The Perfect Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This Pumpkin Pie Recipe is perfect for fall and Thanksgiving! A smooth and creamy spiced pumpkin custard filling baked in a flaky pie crust.

This recipe is made with two secret ingredients and I’ll also share a ton of baking tips to help you make the Perfect Pumpkin Pie!

We’ve all had pumpkin pie, but have you ever made it yourself? While there are a few different steps to this recipe, it’s really super simple, anyone can make it and you’ll look like a baking pro!

Just follow the recipe EXACTLY and read through my helpful Homemade Pumpkin Pie Baking Tips!

Pumpkin Pie Secret Ingredients

I like to think that this recipe is still very traditional, but it does have two uncommon ingredients in it that make it extra smooth and creamy as well as take the flavor to the next level!

• Sour Cream: I’ve reduced the amount of evaporated milk and used a bit of sour cream to create a super silky pumpkin pie filling!
• Black Pepper: Weird or genius? Let’s go with the latter! You will love the heightened spicy flavor this adds to the filling.

How To Make Pumpkin Pie

This recipe assumes that you are working with a ready-to-bake pie crust. So prepare your homemade pie crust recipe of choice ahead of time or use store-bought dough.

1. Add the prepared pie dough to a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and shape the edges of the pie crust as desired making sure to seal tightly along the edge.
2. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and milk and use a pastry brush to coat the pie crust with the egg wash. Discard excess egg wash. Set pie crust aside.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, flour, evaporated milk, eggs, sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt to a blender and pulse for 60 seconds until smooth.
4. Pour the blended filling into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the pie pan on the baking sheet. Then pour the filling into the pie crust. Use a pie crust shield around the edge of your crust to prevent it from burning.
6. Bake the pie for 15 minutes and then REDUCE HEAT to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Gently, remove the pie crust shield after the first 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature for about 3 to 4 hours before slicing and serving with whipped cream and cinnamon.

How Do You Know When Pumpkin Pie Is Ready?

If you want to be precise or you’re a beginner baker, you can use a Kitchen Thermometer to test for doneness. When the pie is done, the thermometer will read 160 degrees F when inserted into the center of the pie.

If you don’t want to poke a hole in your pie, the next best way is to eyeball it.

The edges of the pie will rise and dome slightly while the center remains low and jiggly. If the edges of the pie filling are beginning to crack, remove immediately.

When a pumpkin pie starts to crack, the eggs have started to overcook. No worries though, as long as you let it sit for the appropriate amount of time, you’ll hardly notice any cracks and it will still taste delicious!

See the photo below for reference on what the pie should look like once it’s done baking.

Pumpkin Pie Baking Tips

1. What Size Pie Pan? This recipe will fill a deep-dish 9-inch pie dish or if you are using a standard pie tin like the one I baked the pie in, you will have some excess filling – just discard.
2. How Do You Thicken Pumpkin Pie Filling? This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to help thicken the filling. Other recipes might use cornstarch or tapioca, but I find that both of those can lead to a rubbery texture.
3. Why Bake At Two Different Temperatures? The initial high heat is to help ensure a flaky crust. The fat in the dough will begin to melt and produce steam which results in a beautifully flaky crust. You’ll want to reduce the temperature after about 15 minutes so that the pie doesn’t burn.
4. Use A Crust Shield: This will help prevent the edges of your pie crust from burning while baking. You can buy a Silicone Crust Shield that is reusable like the one seen in photos or you can make your own with aluminum foil. But trust me, the small investment is worth saving your sanity over trying to get the aluminum foil just right 😉
5. Let The Pie Cool! It is super important that you let the pie cool for at least 3 to 4 hours before cutting to allow the filling to fully set and make it sliceable.

Why You Should Blend The Pie Filling:

There are three main reasons to blend your filling for the perfect pie.

The first is that blending doesn’t aerate the mixture as much as a whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer.

The second is that the filling is ultra-smooth.

The third is that the spices are fully incorporated into the mixture rather than rising to the top of the pie filling.

Why You Should Cook Pumpkin Pie Filling Before Baking:

Look at the picture below, which pie would you rather eat? I’m assuming (and hoping) you said the one that’s richer in color!

These pies use the exact same recipe, the only difference is that the filling of one was cooked on the stovetop for several minutes before being added to the pie shell.

This step might mean an extra dirty dish, but it makes all the difference! This step will begin melting the dark brown sugar and infusing the spices into the filling creating a more flavorful pie.

Why Did My Pie Puff Up?

There are a few reasons this could happen, the first is that you overbaked the pie. The pie is done when the sides begin to puff but the center is still low and soft.

The second is that you forgot to adjust the temperature at the 15-minute mark and you baked it at too high of a temperature for too long.

Lastly, you used a hand mixer or a whisk to prepare your filling instead of using a blender which aerated the eggs and caused them to souffle.

How Do You Keep The Pie Crust From Getting Soggy?

Unlike a lot of pumpkin pie recipes, this recipe doesn’t require you to blind bake your crust. I feel that blind baking your pumpkin pie crust causes it to become too brown by the time your filling is ready.

So how do I keep it from becoming soggy?

Two things! First, brush the prepared crust with an egg wash before adding the filling, this will help seal the crust.

Second, preheat the baking sheet you plan to bake your pie on. The initial heat from the pan will help crisp up the bottom of the crust without overcooking your edges.

I’m a firm believer that it isn’t fall until you’ve had that first slice of luscious pumpkin pie, who’s with me? This spiced custard pie is as pure and simple as it gets when it comes to fall desserts!

More Delicious Pie Recipes

• Pecan Pie – Another classic recipe!
• Dutch Apple Pie – My favorite kind of apple pie!
• French Silk Pie – This pie is so silky and delicious!
• Berry Pie – You’ll love the mix of four different berries!
• Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie – Perfect for small gatherings!

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!