bake · Bake

How to Make Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

Name: How to Make Pumpkin Pie from Scratch
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2-3 pounds sugar pumpkin; 1¼ cups flour; ½ teaspoon salt; 6 tablespoons cold butter; 3-4 tablespoons ice water; 1¾ cups pumpkin puree; ¾ cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ginger; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon cloves; 3 eggs; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ cup whole milk

Making pumpkin pie from scratch means roasting your own pumpkin, making pastry dough, and combining them with eggs, cream, and spices for a custard filling. The key is using sugar pumpkins, blind-baking your crust, and baking at two temperatures to set the filling without cracking.

Total time: 2 hr 45 min
Hands-on: 30 min
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

2-3 pounds sugar pumpkin
1¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
3-4 tablespoons ice water
1¾ cups pumpkin puree
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk

Step by step

Prepare the pumpkin. Cut a 2-3 pound sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and strings. Place cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 45-60 minutes until flesh pierces easily with a fork. Cool, then scrape flesh from skin. You need 1¾ cups puree.
Make the pastry dough. Mix 1¼ cups flour with ½ teaspoon salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons cold butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons ice water over mixture, toss with fork until dough holds together. Shape into disk, wrap, chill 1 hour.
Roll and blind-bake the crust. Roll dough on floured surface to 12-inch circle. Transfer to 9-inch pie pan, trim edges, crimp. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, bake 5 minutes more until set but not brown.
Make the filling. Whisk together pumpkin puree, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then 1 cup heavy cream and ½ cup whole milk until smooth.
Assemble and bake. Pour filling into warm crust. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake 35-40 minutes more until center barely jiggles when gently shaken. A knife inserted near center should come out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tips & troubleshooting

Sugar pumpkins work best for pie - they're less watery than carving pumpkins and have better flavor
Strain your pumpkin puree through fine-mesh sieve if it seems stringy or watery after roasting
Warm filling going into a warm crust prevents the bottom from getting soggy
The pie is done when the center barely moves when you gently shake the pan - it will continue setting as it cools
Let the pie cool completely before slicing, at least 3 hours, or the filling will be runny

Variations

Maple Pumpkin Pie. Replace brown sugar with ¾ cup pure maple syrup. Reduce cream to ¾ cup to account for extra liquid.
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie. Add 2 tablespoons bourbon to the filling along with the cream. The alcohol cooks out, leaving a subtle warmth.
Gingersnap Crust. Replace pastry with 1½ cups crushed gingersnap cookies mixed with 5 tablespoons melted butter. Press into pan, bake 10 minutes before adding filling.

Questions

Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?: Yes, use 1¾ cups canned pumpkin puree. Make sure it's pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling which already has spices and sugar added.
Why did my pie crack on top?: Cracks happen when the pie bakes too fast or at too high heat. Always reduce temperature after the first 15 minutes, and check for doneness early rather than overbaking.
How long does pumpkin pie keep?: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The crust may soften slightly, but the pie will still taste good.
Can I make this ahead?: Yes, pumpkin pie actually tastes better the day after baking. Make it up to 2 days ahead and store covered in the refrigerator.