I don't know why pumpkin pie is relegated to only shine at Thanksgiving. I could eat it every day of the year. Especially when it's pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkin. This is a recipe that's *truly* made from scratch.
I feel compelled to tell you I'm usually more hilarious than what follows. But homemade pumpkin pie is serious business. I expect you understand.
This coming weekend in Canada is Thanksgiving which means for those of us here - it's pumpkin pie season. And turkey, stuffing, red cabbage, turnip, broccoli casserole, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans and bun season.
It's quickly followed by moaning season.
Table of Contents
Pie Pumpkins
Pie pumpkins are smaller & sweeter than regular old pumpkins which makes them perfect for a pumpkin pie recipe. You just need to turn them into pumpkin puree. You can get them at the grocery store or you can go all in and grow your own pumpkins and pretty much everything else like I do.
How Do You Make Pumpkin Puree?
First things first ... like I said, you need a pie pumpkin. These are the smaller pumpkins you see around. About the size of a toddler's head.
- Your first job is to crack off the stem and then cut the pumpkin in half with a good chef's knife.
- Scoop out all of the guts and fibres ... then place face down on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes - 1 hr.
Inside it'll look just like a squash or a Halloween pumpkin does when you split it in half. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, save the pumpkin seeds for roasting.
TIP
*If the wall of your pie pumpkin is thin you might need 2 of them. If it's thick it should be enough for a pie*
- The pumpkins are done when they're easily pierced with a fork.
- When they've cooled a bit, flip the pumpkins over and grab a spoon. Scrape the flesh out of the pumpkins and put it into a bowl.
- Puree your pumpkin either in a traditional blender or with a hand blender.
- Blend it until it has a very smooth consistency. Put the pumpkin puree into a swath of cheesecloth and let it drain for a couple of hours.
ALERT for cheesecloth people: Hemmed, washable, re-useable cheesecloth exists.
You have now made pumpkin puree.
Special Notes
- One small pumpkin will yield around 3 cups. This is normally plenty for one pie but if you're unsure, just grab two of them and use the other to make pumpkin ravioli with browned butter sauce & crispy sage leaves.
- Your drained liquid will probably be about a cup.
- Don't squeeze the cheesecloth to drain the pumpkin. The puree is fine and will squidge through the cheesecloth too.
Now we can make pumpkin pie.
What kind of pumpkin is used for pumpkin pie?
In general any pumpkin that's meant for eating can be made into pie. Some may be more dry and some more liquidey. Some may be sweeter than others (pie pumpkins area also called sugar pumpkins) but once you drain the liquid from any cooked pumpkin and add the rest of the pie ingredients you shouldn't notice any big difference between a pie made with pie pumpkins or any other pumpkin.
Also - YOU CAN USE SQUASH.
A pumpkin is a type of squash.
A few years ago there was a worldwide Facebook-shared panic that somehow squash was making its way into canned pumpkin. People were completely out of their minds over the thought of this.
Calm down. They're the same thing. And some squash are so sweet (Delicata for instance) that they make better tasting pumpkin pies anyway.
So when pie pumpkins aren't in season and you hanker for pumpkin pie, just grab a squash for the job. Incidentally, if a can of pumpkin puree contains "squash" it'll say so. You shouldn't care if it does.
Pumpkin Pie Making Tips
- Use a sweet squash if you can't find pie pumpkins (kabocha, delicata, buttercup)
- In a rush? Use a store bought crust. They're actually pretty good.
- Yes you can freeze pumpkin pie! So go ahead and make it in advance if you want.
- If your crust is browning too much, cover it with a pie crust shield (or just some tin foil)
- Store it in the refrigerator. It's a custard base so it needs to be kept in the fridge, not out on the counter at room temperature.
This is the dough recipe I use. It will never fail you. It's the old fashioned, Tenderflake recipe famous in Canada.
I'm using my biggest, deepest, Pyrex pie dish here because they heat evenly but old dark, old aluminum pie plates make an excellent crust as well.
How To Blind Bake
- Line unbaked pie with parchment paper, then fill with beans, dried peas, lentils or actual pie weights.
- Refrigerate the crust for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
- Remove parchment and weights, then bake for another 5 minutes.
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Top with Maple Syrup Whipped Cream and enjoy!
PUMPKIN PIE MADE WITH ... GASP ... PUMPKINS!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pumpkin Puree
- 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsps. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. cloves You can also substitute with allspice
- ¼ tsp. lemon zest
- 1 pie crust
Pumpkin Puree
- 1 pie pumpkin 2.5 lbs
Instructions
Pumpkin Puree
- Cut pie pumpkin in half and scoop out the guts. Cook face down on a greased baking sheet until fork tender. 30-45 minutes in a 350 F oven.
- Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and puree with an immersion blender.
- Strain the puree through cheesecloth. Around 1 cup of liquid should come out over a few hours.
- You now have pumpkin puree!
Pumpkin Pie Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Add sugar, salt, spices and lemon zest to bowl and mix.
- Beat the eggs very well and add them to the bowl of mixed ingredients.
- Mix in YOUR HOMEMADE pumpkin puree and evaporated milk and combine well.
- Roll out pie crust and put in pie plate.
- Blind bake your pie crust. To blind bake: line your pie crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, rice or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 F. Remove parchment paper and weights, then bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove blind baked crust from the oven and fill it with the pumpkin mixture.
- Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 F and bake an additional 40-50 minutes. If the crust starts to darken, cover it with tin foil for the remainder of the bake.
- The pie is done when the centre reaches a temperature of 175 F. A knife should come out *almost* clean. Just a speck or two of filling on it.
- Let it cool and set up on a wire rack.
Notes
- Use a sweet squash if you can't find pie pumpkins (kabocha, delicata, buttercup)
- In a rush? Use a store bought crust. They're actually pretty good.
- Yes you can freeze pumpkin pie! So go ahead and make it in advance if you want.
- Pour your filling into the prebaked pie shell on the counter until almost full. Then put the pie in your oven and pour the rest of the filling in. This lets you get the pie as full as possible without the chance of spilling.
- If your crust is browning too much, cover it with a pie crust shield (or just some tin foil)
- Store your pumpkin pie in the refrigerator. It's a custard base so it needs to be kept in the fridge, not out on the counter.
- Use a Pyrex pie plate. It might not look as good as a vintage metal one, but they work better. You'll get a better crust with Pyrex.
Nutrition
Tools For Successful Pie Making
Anchor Hocking 9.5-Inch Deep Pie Plate
This is going to get you an evenly cooked and golden pie crust. I FOUGHT using a glass pie plate for years because I don't like how they look. I finally gave in and started using one and my pies changed completely.
Whipped Cream Dispenser
I have a Whip It Whipped Cream dispenser and it's always worked great for me but it doesn't get good reviews on Amazon. So I've chosen t his one for you based on its reviews and price. It whips ½ litre of heavy cream.
Unbleached Cheesecloth
I swear I can never find cheesecloth in the grocery store. It's like it's a game to see how well the store can hide it. (I also line my turkey with cheesecloth before stuffing it so you don't get guck on the stuffing. Plus to remove the stuffing you just pull out the bag of cheesecloth!)
Oster Hand Blender
My immersion blender is so old they don't sell it anymore but this one is as close to mine as I could find.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Anything cool we ought to do with the strained pumpkin juice? : )
In my favorite recipe we use graham cracker crust and one egg yolk brushed around the crust and baked at 375 for five minutes to hold the crust together.
Graham cracker! For pumpkin pie! If I didn't have a mound of pie dough in the freezer I'd be trying it immediately. ~ karen!
Have not eaten it yet but it looks good and smells good to me. Tasted a small dot and it was good. Recipe does show you how to make pumpkin puree thanks ! Did not drain with cheese cloth for the full 2 hours 30 min seemed to be just fine.
Wow, that's a beautiful pie Chloe. And yes, it takes different amounts of time to drain depending on how dry the pumpkin/squash is. Hope it tasted great. ~ karen!
When you freeze the pie, do you leave it in the Pyrex dish? Or would you remove it? I plan on making several pies, to freeze, but only have one Pyrex!
Hi Terry. I always freeze any pies by piece actually! It's better for how I plan to use the pie, which is single servings. I just let the pie cool completely, pat dry any condensation, and freeze. I only own 1 Pyrex pie dish too ~ karen!
Thanks so much!!
Dear Karen,
I am a cast iron pan addict...so I bought a cast iron pie pan and have never used it. Have you tried that?
Thanks...Love your posts as always.
Hi Alda. I use cast iron every day but I don't think I've ever used one for cooking a crust! ~ karen
Great pie! Tasted delicious, have never tried making pumpkin pie with real pumpkin turned out great!
That looks really good! It looks like you drained it to the perfect consistency. ~ karen!
It is still hot from the oven but it’s beautiful, it smells wonderful and I grew that pumpkin!!!
Yes!! That looks great. Let me know how it was and if you'd make any changes. ~ karen!
I wouldn’t change a thing except make my own crust. The store bought was salty but the filling was perfect! The only other time I tried to make my own pumpkin puree I did what I saw my mom do, I boiled it. By roasting it you don’t add in water and boil out flavor. For my 5 pound pumpkin I got just over 3 cups of puree and two cups of water which I used in the goulash I was making! I saved the extra puree in a mason jar, vacuum sealed it, and popped it in the fridge. When the pie is gone it I will use it for a pumpkin scone recipe I just found.
I saw a cute little Pie Pumpkin at a local farmers market last week so i thought this is the year i will make your REAL pumpkin pie from scratch….made it yesterday, we are having our turkey tomorrow. Anyway, i dithered and dathered about the crust- fully intending to make one from scratch of course..but then life intervened, and i capitulated and bought a frozen one- but checked that it was at least made with LARD, not coconut oil )Anyway. Pie turned out GREAT ! (Crust was ok but i am still feeling like i let myself and all the other Karens down by using the frozen one)
I'm glad you tried it and happy you liked it. Pumpkin really is my favourite. ~ karen!
My grandmother made the best pumpkin pie. Her recipe reads in part:
"a glug of Karo syrup". Love that!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family.
I realize that my greeting won't be "Official" until Monday the 14th - and I am nothing if not law-abiding and traditional - but this here Chicago geezer wishes you and yours a bountiful and joyous Thanksgiving. If you are hosting this year, do try to remain as sane as the event permits. Luv ya.
It is officially the 14th, so I can thank you. ~ karen!
Dear Karen B.,
I decided to look at “older comments” in today’s pumpkin pie post. I’ve read it for the last several years and thought…I wonder how far back this particular blog post goes? I read through 2010 and have a much clearer vision of the blog’s evolution. I must say, you showed a lot of restraint by not answering the rudest bitch ever, named Sara, who called you stupid but used atrocious grammar and spelling, just in one sentence too.
I recognize that today’s Karen would likely not be as forgiving and rightfully so. Another couple of rude comments in the abyss too.
This made me very uncomfortable. I think of you as a nice place to visit on the scary information superhighway, not a hostile social media crapfest.
I blind bake any pie crust that has a liquid base like this recipe. I have not made your recipe YET but only because I get Space Madness every holiday season and am trying to simplify. Costco is less than a mile from my garage and they make a very good pie BUT the very best thing from their bakery is the cheesecake. It’s downright dangerously magnificent.
That said, I think I may have to make this recipe. Finally.
As you made changes to your original posting of this recipe I think you upped your writing game and made the recipe better. This is the supreme test of growth.
One idiot who was rude to you around the 2012 mark had the brass balls to accuse you of not being a gardener. She made a nasty remark and I wanted to meet up with her and jump scare her Stephen King style. You know, dressed like Elon Musk in a skimpy crop top and leap around screaming. That should do it.
Not a gardener!!!!! I’m livid.
LOL. I'll have to go re-read those comments and see if I replied at all. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't, sometimes I offered them their money back. ~ karen!
Fantastic instructions. No stone left unturned. What time is dinner with the fam? I'll be there!
Hi Kathryn! Well darn. It's over. ;) ~ karen!
DON'T COOK ANYTHING WITH HALLOWEEN PUMPKINS
Halloween pumpkins aren't grown to taste good. They just aren't. Trust me ...
...Or you could learn the hard way, like I did. I couldn't understand why my pumpkin dishes that had been so delicious were so boring when I repurposed my jack-o-lanterns until I read that fact after many years.
OMG, Karen! I wanted to try your pumpkin pie recipe for thanksgiving this weekend and it says it is just for one pie. I needed two, so I doubled the recipe and now I have so much pumpkin pie filling I will have to make two more pies and give them away. Or can I freeze them? I love pumpkin pie but it may be too much…
P.S. What kind of enormous pie plate do you use?!
Hi Trish. You can freeze it. I use the Anchor Hocking deep dish pie plate that I mention in the post which is indeed close to twice as deep as a regular pie plate I bet. ~ karen!