Silky Spiced Pumpkin Pie (Print Version)

A smooth spiced pumpkin custard in a flaky crust, ideal for autumn and festive occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

→ Pumpkin Filling

02 - 15 oz canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
03 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 cup evaporated milk
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the oven rack in the lower third.
02 - Roll out the pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp edges as desired. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
03 - Combine pumpkin purée, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and uniform.
04 - Pour the prepared filling into the chilled pie crust.
05 - Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 minutes until the center is set with a slight jiggle.
06 - Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
07 - Serve plain or topped with whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling comes together in one bowl with no fussy tempering or double boiler drama.
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it, but your actual hands-on time is surprisingly short.
  • This pie keeps beautifully in the fridge, which means less day-of stress at holiday dinners.
02 -
  • Check your filling for that gentle jiggle in the very center, not a full wobble—overcooked pumpkin pie cracks as it cools, and there's no coming back from that.
  • Use actual pumpkin purée, not pie filling, or your flavor will be completely different and the sweetness will be overwhelming.
03 -
  • Chill your pie crust thoroughly before filling it; a cold crust stays flaky and crisp instead of turning soggy from the custard.
  • The temperature drop halfway through baking prevents the crust from burning while giving the filling time to set properly—this two-temperature approach is what separates good pumpkin pie from great pumpkin pie.
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