The Best Classic Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 single crust pie shell for a 9-inch pie plate (see note)
Filling:
- 15-ounce can (425 g) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) (see note)
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Roll out the pie crust to an 11-inch circle and gently place it into a 9-inch pie plate without stretching the dough. Trim and flute the edges.
- Cover the pie crust and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to a day or so). This helps the crust not to shrink while baking.
- Optional Blind Bake: To avoid a soggy crust, partially blind bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and pour in dried beans or pie weights until full. Place the cold pie plate on a baking sheet and bake the pie crust for 15 minutes. Gently remove the foil and weights and bake another 10 minutes until the dough no longer looks raw on the bottom. It will continue to bake in a later step. Remove from the oven while preparing the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves until well-combined.
- Add the eggs, egg yolks, cream, milk (or half-and-half), and vanilla, and whisk until smooth (don't overmix or the pie will have a tendency to crack).
- Pour the filling into the pie crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes until the edges are puffed and set but the center (3-inch circle) of the pie is thick and jiggly like jello. The internal temperature of the pie will be 170 to 175 degrees F. If the edges of the pie are browning too quickly, use foil or pie shields to tent the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Refrigerate until fully chilled, 3 to 4 hours.
- Serve slices of pie with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Pie Crust: I like to prebake the pie crust; it helps eliminate the gummy-bottomed crust common in pumpkin pie, but if that doesn't bother you, you can forego that step and pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. If you do that, still refrigerate the pie crust for an hour or so after placing it in the pan so it doesn't shrink while baking.
I have several favorite pie crust recipes that work well for this pumpkin pie. This sour cream pie crust, this flaky pie crust, or the pie crust from my cookbook.
Pumpkin: If you are using homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it is as smooth as possible (run it through a blender, food processor or food mill). If there is excess liquid, drain it off before using in the recipe.