How to Make Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

Few pies are as closely associated with the holidays as pumpkin pie, and for good reason! With its flaky crust, creamy filling and seasonal spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, pumpkin pie is the quintessential dessert of fall. And it’s easier to make than you think. Whether you’re a novice or an expert baker, you’ll find all the essential tips for success, all right here.

A little bit of labor and love goes a long way when it comes to making the perfect homemade pie crust. But nothing beats the pride that’ll come with seeing your guests devouring every last bite of your finished pie! Keep these tips and step-by-step instructions at the ready, and you’ll be a pastry pro in no time.

What you’ll need:

• Medium mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Pastry blender (or a fork, if you don’t have one)
• Plastic wrap or waxed paper
• 9-inch glass pie plate

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, shortening or lard, very cold
• 5-7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Combine the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl until well combined. Then, cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender. You can also use shortening or lard in place of the butter — just make sure it’s super cold! Do this until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces sprinkled throughout.

Step 2: Sprinkle in the ice water just a tablespoon at a time, lightly mixing with the fork, until the dough is just wet enough to form a ball when pressed together. You don’t want the dough to be too wet (it’ll be all sticky and difficult to work with!) but you don’t want it to be too dry either because it’ll crack and be hard to shape when you roll it out.

Step 3: Shape the dough into two balls and flatten them slightly to make small discs. Wrap each in some plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Let stand for about five minutes at room temperature before rolling out each disc.

Step 4: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc out into an 11-inch circle. Gently fold and place it into the pie pan and unfold—this is your bottom crust layer. (Usually, you don’t need to top a pumpkin pie with a second crust like you would for most fruit pies.) If you want an easy way to add a little more flare, you can crimp, criss-cross or curve the edge of your pie crust. Watch this video for a quick tutorial. From here, you'll want to chill the crust again, about 30 minutes in the fridge, before you par-bake it (see Step 5). Cold dough is critical for getting a nice, flakey crust.

Tip: You can use the second disc of dough to make decorative cutouts for the top of your finished pie, or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for another day.  Pie dough will keep in the freezer for a couple of months.

Step 5: Before you make and add the pie filling, you’ll want to par-bake your pie crust. Pumpkin pie crusts are prone to sogginess, so par-baking the crust will help it stay crunchy. Pierce the bottom of the shell 5 or 6 times with a fork, then line the shell with parchment paper or foil and fill it with pie weights. You can also use uncooked rice or dried beans.

Step 6: Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 425°F. The crust should still be pale in color at this point. Remove the parchment or foil and weights and then place the crust back in the oven for five to seven minutes more, or until pale golden brown. Let it cool on a rack before filling.

One of the best things about pumpkin pie filling? You only need to add a handful of ingredients to get the perfect blend of spices. Follow our easy step-by-step instructions (just 2 steps!) and you’ll be well on your way to baking a winning pumpkin pie.

What You’ll Need

• Large bowl
• Knife
• Wire whisk

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (1 1/2 cups)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk.

Step 2: Stir in the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pumpkin and evaporated milk until well blended. And ta-da! Your pumpkin pie filling is done and ready to be poured into the crust for baking

Now that you know how to make the crust and filling, let’s put it all together, shall we?

Step 1: Pour the filling into the cool, par-baked crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes.

Pro Tip: Avoid over-baking the crust edges by adding some aluminum foil over the edges about halfway through baking.

Step 2: Keep an eye on your pie towards the end of baking time — over-baking custard pies like pumpkin pie tends to make them watery. Use a knife to check the center of the pie. You’ll know your pie is done when the knife comes out clean, but the center still looks a little jiggly. Let the pie cool for two hours, then serve!

Pumpkin pie will keep covered in the fridge for up to four days. It’s possible to freeze a baked pumpkin pie, but the texture of the crust and filling won’t always hold up, so we wouldn’t recommend doing this unless absolutely necessary. If you do want to freeze it, wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then freeze for one or two months, max. Before serving, thaw the pie in the fridge overnight.