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🎃 Pies & holiday bakes

The great pumpkin pie

Rich, silky, spiced, and very ready for whipped cream

⏱️ Time estimate: about 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling and dough chill time

A deep, classic pumpkin pie with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, a little black pepper, and a silky cream-enriched filling baked in a flaky crust.

The great pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Ingredients

  • 1 single unbaked pie crust, preferably deep-dish
  • 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
  • 1 can pumpkin puree, about 15 ounces
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Whipped cream, for serving if you like

Instructions

  1. Prep the crust. Roll the pie dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch deep pie dish. Fold and crimp the edges, then brush lightly with egg wash.
  2. Par-bake. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line the crust with parchment and pie weights, then bake 10 minutes. Remove the weights, prick the bottom, and bake 7 to 8 minutes more until just starting to color.
  3. Whisk the filling. Combine pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, cream, and milk until very smooth.
  4. Fill the shell. Pour the filling into the warm crust, stopping around three-quarters full if your dish is shallow.
  5. Bake. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, shielding the crust edge after about 25 minutes if it browns too fast. The center should still have a slight wobble.
  6. Cool completely. Let the pie cool on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing so the filling can fully set.
  7. Serve. Top with whipped cream if you like.

Little secret: the pinch of black pepper does not read as peppery, it just makes the warm spices taste deeper and cozier.