This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Learn how to make this homemade pumpkin pie from scratch with a homemade pie crust and pumpkin filling. It’s a classic pie that you will love! Detailed step by step instructions and tips are below.
Homemade pie is one of the best desserts for your Thanksgiving or holiday table. Haley here from If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen and today I’m sharing the perfect pumpkin pie that uses a homemade pie crust recipe and fresh pumpkin pie filling.
This recipe doesn’t use sweetened condensed milk like some recipes. Instead, it makes a traditional spiced whipped pumpkin filling with a buttery, flaky homemade crust. This combination creates the best pumpkin pie recipe from scratch!
If you love pumpkin, try our soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin bread too.
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
- “Thank you for posting this pumpkin pie from scratch recipe. It turned out great. And so delicious!!!” – Laura
- ” I love pumpkin pies and this is amazing. I really appreciate that you provide photos with every step – that makes the recipe more easy to follow.” – Becky
Ingredients You Need
For the Dough:
The pie crust uses a few basic ingredients and all butter, instead of shortening.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the pie crust. You can substiute the flour for a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend made with xanthan gum.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a small amount of sweetener to the crust.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best. If you use salted butter, then omit the salt. The butter should be cold.
- Salt: A small amount of salt is needed for flavor.
- Ice Water: You will need ice cold water. This helps form the pie crust.
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- Pumpkin Puree: To make this recipe completely from scratch, use Homemade Pumpkin Puree. It’s easy and tastes amazing. You can also use canned pumpkin puree. Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugar: Use a mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar for the best consistency and flavor.
- Spices: You will need ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and salt. You can use 2 1/4 teaspoons of Pumpkin Spice instead of the individual spices, if desired. You can also use freshly grated nutmeg instead of ground.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This helps create the smooth creamy consistency of the pie. The cream should be cold.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor.
- Eggs: Help bind the ingredients and are necessary for the filling.
- Cornstarch: This serves as a thickener.
Making the best pumpkin pie from scratch means making the entire recipe from scratch, including the pumpkin puree and pie crust. You can save time by using canned pumpkin puree and a store-bought pie crust.
The best homemade pumpkin pie recipe also includes a homemade pie crust. The crust comes together easily in less than 10 minutes!
Steps to Make the Pie Crust
- Combine flour, sugar, salt and chilled butter pieces in a food processor.
- Pulse until the butter is processed into pea-sized pieces, about 15 seconds. You can also use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture instead of using a food processor. If using a pastry blender, place all of the pie crust ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add one tablespoon at a time to the mixture and process until the dough begins to come together (about 3 tablespoons, but if necessary add more.)
- Small butter pieces will still be visible in the dough.
- Remove dough from the bowl and form into a disc about one inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Shaping the Pie Crust
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into a 13-inch diameter and transfer to an 8 or 9 inch pie dish.
- Use a knife to trim the dough to about 1 inch beyond the edge of the pan. Crimp around the edge with your thumb and pointer finger to form a pattern around the edge of the pie.
- Place a round sheet of parchment paper on the pie dough and fill with pie weights or beans before baking.
- Bake and then remove the weights and parchment paper.
Pumpkin Pie Filling from Scratch
While the crust is baking, prepare the pumpkin pie filling.
- Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and spices in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook for five minutes. The filling may brown slightly while cooking, that is okay!
- Remove from heat and whisk in the cold cream and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat by hand until incorporated. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and whisk until combined.
- Pour the filling into the warm pie crust in the pie pan and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Lower then temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 40 minutes.
The pie is done baking when the center jiggles slightly when moved. During baking, the filling will expand and rise. This is normal. It will fall as it cools and become completely flat.
Expert Tips
- Avoid droplets of water on the pie by making sure to include the cornstarch in the mix and remove the pie from the oven with the center is still a little jiggly. It also helps cool the pie completely at room temperature before placing in the refrigerator.
- Always make the crust from scratch.
- You can also use homemade Pumpkin Puree instead of canned.
- Use 2 1/4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices.
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This pumpkin pie from scratch tastes great on it’s own or served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Enjoy this pie throughout the fall season. Make two pumpkin pies and share one with a friend!
Other Easy Pie Recipes
Did you make this classic pumpkin pie recipe? Leave a recipe rating and review below!
Pumpkin Pie from Scratch
Ingredients
For the Homemade Pie Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons ice water
For the Pie Filling:
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, (or 2 cups fresh homemade puree)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
To make the pie crust:
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and chilled butter pieces. Pulse the mixture just until the butter is processed into pea-sized pieces—about 15 seconds. Do not over-process.
- One tablespoon at a time, sprinkle ice water through food chute and process just until dough begins to come together (I used exactly 3 tablespoons, but if necessary add more ice water). Small butter pieces should still be visible in dough.
- Remove dough from bowl and form into a disc about one inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease 8 or 9 inch pie pan lightly with butter to hold pastry in place.
- Sprinkle workspace and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll dough from center outward into a 13-inch diameter.
- Transfer the pie dough to pie plate and gently press the dough to the inside of pan and up the sides. Trim dough to about 1 inch beyond edge of pan. Turn edge of pastry under and press with thumb and pointer finger to crimp around the edge forming a pattern.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on pie dough and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment.
To make the pie:
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, salt and spices. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, cook for 5 minutes.²
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold cream and vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time and beat by hand until incorporated—about 1 minute. Then sprinkle the cornstarch in and whisk till combined.
- Pour filling into the warm pie crust, return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 400° F. Lower the temperature to 350° F and continue baking for 40 minutes or until the center jiggles slightly when moved.³
- Remove pie from the oven and cool completely at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Serve pie chilled or at room temperature with fresh whipped cream.
Video
Notes
- You can use 2 1/4 teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice instead of the individual spices, if desired.
- You may use a pastry blender to cut butter into the flour mixture.
- Filling may brown slightly—that is okay!
- During the last half of the baking time, the filling will expand and rise, it will fall as it cools and will become completely flat.
- Store pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in November 2018 and was updated in October 2020 with new process photos and tips.
This recipe looks delicious! I’d like to try it but I was wondering if the pie crust recipe makes 1 or 2 crusts. (Sorry if I missed this in the description)
Thank you!
No, this recipe just makes 1 crust, the bottom crust. If you need 2 crusts, you can try the crust in my blueberry pie recipe which makes a top and bottom crust.
It was the best pumpkin pie I ever ate so far. It came out perfectly.
Can I freeze this pie?
Yes, you can freeze this pie. Let it cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, being careful not to damage the top. Place in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. I made a trial pie today in preparation for Thanksgiving. I followed all directions to a T, but took my pie out at 30 minutes of baking at 350 instead of 40 and it still cracked. Any tips? Should I have placed this on a lower rack instead of middle?
What type of pie plate are you using? Some pans retain more heat and may result in different bake times. I would try baking on the lower rack. And if you have a thermometer check your oven temperature. Cracking results from over baking. When the pie is done, the center will be set but still a little jiggly, like jello. I hope this helps so you have great success for Thanksgiving!
Thanks for the response! I used a ceramic pie dish. But what is interesting is the top cracked but after setting for 6 hours and completely chilling, the inside was not set and runny throughout the entire pie. Not sure what went wrong.
Perfect. Delicious. My husband and I agree, it’s the best pie I’ve ever baked – and I am a long-time baker.
Hands down. The.Best.Pumpkin.Pie.
Husband had 2 huge pieces as he simply LOVED this. First time I ever roasted pie pumpkins for this endeavour.
Clearly, canned pumpkin is no longer an option.
Thank you so much!
How deep does the pie pan need to be?
Use a 1 to 1 1/2-inch deep pie dish.
This filled (2) 9 inch pies. There is no time change on this
Did you use the homemade pie crust or store-bought pie crust? It will fill two 9-inch pies in pre-bought pie crust, but not if you use a standard deep dish pie plate.
This didn’t answer anything. First thing I said was I filled 2 9 inch pies so not sure why you’re responding to my question with a question.
“No time change on this” should have been the focus. This implies you are not the baker. A baker would have known how to respond to this. So now I’m assuming this isn’t your recipe.
Cathy sounds like a Karen 😏