Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

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Written ByDorothy Kern

Published OnNovember 18, 2023

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This is my mom’s homemade pumpkin pie recipe – it’s the classic recipe we all know and love. We’ve been enjoying this pie my ENTIRE life – and it’s one of those recipes everyone always asks for.

Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2)

BEST Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Are there any recipes you look forward to every year? Maybe ones your mom or grandmother make, or that you make from their recipes? I have several of those: Russian Teacakes, Pecan Pie, Banana Bread…and this pumpkin pie recipe.

My mom has made this homemade pumpkin pie recipe at every Thanksgiving for my entire life. It’s everyone’s favorite and one of the most requested things she makes!

Pumpkin pie has just a few ingredients and whisks together in minutes. My favorite part of this pie are the pumpkin pie spices. I splurge when I make pumpkin pie and buy them all separately because I love the smell of allspice. It just smells like the holidays to me.

There are lots of homemade pumpkin pie recipes out there but I will tell you that this one performs every single time. I’ve been eating it for over 40 years and I’ve never been disappointed. Whether you make my all butter pie crust or use one from the freezer or grocery store, this pie is one that you’ll keep coming back to again and again.

Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (3)

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

You just need a handful of ingredients, one whisk, one bowl, and a pie dish:

Pie Crust: Use my homemade pie crust recipe or store-bought.
Pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling
Eggs – we’re using whole large eggs
Milk – regular milk, NOT evaporated. Use whole milk for best results.
Pumpkin spices – you can also substitute pumpkin pie spice if you don’t want to buy all of them separately. The spices give so much flavor to the pie and it tastes like Thanksgiving!
Sugar – She used both packed brown sugar and granulated sugar, so that’s what I use too.

Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (4)

Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (5)

How to make Pumpkin Pie

Place your pie dough in your desired pie pan.
Stir together pumpkin, eggs, sugars, and spices.
Whisk in milk.
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake until set.

Pan Size for Pumpkin Pie

Use a 9-inch pie plate for a very full pie
You can use a larger (9 1/2-inch or 10-inch) pie plate
You can use a deep dish 9-inch pie plate as well
If you have smaller pie plates, make one pie and some mini pumpkin pies, or make two 7-inch pies

No matter how you make this pie, it’s so simple. Classic pumpkin pie is a must at every Thanksgiving dinner table!

Tip From Dorothy

Expert Tips

I do not blind bake my pie crust, so you don’t need to worry about that baking with parchment paper and pie weights or anything like that.
I vary between using a homemade crust and refrigerated one, and you can also use a frozen pie shell too.
Be sure to use whole milk, not heavy cream, not evaporated – just plain old whole milk. The eggs and milk work together to create a creamy pumpkin custard filling.
Cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil so that the crust doesn’t cook too much.
To make sure the bottom of my crust bakes, I bake at a high oven temperature (425°F) for about 10 minutes, then lower the oven temp until the pie is done.
Pumpkin pie is done baking when it no longer rolls when tapped – it will be just slightly jiggly and might have a small crack in the center.
Serve the pie at room temperature with whipped cream or cool whip. Store in the refrigerator or wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
If you love chocolate, did you know that chocolate and pumpkin go really well together? Check out my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie!

FAQs

How long is pumpkin pie good for?

Mom’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

4.29 from 46 votes

Mom’s Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe is a family favorite Thanksgiving tradition. It’s the best easy pumpkin pie!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Chil Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Yield 10 servings

Serving Size 1 serving

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Ingredients

▢ 1 all butter pie crust from scratch or from a pack of two
▢ 1 ¾ cups (425g) pumpkin puree (1-15 ounce can)
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 ¾ cups (415ml) whole milk
▢ 3 large eggs
▢ ⅔ cup (134g) packed brown sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
▢ 1 ⅓ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
▢ ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
▢ ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
▢ ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place your pie crust in a 9-10-inch pie plate. Please note: this pie gets very full. It’s pictured made in a standard 9” pie plate.You can use a 9-inch, 9-inch deep dish or 10-inch pie plate, or two 7-inch pie crusts. If you’re using anything smaller than 9-inch there will be extra filling. Use any extra filling to make mini pumpkin pies (see below). Place pie plate on a cookie sheet for baking.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour into pie plate.
It’s best if you cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield before you start baking. Remove the foil after 50-60 minutes of bake time.
See Also
Easy Biscuit Pizza Recipe
Carefully transfer pie to oven and bake for 60-75 minutes. I’m giving a large range in time because it depends on what size pie plate you’re using and your oven. My 9” pie plate took 70 minutes. It’s done when the center looks solid. Cool completely, then wrap tightly and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.
To make mini pies: use a round cookie cutter or mason jar lid to cut circles out of pie crust. Press into mini muffin pans and fill with about 1-2 tablespoons pie filling. Bake time will be about 20-30 minutes.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

I vary between using a homemade crust and refrigerated one, and you can also use a frozen pie shell too.

Be sure to use whole milk, not heavy cream, not evaporated – just plain old whole milk. The eggs and milk work together to create a creamy pumpkin custard filling.

Cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil so that the crust doesn’t cook too much.

To make sure the bottom of my crust bakes, I bake at a high oven temperature (425°F) for about 10 minutes, then lower the oven temp until the pie is done.

Pumpkin pie is done baking when it no longer rolls when tapped – it will be just slightly jiggly and might have a small crack in the center.

Serve the pie at room temperature with whipped cream or cool whip. Store in the refrigerator or wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.

Recipe Nutrition

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Dorothy Kern

Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below

My Mom’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe is a classic Thanksgiving pie! This easy custard pie is full of pumpkin spice and you will love it!

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Last Updated on November 18, 2023

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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14 Comments

I literally make this recipe all the time! It is so good! And SO easy! Everyone raves about it when I make it! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Reply
I use the all butter pie crust and made this recipe last Thanksgiving and it was a hit, using it again this year.
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Mom's Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is evaporated milk used in pumpkin pie? ›

Evaporated milk is just regular milk with about half the water removed (that's the evaporated part). Pumpkin pie is made from (that's right, you guessed it) pumpkin. Pumpkin is already very high in water, about 90%. I think if you added regular milk to pumpkin, you would not achieve the desired texture.

Get More Info Here ›

What makes pumpkin pie taste so good? ›

The pie is generally flavored with pumpkin pie spice, a blend that includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. The pie is usually prepared with canned pumpkin, but fresh-cooked pumpkin can be used.

Get More Info Here ›

Is there a difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? ›

Ingredients - Pumpkin puree made from scratch contains only pumpkin, but canned puree may contain a preservative like salt. Pumpkin pie filling contains additional ingredients like sugar, spices, and thickeners. Flavor - Pure pumpkin puree has a slightly sweet, earthy taste.

Does homemade pumpkin puree taste better than canned? ›

Based on my taste tests, I think that fresh puree would easily elevate any savory pumpkin dish such as soup or pasta. The fresh, unadulterated flavor and fluffy texture would work wonderfully in savory dishes, especially because even “sugar pumpkins” aren't very sweet on their own.

Get More Info ›

Is it better to use condensed milk or evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

Sweetened condensed milk is thicker and contains added sugar, so you won't have to add extra sugar and the filling will be very rich. Evaporated milk is unsweetened and has a thinner consistency. This means that you will have to add some extra sugar and that your pie will have a lighter, airier filling.

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Is it better to use evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk in pumpkin pie? ›

As the name suggests, sweetened condensed milk makes the pie sweeter and gives it a denser, creamier texture. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, yields a lighter, airier result. Evaporated milk isn't sweetened either, which is why you can't simply swap one thickener for the other.

Can dogs eat pumpkin? ›

Yes, dogs can eat pumpkin and it is actually often added to dog foods. Check the label of some dog treats and you may find pumpkin on the ingredient list there too. However, if you are feeding fresh pumpkin, you will need to be careful about which part you're feeding as the stem and leaves are covered in prickly hairs.

What happens if you use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree? ›

Pumpkin pie filling shouldn't be used in place of pumpkin puree since the finished dish will be too sweet. You can always set the can aside to make a quick pumpkin pie another day.

Learn More ›

Why is my pumpkin pie so light in color? ›

Clair: "The fresh pumpkin pies that I make are light in color -- spices are visible in the custard filling, as opposed to using canned pumpkin, which is thick and darker in color. The difference is fresh pumpkin instead of canned.

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What pumpkins are best for pies? ›

The pumpkins we eat, often labeled pie or sweet pumpkins, are smaller and less watery than the ones used for decorating. Heritage varieties that are good for cooking include Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Fairytale and Cinderella pumpkins.

Find Out More ›

Should pumpkin pie be refrigerated? ›

The short and easy answer: Yes, pumpkin pie needs to be stored in the refrigerator. The USDA advises that all "egg-rich pies" must be kept refrigerated after baking and cooling. Pumpkin pie falls into this category, along with custard, pecan, and meringue pies.

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What is the significance of evaporated milk? ›

This allows the product to have a shelf life of months or even years, depending upon the fat and sugar content, which made evaporated milk very popular before the age of refrigeration as a safe and reliable substitute for perishable fresh milk, as it could be shipped easily to locations lacking the means of safe milk ...

Keep Reading ›

What is the purpose of evaporated milk? ›

Evaporated milk is often used in much the same way that half-and-half is, in custards, cakes, shakes and candies like fudge. When you have a recipe that calls for milk and you don't have fresh milk, you'll be glad you've got that can of evaporated milk in the pantry. Grab it, shake it, open it and make a choice.

Find Out More ›

What does evaporated milk do in baking? ›

Bakers often use it as a substitute for cream to help reduce fat content. To substitute for a cup of regular milk, add in one part evaporated milk and one part water. For a more fresh-milk taste, add half the called for milk with evaporated milk, and the rest with water.

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What happens if you use evaporated milk instead of milk? ›

But when left in its thickened, low-moisture canned state, it can also stand in for milk or heavy cream as an enriching agent. Evaporated milk gives body to smoothies, thickens up and sweetens coffee, and adds nuance and richness to creamy soups and chowders, not to mention savory sauces and even oatmeal.

Learn More Now ›