Homemade Pumpkin Pie

This Homemade Pumpkin Pie is absolute perfection! It’s a best-loved recipe, and a must during the holidays!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie is a Thanksgiving favorite, along with our Pecan Pie and Homemade Apple Pie. Once you make this pie homemade, you’ll never want to buy one from the store again!

Pumpkin Pie on a white plate topped with whipped cream.

a holiday favorite

This Pumpkin Pie recipe has been our go-to for several years. It comes from Luby’s, a favorite restaurant that is sadly now out of business.

It is my favorite of the Thanksgiving desserts.

I never would have thought that homemade pie was this easy to make, but once your crust is made (or purchased from the store ;)) it only takes a few minutes to put the filling together!

This Homemade Pumpkin Pie filling is SO DELICIOUS. Perfectly sweet, moist, full of pumpkin flavor, and just the right amount of spices.

Pumpkin pie filling in a mixing bowl with a whisk.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

CRUST. Make a homemade pie crust, or use premade pie dough from the market. You will need a 9-inch pie pan for each pie crust. Poke holes in the crust with a fork to prevent air bubbles.

PUMPKIN PIE FILLING. Lightly beat eggs, in a large bowl, until well blended. Add pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Mix until well blended. Pour the mixture evenly into 2 pie shells.

BAKE + ENJOY! Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature. ENJOY!

Note: this is canned pumpkin puree and NOT canned pumpkin pie filling – we typically use Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree.

Dress it up with any of these toppings:

recipe tips

Making pumpkin pie doesn’t have to be hard, but if you’re still new to making it, there may be some questions you come up with. Hopefully, this section helps out.

Pie crust separating from filling. This is pretty normal! When custard pie fillings (like pumpkin) cook and cool, they typically shrink, causing separation from the crust.

Make pumpkin pie from real pumpkin. While it’s definitely not as simple, you might prefer the flavor of pie made with fresh pumpkin. Here’s how to make your own pumpkin puree:

  • Take a pumpkin (1½ pound pumpkin will yield about 2 cups of puree), and split it in half using a knife.
  • Scrape out all of the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon, and place the halves cut side up on a foil-covered baking sheet.
  • Roast in the oven at 325°F for 30-40 minutes for a small pumpkin, and about an hour for a larger one.
  • If the flesh is still thick and hard to scrape, the pumpkin needs to roast longer. Scrape out all of the flesh until the rind is empty.
  • Puree it using a blender, or mash by hand. Once pureed, it’s ready to be used in your recipes!

Pumpkin spice blend. Use 3 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice blend in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Brown crust. If the pie crust is browning too quickly, wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the edge until the rest of the pie finishes baking.

Pumpkin pie recipe with filling and crust ready to be baked.

Cracks in pumpkin pie

What does my pie crack? The short answer is that it has been baked too long. Even when the pie is cooling out of the oven, a crack can still form.

The eggs in the recipe help thicken the filling, but when they overcook, they tighten too much causing cracks. To get the best, most even cook, be sure that:

  • Temperature. Your oven temperature is correct. An independent oven thermometer is more exact than the one in the oven. 
  • Give it space. Baking on the lower rack will help get the crust fully cooked, without over baking the filling.
  • Jiggle test. When done, the edges will look done, while the pumpkin filling in the center will be a bit sunken and jiggle like Jell-O. Take it out and let it cool. The center will continue to cook and set before cooling off all the way.
  • Cover it up! If all else fails, cover the cracks with whipped cream.
Cooked Pumpkin Pie with slices taken out of the pie.

storing info

STORE. After pulling a pumpkin pie out of the oven, it has to sit and cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled, Homemade Pumpkin Pie can be left at room temperature for about two hours. Beyond that, store the pie in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 3-5 days.

FREEZE. If you want your pumpkin pie to last longer than 3-5 days, store it in the freezer. Store either as a whole pie, or in individual slices.

If you start making the pie with the intention of  freezing it:

  • Bake it in a disposable aluminum pan—this will allow it to freeze quicker (the quicker, the better).
  • Regardless of what type of pie dish you bake it in, let your pie cool completely before putting it in the freezer. Otherwise, steam and moisture will get trapped under the crust and ruin the texture.
  • Wrap it tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap (and one layer of foil for good measure), and store on a flat shelf in the freezer for a month, or two at most.

THAW. When you’re ready to eat the pie, let it thaw in the fridge. It will take at least 12 hours, so plan accordingly! Thawing at room temperature will make it thaw too quickly, resulting in a soggy crust.

Slice of Pumpkin Pie Recipe on a plate topped with whipped cream.

If there’s any question in your mind whether you should try this pumpkin pie recipe this holiday season, I’ll answer it for you now. DO IT! Seriously, this pie will turn anyone into a pie lover.

For more pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

4.70 from 13 votes
This Homemade Pumpkin Pie is absolute perfection! It's a best-loved recipe, and a must during the holidays!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 268 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 29 oz can pumpkin puree
  • 3 cups evaporated milk
  • cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 9 inch pie crusts, unbaked or homemade

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs with a hand mixer on low speed until well blended. Add pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Mix until well blended.
  • Place pie crusts in two 9-inch pie pans and poke holes in the crusts with a fork to prevent bubbles. Crimp edges of each crust.
  • Divide filling evenly between pie crusts and bake for 60-70 minutes 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead. Pumpkin pie can be kept loosely covered in the refrigerator for 3–5 days.
Suggested Toppings. Dress your pie up with whipped cream, peanut brittle, sugared nuts (pecans are great!), a scoop of ice cream (vanilla, caramel or cinnamon) on each slice, mini chocolate chips or chocolate sauce.
Store. After pulling a pumpkin pie out of the oven, it has to sit and cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled, Homemade Pumpkin Pie can be left at room temperature for about two hours. Beyond that, store the pie in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 3-5 days.
Freeze. Wrap it tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap (and one layer of foil for good measure), and store on a flat shelf in the freezer for a month, or two at most. When you’re ready to eat the pie, let it thaw in the fridge. It will take at least 12 hours, so plan accordingly! 

Like this recipe?

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    This looks delicious! I’ll be trying your recipe for Thanksgiving!
    Just to be sure….you put the ingredients in the raw crust and bake it all at once?

  2. 5 stars
    Pumpkin pie is always a must at Thanksgiving. For me its my favorite dessert. You can make your own pie crust or use the premade crust. Either way you will have a delicious pie ready for the feaSt!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this pumpkin pie a couple weeks ago to see how we’d like it & my hubby said it was the best pumpkin pie he’s ever had. it was creamy & smooth & easy to make! I’m excited to make it for my in-laws at thanksgiving!

  4. The Libby’s pie calls for 2 cups of evaporated milk and yours has 3 cups. Will the extra cup change the consistency of the pie?

  5. 5 stars
    This was such a delicious pie. It was super easy. The only thing I wish was included in the recipe, is the size of pie shells to use. I bought 2 frozen pie shells and I still had almost half of the filling left over

  6. This recipe sounds yummy and I can’t wait to try it. I have to say, in my opinion, canned pumpkin is a sorry substitute for fresh pumpkin. I have an easy way to prepare a fresh pumpkin. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Put half, cut side down on a plate and microwave in 8 minute intervals, alternating between halves, allowing the first steam cut side down while the second half cooks. The peeling will become darker and soft when the meat is cooked. Cool and scoop it out.

    1. There is nothing quite like using fresh pumpkin, it’s true! Thanks for sharing how you cook it. Hope you enjoy the pumpkin pie!

  7. 1 star
    This looked so yummy but unfortunately the baking time is way off. I prepared it exactly as instructed and it came out very undercooked.