How to Make the Perfect Pumpkin Pie for the Holidays

Sara Williams13 April 2025

5 minutes read

This classic pumpkin pie has a smooth, sliceable custard, warm spices and an all-butter crust that stays crisp because it is partly baked before the filling goes in. Below you’ll find exact cup and gram measurements, oven temperatures in °F and °C, doneness cues and fixes for cracks or a soggy bottom.

Homemade pumpkin pie with a crimped butter crust in a glass pie dish, one slice removed, with whipped cream on the side

Recipe at a Glance

Yield: one 9-inch deep-dish pie, 8 slices
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour to chill the dough)
Blind-bake time: 20–25 minutes
Bake time: 50–60 minutes
Cooling time: at least 3 hours
Oven: 400°F (200°C) for the crust; 425°F (220°C) then 350°F (175°C) for the filled pie
Pan: 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (about 1½ inches / 4 cm deep)

Ingredients

All-butter crust (single crust)

1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
½ cup (113 g / 1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
3–5 tablespoons (45–75 ml) ice water

Prefer a press-in base? Use our graham cracker crust instead: press it into the pie plate, bake it for 8 minutes at 350°F (175°C), let it cool, then continue from the filling step.

Pumpkin filling

1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 can (12 fl oz / 354 ml) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make and chill the dough

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until most pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of ice water and toss with a fork; add more water 1 tablespoon at a time only until a handful of dough holds together when squeezed. Shape into a flat disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 3 days). Not sure how much butter a stick holds? See our butter conversion chart.

2. Roll, shape and freeze

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Ease it into the pie plate without stretching, trim to a 1-inch overhang, fold the edge under and crimp. Freeze the shell for 20 minutes so the crimp holds its shape in the oven.

3. Blind-bake the crust

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower third. Line the frozen shell with parchment and fill it to the rim with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the parchment and weights, then bake 5–8 minutes more until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden. Set it aside and raise the oven to 425°F (220°C).

4. Mix the filling

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, both sugars, spices and salt until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and yolk one at a time, then the vanilla, then slowly whisk in the evaporated milk. Whisk gently; beating air into the custard causes bubbles and cracks.

5. Bake

Set the warm crust on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling (stop ¼ inch below the rim; bake any extra in a buttered ramekin for about 25 minutes). Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake 35–45 minutes more. The pie is done when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center 2 inches still wobble gently like gelatin when you nudge the pan. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read 175–180°F (79–82°C). Cover the crust edge with foil or a pie shield if it browns too fast.

6. Cool completely

Cool the pie on a wire rack at room temperature for at least 3 hours. The center finishes setting as it cools, so cutting it warm gives a soft, runny slice. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the cooled pie for 1 hour and wipe the knife between cuts.

Troubleshooting

Cracked surface: the custard was overbaked or cooled too fast. Pull the pie while the center still wobbles and cool it away from drafts. A cracked pie still tastes fine; cover it with whipped cream.
Soggy or pale bottom crust: blind-bake until the base looks dry, bake on the lower rack and pour the filling into a still-warm crust.
Weeping or watery filling: usually overbaking (the eggs tighten and squeeze out liquid). It can also happen with watery homemade purée; cook fresh purée in a skillet until it is as thick as canned.
Filling won’t set: it was underbaked or cut too soon. Check the temperature (175°F / 79°C) and let it cool fully.
Shrunken crust: the dough was stretched into the plate or not chilled. Ease it in loosely and freeze before baking.
Bland flavor: spices lose strength after about a year; use fresh cinnamon and nutmeg, and don’t skip the salt.

Substitutions

Evaporated milk: replace with 1½ cups (360 ml) half-and-half, or 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream plus ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk. For dairy-free, use 1½ cups (360 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk.
Sugar: all granulated sugar (¾ cup / 150 g) works; the pie will be slightly lighter in color and flavor.
Spices: replace the individual spices with 2½ teaspoons (6 g) pumpkin pie spice.
Gluten-free: use a gluten-free press-in crust such as our gluten-free cheesecake crust.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Room temperature: pumpkin pie is an egg custard, so refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooling.
Refrigerator: cover loosely and keep up to 4 days.
Freezer: freeze the fully cooled pie uncovered until firm, then wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge; the crust softens a little.
Make ahead: refrigerate the dough up to 3 days or freeze it up to 3 months. The baked pie can be made 1–2 days before serving.

Baking more than one dessert for the holiday table? Our homemade apple pie filling and apple crisp with oats can both be prepared a day ahead.

FAQs

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Yes. Roast a small sugar pie pumpkin until very soft, purée it, then cook it in a skillet or drain it in a sieve until it is as thick as canned purée. Use 1¾ cups (425 g). Fresh purée is often wetter and paler, which affects the set.

Do I have to blind-bake the crust?

It isn’t strictly required, but the wet custard keeps an unbaked bottom crust pale and soft. Twenty minutes of blind-baking gives a crisper, browner base.

Will this fit in a regular (not deep-dish) 9-inch pie plate?

A standard 9-inch plate holds about three-quarters of the filling. Fill it to ¼ inch below the rim and bake the rest in ramekins; start checking the pie 5–10 minutes earlier.

How do I know when pumpkin pie is done?

The edges look set and slightly puffed, while the middle still wobbles as one piece when the pan is nudged. The center should read 175–180°F (79–82°C). A knife inserted halfway between the edge and center should come out mostly clean.