completely cool for at least 2 hours.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to be served!

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.

The BEST Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

best pumpkin pie

How to make the best, silky smooth pumpkin pie that everyone will love! A classic dessert recipe that is a must make for the holidays!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, diced
  • 1 15- ounce can of pumpkin purée
  • 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
  • 1 pie crust, chilled

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. and place a refrigerator pie crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp the edges as desired to make the top crust and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork in several areas. Set aside. *see note regarding prebaking the crust before filling if desired.
  2. Place a baking dish filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven. This will help prevent the top of the pie from becoming cracked.
  3. Beat the eggs and egg yolk in a large bowl. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and lemon zest and mix well.
  4. Add the pumpkin purée and evaporated milk to the bowl and beat together until everything is well mixed.
  5. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
  6. Once the 15 minutes is up, lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 to 55 minutes.
  7. When the pie is half way baked, protect the edges of the crust from becoming too brown by placing foil or a pie protector around the top.
  8. The pie is done when the center can barely jiggle when the pie pan moves. You can also check the center of the pie by sticking the tip of a butter knife in the center. If it comes out slightly moist, the pie is ready to come out of the oven.
  9. Remove to a cooling rack for 2 hours or completely cooled.
  10. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Notes

*For a crisp, golden brown crust, place the crust in a preheated oven set at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and let it cool.

To Use Fresh Pumpkin Puree: Substitute 2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree (drained) for the canned pumpkin puree.

When the pie is removed from the oven the center will be puffed up. It will deflate during the cooling process.

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 297mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 7g

Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.

Skip to Recipe