This recipe makes the most Perfect Pumpkin Pie, with a rich, silky pumpkin custard filling and a tender, crumbly cinnamon pie crust; it is a recipe worth making year after year.
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Let’s be real: there are a million pumpkin pie recipes out there! In fact, this site alone has several (a No-Bake Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Pie Bars and Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie to name a few). But I wanted to create the best version possible of the classic pie that celebrates the gourd we love all fall.
What makes a pumpkin pie recipe perfect? First and foremost, the filling should highlight the pumpkin with just enough warm spice, but not so much that it overpowers it. It should be rich and creamy and made with basic ingredients you likely already have at home (because we all hate having to buy specialty ingredients).
The pastry is equally as important as the filling. Boxes to check are: that it's fully baked, with no hint of any uncooked pastry, but also, it should be buttery and tender. This recipe's pastry includes extra butter worked into the crust and cinnamon, which enhances the pie's overall flavor and gives the crust a beautiful brown hue. It's just the special touch a perfect pie requires.
And finally, a pumpkin pie needs special care when baking. To help, I’m sharing all the tips you need to make a pumpkin pie free of imperfections, from a crisp bottom crust to a smooth top without cracks. It’s the pumpkin pie my friends and family return to every fall, and I hope it earns a place on your Thanksgiving table, too.
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Canned vs. Fresh Pumpkin
This recipe calls for canned pumpkin puree. I'm all for fresh pumpkin puree, but if you want that classic pumpkin pie taste, go with the canned stuff.
Here’s a little fun fact: most canned pumpkin isn’t made from the round orange pumpkins pictured here. It comes from the Dickinson pumpkin, a large, long, cream-colored variety (though some botanists would call it a squash).
Speaking from experience, I have found many store-brand organic purees to be quite thin. My favorites are the non-organic Whole Foods 365 and Libby’s. Thin puree isn’t a dealbreaker; it just means the pumpkin flavor will be less pronounced.
If your puree does seem thin and you want a more robust pumpkin flavor, you can cook it down to evaporate some of that extra water. The only catch is that you’ll need more than one can, since the volume decreases as the moisture cooks out. In total, you want 15 ounces, which is about 1-½ heaping cups. To cook it, add the puree to a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it darkens in color and it thickens.
How to Make It
This recipe has two components: the cinnamon pastry and the pumpkin filling.
The cinnamon pastry is made in a food processor, and it will need to be blind baked before the filling goes in, since the pumpkin filling bakes at a lower temperature that isn’t hot enough to cook the crust through. The recipe includes blind-baking instructions below, but if you’re new to it, check out this Guide to Blind Baking.
Step 1: Pulse together the flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and then the butter until it's broken into pea-sized bits.
Step 2: With the motor running, pour in the water and process until the dough comes together around the blade. Wrap and chill the dough.
Step 3: Roll out the dough and place it in the pie plate, and crimp the edges. Chill.
Step 4: Blind bake the pie crust.
Step 5: Whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and eggs.
Step 6: Whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin puree, and heavy cream until smooth. Do not overmix because air bubbles can get trapped in the filling. Transfer the filling to the blind baked crust.
How to Bake a Pumpkin Pie Perfectly
Baking a pumpkin pie correctly is just as important as every other step. A pumpkin pie is a type of custard pie, and when making custards, the goal is to bake the filling just enough to set, without overcooking it. Overcooking is common, especially because many people forget the custard continues to cook after it comes out of the oven.
This is a primary reason cracks form in the center of the pie as it cools. Beyond a crack, an overcooked filling can lead to a gritty texture, a slight taste of overcooked eggs, or excess water leaking out.
So how do you prevent it? You’ll know the filling is done by looking at the outer edges and seeing if they have begun to “soufflé,” or puff up. Look for the soufflé effect to appear about 2 to 2-½ inches from the outer edge, with the center softly set. The center can wobble, but it shouldn’t be completely liquid. Once it reaches that point, take the pie out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature, preferably on a wire rack.
What does it look like if your pie is overcooked in the oven? It will present as the whole pie being puffed up or inflated. Once it comes out of the oven, it will deflate and often crack during the cooling process.
However, don’t despair if your pie splits: unless it is severely overcooked, it'll still taste good, I promise. It's nothing a little whipped cream can't hide.
How to Serve and Store It
Once the pie is fully cooled at room temperature, move it to the refrigerator to finish setting for a minimum of 4 hours. This pie should be stored in the refrigerator. Serve it straight from the refrigerator, or let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Serve this pie as is, or with whipped cream or maple whipped cream!
More Pumpkin Recipes
Did you make the recipe?
I am so honored when you make a recipe from Everyday Pie! If you make this Perfect Pumpkin Pie, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe outside of what is covered in the article, please comment below and I'll respond as soon as I'm able.
Full Recipe
Perfect Pumpkin Pie
This Perfect Pumpkin Pie has cinnamon baked right into the pastry, so the crust carries the same warm spice as the filling. Heavy cream gives the custard a rich, silky texture. Pulling the pie from the oven while the center is still slightly wobbly prevents cracks and lets the custard finish setting in the refrigerator.
- Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield8-10 servings
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Pastry:
- 1-½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 12 tablespoons (168 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup (60 grams) cold water
For the Pumpkin Filling:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15-ounce) can 100% pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (115 grams) heavy cream
- Whipped Cream or Maple Whipped Cream (optional, for serving)
Instructions
Prepare the Cinnamon Pastry:
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse about 7 times, until the butter is broken into pea-sized bits.
- With the motor running, pour in the water and process until the dough comes together around the blade.
- Remove the pastry from the food processor and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to an 11-inch circle. Fit the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure to press it into the sides and the bottom, and crimp the edges as desired. Place the pie shell in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes to chill.
- While the pie shell chills, preheat the oven to 400°F and place oven racks in the lower and middle parts of the oven.
- Remove the pie shell from the freezer. Line it with a round piece of parchment paper, then add pie weights (such as dry rice, beans, or lentils) to fill the pie shell, making sure to push the pie weights to the edges. Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights.
- Return the empty pie shell to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the crust has a matte appearance and is starting to turn light golden. Lower the oven to 350°F and set the pie shell aside until ready to use.
Make the Pumpkin Filling and Bake:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and eggs until combined. Whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin puree, and heavy cream until smooth. Do not overmix because air bubbles can get trapped in the filling.
- Pour the filling into the slightly cooled blind baked pie crust and bake on the middle rack for 45-55 minutes, or until the edges of the filling have puffed about 2 to 2-½ inches in but the center is still slightly wobbly. The middle of the pie should reach an internal temperature of above 180°F. Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust cover if they are browning too quickly.
- Remove the pie from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once it’s fully cool at room temperature, move it to the refrigerator to finish setting up for at least 4 hours.
Notes
Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren’t going to weigh it, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off. If you scoop the flour with the measuring cup and then level it, it could change the final product.
This pie should be stored in the refrigerator.
It can be served straight from the refrigerator, or you can let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
The pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped in the refrigerator.
Originally published in 2021, this recipe has been regularly retested and periodically updated to ensure it continues to deliver great results for readers. The ingredients and method remain the same as the original, but the instructions have been rewritten for clarity.
Pumpkin Pie FAQs
This recipe was first published in 2021. I’ve retested and updated it over the years, and in 2026 it got a refresh with new photos. Because it’s been around for a while, I’ve gathered the questions I hear most often about it here.
I personally don't recommend it, especially not with a pumpkin pie. If you are nervous or short on time for making a pie crust, check out this Press-in Melted Butter Pie Crust recipe.
Yes. You can cut the butter into the flour by hand, or use a stand mixer.
No. Pumpkin filling bakes at a low temperature, which isn't hot enough to fully cook the pastry underneath it. Fully blind baking the crust first is what keeps you from ending up with a soggy bottom, no matter which crust you use.
Yes. This pie should be stored in the refrigerator. It can be served straight from the refrigerator, or you can let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Yes. Refrigerate the pie dough for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. The shaped crust, the macerated filling, and the fully assembled unbaked pie can each be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 day. To freeze the assembled, unbaked pie, freeze it on a sheet pan until solid, at least 12 hours. Then wrap it twice in plastic wrap and once in foil. Bake within 3 months, either thawed overnight in the refrigerator or straight from frozen.
The outer edges of the filling will puff up about 2 to 2-½ inches in, while the center is still slightly wobbly but not liquid. The middle should reach about 180°F on an instant read thermometer.
Overbaking is the most common cause. Take the pie out of the oven while the center is still slightly wobbly, and avoid opening the oven door often or moving the pie in and out to check on it. If your kitchen is very cold, let the pie cool for about 10 minutes in the turned-off oven with the door open before moving it to a wire rack.
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Rose Winks
Best pumpkin pie ever! You are the only one I trust with pies, thank you. 🙂 I made this so many times last year and I cannot wait to make it again come Thanksgiving.
Kelli Avila
I'm so happy you found success with it! Thanks for sharing!
Beth
This recipe is full of details that led to a delicious pie, baked without drama, for a change--thank you! How did I not know until today why my flaky pie crust was a miserable fail in the refrigerated pie?
Sandy
This pumpkin pie was so delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and full of details that gave me so much confidence in the bake.
The crust is excellent too, a nice touch recognizing that something a little different was needed for a pie often eaten cold.
In case you’re wondering, this pie can also be done in a toaster oven as I found out (due to an oven that broke just before the holidays). I had to use tin foil to cover the top—both during the blind bake and bake with the filling. I also lowered the temperature & baking time slightly as I find things cook faster/get hotter in my toaster oven.
My family really enjoyed this and I can’t wait to try again in a conventional oven
Chantal
Pumpkin pie is my husband's favorite so we have had many different versions. After this pie he has declared this "the recipe" that we should keep using from this point forward. It is so well described. Take the time to read through it, it is worth it. I always have my pies crack until I read through this and followed all of the tips!
Marisol Guzman
This pie and crust combination are delicious! I was really amazed at how good the cinnamon crust came out!
Elizabeth Montville
I used this recipe for the pumpkin filling except I add two tablespoons of cook and serve vanilla pudding mix (Jello). If you are concerned about the ingredients in the pudding mix then definitely leave it out. I’ve found that it adds a little more flavor and texture to the pie. People always ask how I make my pumpkin pies and I think this little trick is the reason.
melony
omg yum yum. girl
Lily
Hi Kelli! I’m excited to try this recipe. I agree that traditional crusts are not tasty cold. However I don’t have a food processor. How else can I make your crust by mixer or by hand? What size should the butter pieces be? The process seems similar to a traditional crust. TIA!
Kelli Avila
Hi Lily. You can make this crust by hand by working the butter into the dough until most of the butter is rubbed in. I'd also recommended staring with tiny cubed butter cut by a knife. But it's probably easier to make it in a stand mixer. To do so, cube up the butter fine, then add it to the stand mixer. Paddle on low until it's very crumbly and most of the butter is small pieces. This can take about 5 minutes or longer. Then add the remaining ingredients.
melony
my son just died of diobedes cancer and obeside yesterday and so I disided
to make this pie it was his favarite.
Liz Levitt
I don't know that I'll ever use another pumpkin pie recipe other than this one ever again. It is that dang good! It's also relatively easy to make and follow the directions, and adding cinnamon to the pie crust puts it over the edge. I'm always looking to add that extra something special in my baking and I like to look for recipes that do just that - add something more than just your standard elements. I also love Kelli's clear instructions and explanations for the techniques above the recipe. This was especially useful for my pumpkin puree which I took the time to reduce to cook out some of the water in the canned pumpkin, making the whole pie more "pumpkin-y", and it was absolutely worth the extra effort.
The only note I'll add is that I think a little bit of salt in the pie itself would be useful here, but other than that I loved this pie and so did all of our guests!
N2
My second favorite Thanksgiving pie on your site after The Apple Pie - the Best! Your recipes are well written and explained. My family loves your pies. Happy Days.
Juli Woods
Best recipe for pumpkin pie I’ve ever made. Crust was out of this world. Now a staple in my fall baking.
Sophia
I’ve made it twice. Best pumpkin pie there is!
Iris
This is the perfect pumpkin pie indeed! Just baked one on Sunday for me and my husband, we almost finished it already... Definitely going to bake another one for Thanksgiving, though I'm not sure I can wait that long. yum!
Natasha
My pumpkin pie turned out with cake density for some reason??? It cooked way faster then told time to cook. I cooked it for 30 mins no wobble in the middle
Kelli Avila
Hi Natasha--sounds like a mistake was made, and you likely forgot to add an ingredient. I know it's hard for people to go back in memory when making a recipe and identify a mistake and most people say "I followed the recipe perfectly" but if your pie had a cake like texture and it was fully cooked in 30 minutes, there is no doubt in my mind an ingredient was forgotten or mismeasured. Hope you can figure it out!
Valerie
Maybe Natasha used a fan oven and this is also my inquiry : is the recipe's oven temperature meant for a conventional oven or for a fan oven ?
Looks to me as the temperatures of this recipe are for conventional oven settings
Amy
I’ve made SO many pumpkin pie recipes over the years, and this is by far the BEST one! I’ve found our forever recipe. It has been printed and added to our recipe binder (which is a big deal!) Amazing pie. Amazing instructions.
Kim
My 84 year old mother, a born and bred New Englander who has eaten more than her fare share of pumpkin pies over the years, declare this the best she has ever tasted. Thank you for the great, easy to understand recipe. It will now be the go-to recipe at my house.
Heather
SO so so delicious! Make it every year and it's a hit.
Sophia
Very tasty!
Sally
Your recipes are outstanding!😊
Natalie
Hi Kelli,
I'm back again! I couldn't wait to make this pumpkin pie and it did not disappoint. I liked the flavor and texture with heavy cream vs. evaporated milk. Also, the crust really set this apart. Additionally, I made my first hand whisked whipped cream following your recipe and loved it! Honestly, your directions are so detailed and excellent that even though I'd never made a pie before this fall they have all turned out great, much better than expected for my first pies! Thank you!
Kelli Avila
So glad you enjoyed it! -Kelli
Kay
What brand of pumpkin filling taste the best?
Kelli Avila
I use Whole Foods 365 brand!
Heather
The cinnamon crust and perfectly spiced filling make this pumpkin pie! It was a hit with my family who previously ate "the recipe on the can." The crust came together easily in the food processor, rested overnight in the fridge and rolled perfectly the next day. Looking forward to making this recipe again and again.
Kelli Avila
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, Heather! So glad you and your family enjoyed! -Kelli
Lauren
Easily one of the best pumpkin pie recipes I’ve made! The flavors are so so so delicious, and the crust is great too. This was my first time making my own flakey pie crust, and it turned out better than I expected. Will be coming back to this recipe again and again 🥰.
Cindy
My kids (10 and 8 years) and I made this recipe from start to finish. First of all – it’s delicious! We were all thrilled with the result and my kids so proud. The cinnamon crust is amazing – I love that extra twist! We followed the recipe and found it straight forward and clear (a plus in any recipe) and best of all, any questions we had were already explained with Kelli’s careful descriptions and pictures. It was as if she had already anticipated the thoughts of a newbie pie crust maker.
I love that alternatives are offered as we have a relative with celiac disease, so a gluten-free option is brilliant. Kelli has easily accessible links built into her recipes so that you don’t have to hunt things down.
And, I love the tips and insights (like not only how to avoid getting cracks in the pie, but the explanations for why it happens – my kids also loved these insights). And, finally I LOVED that she helped guide us on how you know when the pie is done. This has always confused me, and I lean towards overbaking. Her description on how to assess was spot on and we baked it perfectly.
I cannot recommend this recipe and website more! We can’t wait to make more pies – I am leaning towards the cranberry/blueberry pie and my kids for apple crumble pie. Looking forward to trying both!
Kelli Avila
Thank you so much Cindy for stopping by and sharing such a thorough review of your experience with the recipe. And I'm so glad it was such a fun experience for the whole family!