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.

a Holiday Favorite

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

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

This easy pumpkin pie recipe comes together in a flash, especially if you use store-bought crust!

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 a knife inserted in the 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 store-bought Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree.

Dress it Up With any of These Toppings:

• Whipped Cream
• peanut brittle
• sugared nuts (Pecans are great!)
• scoop of ice cream (Vanilla, Caramel, or cinnamon)
• mini chocolate chips or Chocolate Sauce

recipe tips

Making this homemade pumpkin pie recipe 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 using fresh pumpkin from scratch.

Here’s how to make your own homemade pumpkin purée perfect for all the pumpkin recipes that pop up during October and November.

• Take a baking 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 of 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.

Cracks in pumpkin pie

Why 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 overbaking 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.

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 it 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 of layers of plastic wrap (and one layer of foil for good measure), and store it 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.

Recipe FAQ

For More Pumpkin Recipes, Try:

• Mini Pumpkin Pies
• Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Cobbler
• Pumpkin Delight
• Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Libby’s Pumpkin Roll
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie