This is the best pumpkin pie recipe ever. A rich, silky smooth, from-scratch pumpkin filling is baked in a buttery pie crust for a delicious homemade pumpkin pie that will become your favorite Thanksgiving dessert.

I know that I’m making a bold clam when I say that this is the best pumpkin pie recipe. But I wouldn’t say such a thing if I couldn’t back it up with results, and one bite of this pie and I know you’ll agree (plus you can trust the almost 300 5-star reviews).

Everyone who tries this homemade pumpkin pie falls in love, and for almost 10 years now it has been a holiday dessert staple in millions of homes across the world.

This pumpkin pie has a smooth, creamy filling that is perfectly sweetened and spiced, encompassing all that is wonderful about fall.

Plus it’s easy to make with only 10 ingredients and no condensed milk! Serve it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream for fall dessert perfection!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

The great thing about this pie is that it is actually fairly versatile (for a pie)! You can tweak a few ingredients to make this pie suitable for all sorts of dietary needs!

• All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make the pie gluten-free. You can also substitute your favorite gluten-free crust if desired!
• Butter. vegan butter and coconut oil work well in the crust for a dairy-free version. (See my dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe).
• Heavy Cream. Half and half and coconut milk are both great substitutes.
• Light Brown Sugar: dark brown sugar is a good substitute, but note that it will impart a bolder molasses taste. Coconut sugar also works well.
• Pumpkin puree. Use a 15 oz can of pure pumpkin puree, or make your own from a fresh pie pumpkin (instructions in the recipe card). Or try this sweet potato pie!
• Pumpkin pie spice. Use store-bought or make your own with this homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe!

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

Now that we’ve discussed ingredients and equipment, I will walk through how to make pumpkin pie step-by-step. You can also watch the video for further guidance.

Make the Crust

I have a tutorial on how to make an all-butter pie crust, so if you have any unanswered questions you can ask them below or reference that post.

Begin by pulsing the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix by hand and cut the butter in with a pastry cutter, but using a food processor makes the process so easy and fast.

Then add the frozen butter and ice water all at once and pulse until the dough just begins to clump together. It’s important to add both of the cold ingredients at the same time so you don’t over-work your dough. You want the pie crust dough to still have some chunks of frozen butter in it.

Once the dough begins clumping together, turn it out onto a floured work surface and form it into a round disc. Then cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

If you are chilling the dough overnight (which I do often), you will want to wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container (like a plastic or silicone bag) to ensure it doesn’t dry out.

Then, after the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator, put it on a floured work surface and roll it into a large circle that fits inside our pie dish.

Make a fluted edge by pinching the dough between your thumb and pointer finger all the way around the edge.

Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling

I suggest making the pumpkin pie filling while the pie crust dough is chilling so it’s ready to go as soon as you finish rolling and shaping the crust into the pie dish.

I like to do this first to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated into the pumpkin puree before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Then, add the rest of the filling ingredients and whisk to combine. Make sure the filling is silky smooth and there are no lumps before proceeding.

Assemble the Pumpkin Pie

Fill the crust with the pumpkin pie filling quickly. You do not want the crust to get warm before baking! 

Bake

Use a pie crust shield or aluminum foil to cover the outer crust, otherwise it will brown too much and possibly burn before the filling has finished baking completely.

Then, bake the pumpkin pie on the lower rack for 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius).

After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and continue to bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the pie crust shield int he last 10 minutes of baking if neceessary.

How to Know Pumpkin Pie is Done

 You know this pumpkin pie has finished baking when the following is true:

1. The top will be set and slightly puffed. 
2. It will be set on the edge and have a very slight jiggle in the middle.
3. A cake tester inserted in the middle of the pie will come out clean. But a word of warning, I don’t like to do this because it leaves a hole in the center of the pie and might cause it to crack as it cools. You could cover up the hole with a pretty pie crust design, but I’d be careful.

Cool

After it’s baked, transfer the pumpkin pie to a wire rack to cool completely. This takes at least two hours at room temperature, sometimes longer if you live in a warm environment. You can put it in the fridge (or outside on your cold porch) to speed up the process.

How to Make Pie Crust Shapes

I like to use these fall pie crust cutters to cut fun shapes into any extra dough! To do this, roll out extra dough (or make another half batch of pie crust dough just to make shapes). Then, use pie crust cutters or cookie cutters to cut out your favorite shapes.

Evenly spread them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Then, bake the pie crust shapes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Use the baked shapes to decorate the top of the pie after it’s cooled.

Serve

Decorate the pumpkin pie with beautiful pie crust shapes. Then, you can serve it room temperature, or chill it in the refrigerator and serve chilled. It’s really up to you and your personal preferences.

I suggest serving it with homemade whipped cream on top for the perfect fall dessert.

Store

Store the pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

There are two ways to frees this pumpkin pie, which honestly freezes beautifully.

1. Freeze the entire pie. Bake and chill the pie, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 
2. Freeze individual slices. Place pie slices on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Pumpkin Pie Recipe FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions about making this pumpkin pie recipe.

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!

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Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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