Pumpkin Pie Recipe: A Classic

This easy pumpkin pie recipe uses exactly one standard can of pumpkin puree—no weird leftovers, no sad half-cans hiding in your fridge.

You’ll get a rich, creamy filling with warm, cozy spices and a buttery crust. No mixer needed, just simple pantry staples.

Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert, fall gatherings, or any time you need a comforting, no-fuss treat.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Pie
• Classic Pumpkin Pie Ingredients
• How to Make Pumpkin Pie (see recipe card below for detailed instruction)
• How Can I Tell if My Pumpkin Pie is Cooked Well Enough?
• Pumpkin Pie Storage & Make Ahead
• How Many Servings in a 9-inch Pie?
• What Else Can I Use Instead of Evaporated Milk in Pumpkin Pie?
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• Recipe
• Comments

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Pie

It's both creamy and spicy at once.

This is a classic, no-fail recipe.

Grating fresh nutmeg is optional but it will make a big difference in your pie's flavor.

Pumpkin pie is one of the easiest desserts to make. You're stirring ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a spatula or a hand mixer and pouring them into a pie shell then into an oven.

I put pumpkin up there with pecan pie or graham cracker pecan bark in terms of ease.

More pumpkin recipes you might like to try include making your own Pumpkin Spice Recipe, Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk, Pumpkin Bars, Easy Pecan Pie, and to top if off easy homemade whipped cream or perhaps Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

Ingredients (see recipe card for amounts)

• Pumpkin Puree--not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling.
• Brown Sugar--adds sweetness and carmelization. Use dark or light. Swap with granulated sugar if you have no brown.
• Evaporated Milk--adds creaminess
• Eggs-- adds richness and works as a binder to keep all the ingredients together
• Ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg--brings the flavor.

You can use a tablespoon of homemade pumpkin pie spice if you like.

For bonus points, you can grate fresh nutmeg if you like.

You'll only use a fraction of the nutmeg, which just like the name implies, is actually a nut you can buy at the spice counter.

You'll need a nutmeg grater, which you can pick up at a natural food store or Amazon for a few dollars.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie (see recipe card below for detailed instruction)

No mixer required, you can put this dessert together with a bowl and a sturdy spatula.

• Prepare your pie crust, unroll and lay in a 9-inch pie plate and prick bottom of crust with a fork.
• Measure spices and pour into a small bowl and stir together.
• Mix the contents of a can of pumpkin puree, brown sugar and evaporated milk in a large mixing bowl.
• Add eggs, one at a time, breaking first in a separate small bowl. This way if the egg is bad, you haven't ruined your pie mixture. Stir to combine.
• Add vanilla extract and spices. Stir until combined.
• Pour into prepared pie shell and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 40 minutes or until a knife or toothpick, inserted in the middle of the pie, comes out clean. Or until pie's internal temperature reaches 175°F
• Let rest on counter for two hours after baking or until the pie is room temperature.

Be sure to refrigerate pumpkin pie once cooled.

How Can I Tell if My Pumpkin Pie is Cooked Well Enough?

The best way to determine if a custard or egg-based pie is done cooking is with a digital cooking thermometer. (I use this one every week and love it--affiliate link.)

The internal temperature of the pie should reach at least 175°F.

There's an old saying that if pie jiggles like Jello in the middle, it's done. If the pie wiggles like a wave, it isn't done.

Put a potholder on your hand and nudge the pie tin, if the whole pie shakes keep baking.

Or stick a butter knife in the middle of the pie and pull the knife out. If there's pumpkin on the knife, keep baking.

If the knife comes out clean, the pie is done.

Visual cues that a pumpkin pie is done baking:
The entire surface of the pie should be darker than when you put it in the oven. The edges should be darker as well.

Pumpkin Pie Storage & Make Ahead

Make pumpkin pie, bake it and refrigerate it up to two days in advance.

Pumpkin pie freezes well. Make it, wrap it twice, once in plastic or wax paper and then in a freezer safe resealable bag or container. Freeze for up to three months if well wrapped.

According to the FDA, pumpkin pie will keep (if it lasts that long!) two to three days in the refrigerator.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil first so the pie doesn't dry out.

Or, flip over a bowl and use that as a cover or use the base of a salad spinner as a makeshift pie lid.

The FDA answered several pumpkin pie and turkey questions in a Thanksgiving themed Twitter chat a few years ago. You might find it helpful.

How Many Servings in a 9-inch Pie?

Eight servings of pie.

What Else Can I Use Instead of Evaporated Milk in Pumpkin Pie?

Any milk or cream or non-dairy substitute like almond milk could be used as a 1:1 swap instead of evaporated milk.

Heavy or light cream or using whole milk instead of canned milk will add a lot of richness to your pie.

Skim milk or almond milk are also acceptable substitutes but you won't have the same richness as you would with a cream swap.

However, don't make the mistake of using sweetened condensed milk as a substitute for evaporated milk unless you're using a recipe that was developed specifically for sweetened, condensed milk, which contains more sugar than evaporated.

This is my favorite pumpkin pie recipe with sweetened, condensed milk.

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