Ah, the heavenly scent of homemade classic pumpkin pie baking in the oven! Doesn’t it just tantalize the taste buds!
While fresh pumpkin can certainly be cooked and puréed for this recipe, canned pure pumpkin purée also works well and is a lot quicker and less messy so that’s what I am using in this Pumpkin Pie recipe. It’s really important, however, to ensure that the can label reads “pure pumpkin purée” and NOT “pumpkin pie filling”. These are two separate products. With the purée, the cook adds the ingredients of choice to make the pie whereas, with pumpkin pie filling, the producer has already done that.
I like to make my own pumpkin pie filling because I can customize it with ingredients of choice and, in particular, a curated blend of spices. For this pie, I use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves and I also add two spices – mace and cardamom – in small quantities. I have listed the mace and cardamom as optional but I do recommend adding them as they enhance the filling.
The two spices may be lesser used spices in many kitchens but, if you have access to a bulk food store where you can buy small amounts of spices, I do suggest using them. If you can’t purchase mace and cardamom in small amounts and unless you use these on a regular basis, I would not recommend buying a big bottle of each just for this pie as the four main spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) will produce a lovely tasting pie on their own.
This is a large pie so you will need a deep pie plate that is 9½“ – 10” in diameter and that has the capacity to hold 4 cups of liquid ingredients after the pie shell has been placed in the pie plate. I strongly recommend that you measure water into the pie plate you intend to use and ensure that it can take a good 4 cups of liquid before you begin to make the pie. Not all 9½“ – 10” diameter pie plates are created equally – some are, in fact, quite shallow and will not accommodate this amount of pie filling. Pie plates may have the same diameter but not the same depth and you don’t want to make the filling only to discover that your pie plate is not large enough to accommodate it. This is intended to be a lovely deep pie.
This filling works well for tarts, too. Both the pie and tarts freeze well and I love going to the freezer and taking out a slice of pumpkin pie or a pumpkin tart. Simply let them thaw at room temperature and they’ll be just like fresh baked from the oven.
If desired, dress up the pie (or tarts) with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
Pastry for 9½” – 10” pie:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour, if required)
½ tsp salt
1¼ tsp granulated sugar
¼ cup butter
¼ cup lard
1 large egg, beaten
¾ tsp white vinegar
Enough ice-cold water to equal 2/3 cup when combined with the beaten egg and vinegar
Filling:
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1¾ cups pure pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/8 cups evaporated milk
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2½ tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp mace (optional)
1/16 tsp cardamom (optional)
Method:
For Pastry:
In medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together. Cut the butter and lard into small chunks and add to the flour. Toss to coat the fats with the flour mixture. With a wire pastry cutter, cut the butter and lard into the flour until the fats resemble the size of large peas.
In a measuring cup, whisk the egg and vinegar together. Add enough ice-cold water to measure 2/3 cup. Add the egg-vinegar-water mixture to the flour, small amounts at a time, and mix with a fork. Add only enough liquid mixture that the dough clings together and can be formed into a ball. Note that the entire 2/3 cup of liquid may not be needed. Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.
Form dough into disk shape, place in sealed plastic bag, and transfer to refrigerator for about 25-30 minutes to chill. Remove disk from the refrigerator and, on lightly floured surface, roll pastry to desired thickness, generally between 1/16”and 1/8” thick. Transfer pastry into a deep 9½” – 10” diameter pie plate that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray or very lightly greased and has the capacity to hold 4 cups of liquid filling. Trim excess dough and finish pastry edges as desired. In order to reduce pastry shrinkage during baking, place pie shell in refrigerator for approximately 20-25 minutes to chill.
While pie shell is chilling, position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare the filling as follows.
Filling:
In small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and spices together until well mixed.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, lightly beat the whole eggs and egg yolk together at medium speed. Add the sugars and mix just until combined. With mixer set to medium-low speed, whisk in the pumpkin purée and cornstarch and spice mixture followed by the milk and maple syrup. Ensure that all ingredients are well incorporated, stopping to scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Remove pie shell from refrigerator and place on foil-lined rimmed cookie sheet or pizza pan. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Transfer pie to oven and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F before reducing oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie for 55-60 minutes or until set and a knife inserted in pie center comes out clean. Transfer pie to wire rack to cool completely then refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Yield: Apx. 8 slices
For hints and tips on making pastry, check out this posting.
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Printable Recipe:
Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Pastry for 9½” - 10” pie:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour, if required)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup lard
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¾ tsp white vinegar
- Enough ice-cold water to equal 2/3 cup when combined with the beaten egg and vinegar
Filling:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups pure pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 1/8 cups evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2½ tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp mace (optional)
- 1/16 tsp cardamom (optional)
Instructions
- For Pastry: In medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together. Cut the butter and lard into small chunks and add to the flour. Toss to coat the fats with the flour mixture. With a wire pastry cutter, cut the butter and lard into the flour until the fats resemble the size of large peas.
- In a measuring cup, whisk the egg and vinegar together. Add enough ice-cold water to measure 2/3 cup. Add the egg-vinegar-water mixture to the flour, small amounts at a time, and mix with a fork. Add only enough liquid mixture that the dough clings together and can be formed into a ball. Note that the entire 2/3 cup of liquid may not be needed. Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.
Form dough into disk shape and place in the refrigerator for about 25-30 minutes to chill. Remove disk from the refrigerator and, on lightly floured surface, roll pastry to desired thickness, generally between 1/16”and 1/8” thick. Transfer pastry into a deep 9½” - 10” diameter pie plate that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray or very lightly greased and has the capacity to hold 4 cups of liquid filling. Trim excess dough and finish pastry edges as desired. In order to reduce pastry shrinkage during baking, place pie shell in refrigerator for approximately 20-25 minutes to chill.
- While pie shell is chilling, position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare the filling as follows.
- For Filling: In small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and spices together until well mixed.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, lightly beat the whole eggs and egg yolk together at medium speed. Add the sugars and mix just until combined. With mixer set to medium-low speed, whisk in the pumpkin purée and cornstarch and spice mixture followed by the milk and maple syrup. Ensure that all ingredients are well incorporated, stopping to scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
- Remove pie shell from refrigerator and place on foil-lined rimmed cookie sheet or pizza pan. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Transfer pie to oven and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F before reducing oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie for 55-60 minutes or until set and a knife inserted in pie center comes out clean. Transfer pie to wire rack to cool completely then refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx. 8 slices
You may also enjoy this Squash Pie recipe from My Island Bistro Kitchen.
