Pumpkin custard pie is the ultimate autumn comfort food. It's all about cozy, pumpkin spiced goodness mixed with a creamy filling, making for a most delicious dessert.
Why you'll love this recipe
It's fall, y'all! Pumpkin custard pie offers a delightful combination of warm, earthy pumpkin flavors and cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It's a burst of autumn goodness in every tasty bite.
Easy to make: The custard filling in this pie is incredibly creamy and velvety - perfectly contrasting the flaky pie crust. But don't let that intimidate you because it's actually easy to make. For reference, I sent the ingredients to my daughter at college so she could make it.
Warm and cozy vibes: The scent of this perfect fall dessert will make your kitchen smell better than even your best autumn candle! Homemade pumpkin pie fills the house with the irresistible scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin. I kinda want to cuddle up with a blanket now!
This was inspired by my mini pumpkin pie recipe and pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust, and pairs well with these fall mocktail recipes.
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Ingredients
A few simple ingredients are all you need to make a creamy pumpkin pie. Here are the key players.
- pie crust - Pre-made store-bought crusts are convenient, or you can make your own from scratch. I have no problem using a Pillsbury pie crust because life is hard, you know?
- real pumpkin puree - the only ingredient listed on the can should be pumpkin puree. This is different than pumpkin pie filling. If you have extra canned pumpkin in your pantry, you can also make pumpkin pie bars.
- evaporated milk
- cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves - these are the spices that traditionally make up pumpkin pie spice.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Pumpkin Puree: If you don't have canned pumpkin puree, you can use homemade pumpkin puree. You can also substitute it with butternut squash or sweet potato puree for a similar flavor and texture.
- Sweetener: Instead of brown sugar, you can use granulated or white sugar, maple syrup, honey, or a sugar substitute like stevia or erythritol for a lower-sugar option.
- Gluten-Free: To make a gluten-free pumpkin custard pie, use a gluten-free pie crust and ensure that all your other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Pumpkin pie spice - if you already have this in your cabinet and are looking to put it to use, you can use it in place of the individual spices.
How to make pumpkin custard pie
Step #1: Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and follow the package instructions for thawing and unrolling it.
Transfer the unbaked pie crust to the pie pan, covering the bottom and edges of the pan.
Line the inside of the pie crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill the lined crust with pie weights or about 2 cups rice or dried beans.
I don't have pie weights and just use beans. These can be saved and reused for future pies, if you wish.
Bake the pie crust for 7-10 minutes. Remove the pie weights or beans. Set aside.
Step #2: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Mix pie filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Pour mixture into the pie crust, taking care not to overfill.
Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 45-55 minutes, until pie filling is just set.
Note: Half way through the cooking time, check the crust to make sure it's not over browning.
You can add foil over the edges to cover the crust if it's starting to get too dark.
Remove from oven and cool for several hours before serving. I like mine chilled.
Garnish with some whipped cream and ground cinnamon.
Variations
- Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your taste. You can use more or less cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or even add a dash of allspice or ginger for extra complexity.
- Pie Crust: You can use a traditional pie crust, a graham cracker crust, or a gluten-free crust depending on your dietary needs.
- Texture Adjustments: For a firmer custard, you can add an extra egg or two. For a lighter texture, you can decrease the number of eggs or use only egg whites.
See this pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust or pumpkin pie with condensed milk for other fun variations.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy pumpkin pie as is, topped with whipped cream, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to store baked pumpkin pie
Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature, typically for 2-3 hours.
Once it has cooled, cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent direct air exposure.
Store the pie in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Pumpkin pie is perishable due to the dairy and eggs in the filling, so it should be refrigerated within 2 hours of baking.
Consume the pie within 3-4 days, if it lasts that long!
Top tip
Blind baking means partially or fully baking the pie crust before adding the filling. This step is crucial for achieving a crisp, flaky crust that doesn't become soggy once you add the moist pumpkin filling.
Recipe FAQ
Canned pumpkin, unlike pumpkin pie mix, typically contains no spices, sugars, or additional additives; often, the sole ingredient is pure pumpkin.
If you tried this pumpkin custard pie or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments. Hungry for more? Be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Related
Looking for other pumpkin recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with pumpkin custard pie:
Pumpkin Custard Pie
Equipment
- 9" pie pan
Ingredients
- 15 ounce ready to bake pie crust
- 15 ounces real pumpkin puree
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.Follow the package instructions for thawing and unrolling. It may need to sit at room temperature for a bit. Transfer the crust to your pie pan, covering the bottom and edges of the pan. You can use your fingers to crimp the crust, or use a fork around the sides of the pan if you want to be fancy.
- To prevent the crust from puffing up during baking, use a fork to gently prick the bottom and sides of the crust. This is called "docking."
- Line the inside of the pie crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper.Fill the foil-lined crust with pie weights or about 2 cups rice or dried beans. (I don't have pie weights and just use beans.)
- Place the pie dish with the foil and weights in the preheated oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. This initial baking will help set the crust.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix pie filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Transfer pie filling to the pie crust, taking care not to overfill.Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 45-55 minutes, until pie filling is just set. The pie should be cooked to a temperature of 180°F when measured with an instant read thermometer.Note: Half way through the cooking time, check the crust to make sure it's not over browning. You can add foil over the edges to cover the crust if it's starting to get too dark.
- Remove from oven and cool for several hours before serving. (I like mine chilled). Garnish with some whipped cream and ground cinnamon.
Carlee
What a luscious pumpkin pie! I don't know why we wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy pumpkin pie, I think we should have them all fall long.
Deanne Frieders
I agree Carlee! I'm making it tomorrow as a field meal dessert 🙂