This Homemade Pumpkin Pie recipe is made with a buttery, flaky pie crust filled with rich and creamy pumpkin spice filling and topped with delicious Maple whipped cream. This easy pumpkin pie recipe is the perfect addition to your fall dessert table!
Pumpkin pie is one of the most iconic fall treats and a must have Thanksgiving dessert. This easy recipe for homemade pumpkin pie delivers both on pumpkin spice flavor and silky smooth texture. And if I may say so myself, it delivers on cuteness as well!
Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie Crust
This pumpkin pie recipe starts with a melt-in-your-mouth flaky buttery crust made from scratch. The pie dough is made with a combination of butter and shortening for the best texture and flavor.
I used to be intimidated by pie making until I found the perfect foolproof homemade pie crust recipe. In this post How To Make Pie Crust, you will find all my tips and step by step photos for making pie crust. From mixing and rolling out pie dough to crimping and blind baking pie crusts!
Pumpkin Pie Filling
The pumpkin filling is made with canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin. When I tested the pie filling recipe with fresh homemade pumpkin pure, the pie filling wasn’t as smooth and light as the pumpkin pie filling made with canned pumpkin puree.
To me, the best pumpkin pie has a perfectly creamy and smooth consistency so I decided to stick with canned pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin puree is also not as thick as the one in the can. If you decide to use homemade pumpkin puree, you may need to adjust the baking time.
Both whole milk and heavy cream are added to the pumpkin pie mix, making the consistency rich and decadent.
No pumpkin dessert is complete without some warm pumpkin pie spices. In this homemade pumkin pie I use cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Something you may not always find in a classic all American pumpkin pie is orange zest. A little bit of zest brightens up the filling making it completely irresistible
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Maple Whipped Topping
I top this perfect pumpkin pie with a dollop of maple whipped cream. The maple cream recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious! If you have vanilla beans at home, this is the perfect time to use them. Otherwise, stick with vanilla extract.
How To Make Pumpkin Pie
- Mix the Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light-colored and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, orange zest, cream and milk. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Fill the Pumpkin Shell: Pour the pumpkin filling into the partially baked pie shell.
- Bake: In a preheated oven, bake the pie for 55 to 60 minutes or until the filling is just set in the middle. It should be slightly wobbly.
- Cool: Take the pie from the oven and set on a rack to cool completely. The wobbly center will set while the pie cools.
- Serve: You are ready for the best pumpkin dessert! Serve a slice of pie topped with maple whipped cream and enjoy!
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin For This Pie Recipe?
When I tried this recipe with fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin, the texture was a little bit grainy. Fresh pumpkin is also not as thick as canned pumpkin so you may need to bake the pie longer.
How Can I Decorate My Pie?
A decorated pie makes your Thanksgiving table more beautiful. I like using the leftover pie crust to cut out different shapes like leaves or small pumpkins, then bake them separately and use them to decorate my pies.
You can also pipe the maple whipped cream on the pie using different piping tips.
When Baking Pumpkin Pie, Do You Bake The Crust First?
When making pumpkin pie from scratch, I partially bake the crust before adding the pie filling. This is called blind-bake. Pre-baking or blind-baking pie crust is essential when your pie filling is a bit wet, like in the case of pumpkin pie or any other custard pie.
How To Avoid Cracks In Pumpkin Pie
The secret to avoiding cracks in pumpkin pie is to prevent over baking. The pie should be baked for 55 to 60 minutes. The center should be just set and slightly wobbly. The filling will continue to set while the pumpkin pie cools.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pie?
Yes, you can definitely freeze pumpkin pie. If you are making pies for the holidays or any other occasion, you can make them ahead of time. Thanksgiving pie making has never been easier! You can freeze pumpkin pie for up to 3 months. Pie crust also freezes well and can be kept frozen for 3 months.
Wrap your baked pie tightly with a couple of layers of plastic wrap. I also like to wrap it with a layer of aluminum foil and then place the wrapped pie in a resealable freezer bag or in an airtight container.
Can I Make Pumpkin Pie Ahead Of Time?
Absolutely! Besides the ability of freezing the pie, you can also make the rich creamy filling the night before. Keep the pumpkin filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
You can also make the pie dough ahead of time.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe Tips
- Make sure you don’t over bake the pie. The center will be a little wobbly but it will set while your pumpkin pie cools.
- For an elegant presentation, place the maple whipped cream in a piping bag and decorate the pie.
- You can substitute the spices in the recipe with about 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
- To make the pie decorations, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick and cut into any shape with cookie cutters. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Take A Look At These Other Pumpkin Recipes:
Homemade Pumpkin Pie with Maple Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Pie Crust See Chef’s tips
FILLING:
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup grade A or B
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped and seeds removed (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll out one piece of chilled dough on a floured work surface. Roll the dough from the center to the edge, turning the dough until you have a circle of about 12 inches in diameter turning and flouring the dough as needed to make sure it does not stick to the board.
- Carefully ease the pie crust into a 10- or 11-inch pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough at all, or it will shrink as the pie bakes. With a sharp knife, cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork. You can reserve the other piece of pie dough or use it for cut-out decorations for the pie.
- Place the unbaked pie crust on a baking sheet. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove the pie from the oven and carefully remove the weights or beans by lifting the parchment paper. With a fork, prick holes all around the bottom crust and return to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light-colored and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, orange zest, cream and milk and mix until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the filling is just set in the middle (a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean).
- Remove the pie from the oven and set on a rack to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM:
- Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for about a minute. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat on medium-high until it forms soft peaks. Serve with the pumpkin pie.
About The Pie Crust
- This pie crust recipe makes enough dough for two 10-inch single crust pies. You can store the additional crust for later use or use the dough for the pie decorations.
Recipe Notes
- This pie crust recipe makes enough dough for two 10-inch single crust pies (or one 10-inch double crust pie). You can store the additional pie crust for later use, or use the dough for the pie decorations.
- Make sure you don’t over bake the pie. The center will be a little wobbly but it will set while your pumpkin pie cools.
- You can substitute the spices in the recipe with about 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
- To make the pie decorations, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick and cut into any shape with cookie cutters. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
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