Homemade Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

I’m a bit biased but this is the Best Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe from scratch and the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert in my opinion. I prefer pumpkin pie with a little booze enhanced flavor, served cold, and always with a homemade crust.

This pumpkin pie recipe uses fresh, oven roasted pumpkin. Although using canned pumpkin still works, I just love the flavor of roasted squash. The pie’s texture is achieved with a mixture of heavy cream, sour cream, and mascarpone. I’ve made many pies over the years using just heavy cream, and I found this to be my favorite combination.

To enhance the pumpkin’s flavor, I’ve added bourbon, vanilla, and fall spices. The alcohol in the bourbon cooks away, leaving a nice, balanced taste. If you prefer to use something else, swap the bourbon for maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

• Homemade Pie Crust that’s buttery and flaky makes all the difference here. Make the dough a day ahead and keep it in the fridge until ready to make your pie.
  • Note: I use the full dough recipe, and for any scraps not used for the bottom layer, I create a decorative braid for the edge.
• Light Brown Sugar adds a warm, molasses flavor that deepens the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.
  • Note: Swap evenly for dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar balances the rich notes from the brown sugar and keeps the filling from tasting too heavy.
• Cornmeal helps thicken the filling and adds a subtle texture that keeps the custard from feeling too one-note.
  • Note: If you don’t have it, fine semolina or all purpose flour can work in a pinch. I promise it doesn’t taste grainy.
• Warm Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves) are classic pumpkin pie spices, but here they’re bold and balanced.
  • Note: Measure carefully, cloves especially can overpower if you go heavy-handed.
• Fresh Roasted Pumpkin Puree is what makes this holiday dessert stand apart from the traditional pumpkin pies. Roasting sugar pumpkins (or other sweet baking varieties like kabocha or red kuri) concentrates their flavor and gives a natural sweetness canned puree can’t match.
  • Note: After roasting, puree until silky smooth and let any excess liquid drain off, too much water can make the filling loose. You can prepare the puree a day ahead so it’s ready to go when you start baking.
• Cognac or Bourbon is my secret “depth” ingredient. Alcohol burns off in baking, leaving behind a subtle complexity.
  • Note: If you’d like to skip it, the pie is still wonderful. Or use just 1 Tbsp to try it out.
  • Bourbon Brands: Choose a bourbon or cognac that you like the taste of, something mild and slightly sweet, with soft caramel notes. I have tested with Woodford, Makers Mark, Buffalo Trace, and a few French Armagnacs.
• Heavy Whipping Cream with 33-35% fat makes the filling silky smooth and creamy.
  • Note: Avoid half-and-half, which won’t give quite the same richness. Lots of pumpkin pies are made with sweetened condensed milk, though I find it a bit too sweet for my personal taste.
• Mascarpone Cheese is a must, it adds a delicate creaminess and a bit of body to the custard.
  • Note: To substitute use more sour cream or cream cheese, but mascarpone keeps the flavor extra luxurious. It’s worth it!
• Sour Cream adds some tanginess that balances out the sweetness.
• Eggs: Whisk them in gently so the filling stays silky instead of airy (too much whipping = a cracked top).

Homemade Pie Crust

Now, there are a few important steps to achieve this fabulous Holiday Pie. First, you must make a pie crust from scratch using my Homemade Pie Crust Recipe. This recipe makes enough for two 9-inch pie crusts. You can use one half for the bottom pie crust and the other for making a decorative braided edge.

It will only take you about 10 minutes to form the pie crust dough. Wrap the baby in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Trust me, you will get major baking props on Thanksgiving.

Fresh Pumpkin Filling or Canned Pumpkin Filling

For this pie recipe you can use either fresh pumpkin purée or canned pumpkin purée. Just be sure to evenly measure out 2 cups (450 grams) of pumpkin purée for your pie filling.

• Can pumpkin that weighs 16 ounces is roughly 2 cups of puree. All you need to do is measure and mix it in.
• Fresh pumpkin requires a few extra steps and is a great way to use any leftover pumpkin decor. You will need to roast and puree the pumpkin flesh when using fresh pumpkin puree. There is often excess water when making fresh puree that will need to drain.
• Drain fresh pumpkin puree before using. Simply scrape the pumpkin flesh from the baked pumpkins, puree in a food processor, then let it sit on a sieve or colander for about 20 minutes for excess water to drain. You can gently press the water out to get the consistency of a puree that will sit on a spoon, but not so much that it is dry. Aim for a moist, not watery consistency.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie Filling

Next, take those extra pumpkins you aren’t using for decoration and make fresh pumpkin puree. Another key factor in the amazing taste of this pumpkin pie. Simply slice your pumpkins in half, scrape out all the seeds, and bake them for about 45 minutes. Scoop the soft baked flesh from the skins and puree. Whoa!! Yep, you have channeled your inner Martha Stewart.

Which Pumpkins Do I Choose?

When looking for the best baking pumpkins, choose those labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins” in the store. Pumpkins are basically a winter squash, so substituting between them can be tricky. Here are a few of my favorite pumpkins to use for baking a pie.

• Baby Bear are smaller about 2 pounds that are classically shaped and soft orange.
• Cinderella resemble the flatter carriage shaped pumpkin with bright colors. Ranging between 10-25 pounds with minimal strings inside and lovely sweet flesh for pie.
• Jarrahdale are the pale blue-greenish grey pumpkins and my favorite for decorating. They weight 6-10 pounds each, have basically no strings, and a fruity delicious golden flesh.
• Dickinson resembles the soft pale color and flavor of butternut squash. It is mainly used for canned pumpkin pie filling you find in the stores.
• Red Kuri Squash is the pumpkin cousin used in France for making pies. With its deep red-orange skin and bright orange flesh, this stout little squash brings a natural sweetness with a hint of chestnut.

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Purée

It’s quite easy to make homemade pumpkin purée from scratch. To cook pumpkin for pie, take two small or one medium sized sugar pumpkin and first remove the stems and cut the pumpkins into halves. Using a big metal spoon scrape out the pumpkin seeds and stringy pulp. Line a rimmed baking pan with two layers of parchment paper. Lightly salt the flesh of the pumpkins and place the halves flesh side down on the pan.

Bake the pumpkin halves at 400℉ (200℃) for about 35-40 minutes until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Remove pan from the oven, let the pumpkins cool for about 15 minutes, then scoop out the pulp. Use an immersion blender or a food processor to puree the pulp into a smooth consistency.

If you notice a pool of water forming in the container of puree, simply drain the excess water. Do not remove all the moisture or you will have very dry pumpkin puree.

Best Pie Dish for Pumpkin Pie

My two favorite pie dishes are aluminized steel and ceramic.

• I love the USA pan bakeware 9 inch pie dish and have about 4 of them in my kitchen.
• My next favorite are the made in France, Emile Henry ceramic fluted pie dishes. Ceramic pans will need a little more baking time.

Do You Need to Blind Bake the Crust?

The option to partially baking the pie crust before adding the filling is always a personal one. With must custard pies or quiches I definitely recommend this step to ensure the bottom crust is thoroughly cooked through.

Pumpkin Pie without pre baking the crust.

If you choose not to prebake the crust it may be slightly under baked, but I have done this several times and the results were passable. Roll out the pie crust dough, fit to the pan and add your crimping. Dock the sides and bottom of the crust with a fork. Place the lined pie dish in the freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃). Pre cook the filling per directions in the recipe. Place the frozen pie crust pan on a baking sheet. The initial higher temperature helps bake the crust, but will need to be turned down to prevent over cooking the pumpkin custard.

Pour the warm filling into the cold or frozen homemade pie crust. Bake pie in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes. Then, lower the oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃) and continue to cook the pie for a further 30-40 minutes until the very center of the pie has just a slight jiggle. Remove from heat and place the pie on a wire rack to completely cool.

Pumpkin Pie with a Par Baked Crust

Don’t stress it’s much easier than you think to pre bake a pie crust. Simply roll out the pie crust dough, fit to the pan and add your crimping. Prick the sides and bottom of the crust with a fork. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes in the fridge until firm. Line the dough with a couple sheets of parchment paper and fill to the top with pie weights or dried beans. The weight will prevent the pie from puffing and shrinking in the oven.

Set the pie on a baking sheet to transfer additional heat to the bottom of the pie and bake for about 15 minutes in the lower third of the oven at 425℉ (220℃). Set the pie pan on a kitchen towel. To remove the pie weights, lift up on the parchment paper and transfer them to a large bowl.

3. Place the pie back in the oven to bake for another 6-8 minutes until the bottom crust begins to lightly brown. If the center puffs up, don’t worry it will sink back down as it cools, you can poke it gently with a toothpick to deflate. You can also gently press it down with your fingers too. Transfer the pie pan onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before adding the filling and baking the pie.

Pumpkin Pie Lessons

I have been eating and making pumpkin pie for many years. I always mixed my ingredients, poured them into a partially baked pie crust, and hoped the pie wouldn’t crack when it cooled. I’ve had underdone and overdone pies, too soft and too firm.

Well, after a lot of research of expert bakers with a little trial and error, I’ve found the method that works best for me. ‘The Kitchn’ published an article, ‘Mistakes to make when baking pumpkin pie,’ and I was happy to try out pre-cooking my filling for the first time. This was a game changer for me, and I will be preparing my squash pies this way from now on.

Although I go back and forth between pre-baking the pie crust and skipping the step completely, I’m happy with both outcomes. The main thing is to have a cold dough, especially when making a decorative pie crust to maintain the design. Either way, it’s always a delicious homemade flaky crust and pumpkin pie filling.

If you prefer a sweeter pie, add a few more tablespoons of sugar. Or if you’re a big fan of spice, add 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon extra of your favorite spices. Swap the bourbon for cognac or rum. You can even use maple syrup in place of the bourbon if you like!

Leftovers, Storage, and Freezing

• Refrigerate: Since pumpkin pie is a custard pie, I find it best to store it covered with aluminum foil in the fridge. If it sweats slightly, dab gently with a paper towel before serving.
• Room Temp: Baked pie can be kept at room temperature for 1-2 days, preventing a film or sweat from forming in the fridge. Cover with a cake dome or upside-down bowl and store on the kitchen counter.
• Sliced Pumpkin Pie: Cover with foil or loose plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I actually prefer a cold slice of pumpkin pie.
• Freezing Pie: Pumpkin pie freezes surprisingly well. Wrap the chilled whole pie tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
• Pumpkin Puree: If you’ve roasted extra, freeze in 1-cup portions so it’s easy to pull out just what you need for soups, breads, or another pie.

★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!