An easy foolproof pumpkin pie recipe that is creamy with just the right amount of spice. A simple American pumpkin pie recipe made with sweetened condensed milk. This is truly the best pumpkin pie recipe baked in an all-butter, flaky pie crust!
This Easy Foolproof Pumpkin Pie is richly spiced and only requires a few ingredients. Simply whisk everything together, pour it into a crust and bake! It is an iconic American pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving or any crisp, Fall day!
The holidays can get crazy and the only thing that is certain is that something will go wrong. But just know that no matter what else happens, this Pumpkin Pie will come through and will be perfect every time. Also know that I am here for you for all your Holiday dessert favorites like classic pecan pie, sweet potato pie and mile high apple pie! You could throw in my Mom’s Apple Crisp just to mix it up! In fact, any of these 25 Best Pumpkin Recipes will bring your holidays to the next level.
Table of Contents
Why is this an Easy Foolproof Pumpkin Pie Recipe?
- This pumpkin pie filling is made with sweetened condensed milk for a rich flavor and thick custard filling. Its low water content means that this pumpkin pie will bake perfectly every single time.
- It only has 4 Ingredients! My easy foolproof pumpkin pie recipe only has three ingredients plus the spices. You could also substitute 4 teaspoons of my Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix instead of measuring the individual spices!
What are the keys to the Best Pumpkin Pie?
- Spices that are as fine-tuned as my Mom’s piano. I’ve converted my gram measurements to the more typical teaspoons because most home scales are only accurate +/- 2 g. I use a specific scale for spices, leavening and salt at work. Here it is the micro-scale that I use if you also want to be a little crazy like me.
- Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness without adding moisture. It helps thicken the custard and gives the final filling that extra richness.
- Par bake your crust. Nobody likes soggy bottoms. Not Mary-Berry and definitely not me. Here is my YouTube Tutorial on how to par bake a pie crust.
- Don’t poke your pie, use the wiggle test instead! It deserves an un-cracked beautiful surface. Instead of stabbing it with a knife, just give it a gentle shake. If it looks loosie-goosy in the center or in any way liquid, it ain’t done. The pie puffs and moves like Jello in one cohesive unit. Poke it if you must but unmarred pies can be in your future!
Ingredients for American Pumpkin Pie
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness without adding moisture. It helps thicken the custard and gives the final filling that extra richness.
- Whole Egg: The egg in a baked custard like pumpkin pie is integral to thickening the custard. Just be sure to whisk it in completely because streaks of egg whites will bake unattractively in your final pie.
- Spices: I have fine-tuned the amounts of cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg in this recipe, but you could also make a larger batch of my Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix and then substitute 4 teaspoons of that mix for all the spices!
- Pumpkin Puree: I use Libby's pumpkin puree because it is consistent and that is what I use to develop all my recipes. Use whichever brand you prefer. Just be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix!
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is lass salty than table salt and a teaspoon weighs less than other finer ground varieties. It heightens the spices here and will keep your pumpkin pie from tasting dull, flat or overly sweet.
Will the recipe multiply?
I have tested this pumpkin pie recipe in a professional commercial bakery setting. You are only limited by the capacity of your containers. To make a larger batch easily, use an immersion blender to blend the filling rather than a whisk!
Why did my pumpkin pie crack?
Pumpkin pies crack if they are over-baked or if you tested the doneness with the tip of a knife. Use a cake tester if you want to verify doneness. I have baked thousands of pumpkin pies for my Pastry Shop and none, actually none of them cracked.
Possible Substitutions
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: There is no substitute here for sweetened condensed milk without changing the whole recipe. It is bringing all the sweetness and all the richness of milk without the moisture.
- Spices: I have fine-tuned the amounts of cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg in this recipe, but you could also substitute 4 teaspoons of my Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix for all the spices!
- Pumpkin Puree: I use Libby's pumpkin puree because it is consistent and that is what I use to develop all my recipes. Use whichever brand you prefer. Just be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix! You can substitute roasted pie pumpkins (also called Sugar Pumpkins), but be sure to allow them to drain for at least 4 hours before using. Use the consistency of canned pumpkin as your guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not have to par-bake your pie crust for American pumpkin pie, but it is the best way to ensure your crust is done to flaky, crispy perfection. If you choose not to par-bake, please bake the pie in a metal baking dish and start baking at 425°F for the first 15 minutes.
Store pumpkin pie at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap before storing.
Pumpkin pie will keep 2 days at room temperature, a week refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen.
Pumpkin pie freezes brilliantly. Cool pie completely at room temperature, then wrap well and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Thaw pumpkin pie, unwrapped, at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Removing the wrapping will keep the crust from getting soggy and condensation from forming on the pie’s surface.
Prepare the par-baked pie crust up to a week in advance. I usually wrap and store these in the freezer. You can prepare and bake the pie up to one week in advance. You can also prepare the filling and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to a week before baking.
Chef Lindsey's Recipe Tips
To make this easy pumpkin pie even easier, combine the filling using an immersion blender. This will also allow you to easily make larger batches of pumpkin pie at one time!
Recipe
Foolproof Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 15 oz pureed pumpkin
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 eggs (slightly whisked)
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (rounded)
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 9 inch pie crust (Easy Recipe Here)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
Par-bake the pie crust:
- Roll chilled pie dough to a little less than ¼ inch thick.Place in pie dish 9-9.5”. Chill completely, approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Trim any excess dough that hangs over the edge more than ½inch. Roll under and crimp decoratively. Chill completely.
- Line with parchment, fill with baking beans or pie weights, bake 15 minutes before removing the parchment and weights. Continue baking until the bottom is golden brown.
- You can allow the crust to cool completely or you can fillit while still warm.
Prepare the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- My original recipe circa 2013 called to heat the pumpkin puree along with all the spices in a small sauce pot. This does take a little of the "canned" taste from the pumpkin and it will bloom the spices to get their full effect. It can also be omitted to simplify the process. These days, I just whisk everything together and get the easiest pie in the world in the oven!
- In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients except piecrust together until combined. Make sure there are no streaks of egg white and the filling is smooth.
- Pour into par-baked pie crust.
- Bake in preheated oven (350°F) for 35-40 minutes or until set on the edges and jiggles slightly in the center. The pumpkin pie filling will puff and will move as one unit like Jello or cheesecake.
- The pumpkin pie will set perfectly if allowed to cool completely prior to cutting. It will slice the best if refrigerated.
- Wrap in plastic or foil and store in the refrigerator. It will also keep for several days at room temperature if you prefer.
Video Instructions
Hi Lindsey!
I have been making this recipe since 2013, it is the best! I have to make 4 pies each holiday so my family will have pies to take home with them. However, this year I noticed you changed the recipe. I followed this one as written, but it just doesn’t compare to the original recipe you had! Do you happen to still have the original recipe that I could follow?
Hi Krymsen! Thank you for being around all these years! I'm happy to tell you the small changes I made since 2013:
My original recipe circa 2013 called to heat the pumpkin puree along with all the spices in a small sauce pot. This does take a little of the "canned" taste from the pumpkin and it will bloom the spices to get their full effect. It can also be omitted to simplify the process. These days, I just whisk everything together and get the easiest pie in the world in the oven!
There's also a slight difference in the spice measurements, in the old days I called for the following:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (rounded)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Thank you for commenting and love that you send your family home with pies (I do the same)! Happy baking and happy holidays! 💛
Hello! I’ve made this recipe (I think it’s this one) for years, I am very certain I used to cook all the ingredients on the stove top first.
Did this change?
Hi Elle, you are absolutely right! In my original recipe I did have you cook the pumpkin with the spices on the stovetop first, but recently I took it out because I didn't think it made that much difference. I can put it in as an option, for all of you recipe veterans! I am so sorry to have caused confusion. Happy baking! Lindsey
Great recipe on the pumpkin pie, sounds really simple and easy to make, will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
It is super easy!
Hello!
I’ve made this recipe before and love it!! However, I have a brand new bottle of Pumpkin Pie Spice and I was wondering how much Pumpkin Pie Spice would I use in this recipe instead of combing all of the other recommended spices?
Hi Kristine. I would say before adding the eggs, whisk in 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice, taste and then add more if you want. Then add your eggs and bake as directed! Happy baking!
Made this pie yesterday, crust came good but cloves and nutmeg overpowered the whole pie and I put more cinnamon which I couldn’t taste. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the taste, I had to throw it out! Thank God I had backup pie made - apple cherry.
Hey so it says bake at 425 for 15 mins... I did that and mine is black on top ????
Oh dear! That sounds like an oven issue. Honestly these days I bake it for the full time at 350 but to do that you'll need to par bake your pie crust (So line your tin, cover it with parchment and fill with beans or rice or baking weights, and then bake at 425 until the crust is golden brown. You can pour the filling in while the crust is hot or cold.
I am a Kiwi and have never even imagined buying pureed pumpkin in a can. As a result I am at a loss also when it comes to imagining the consistency of said pumpkin.
Could You, would you advise?Preferably with video evidence.
Hmmm I'm sure there is a YouTube video on Libbys Pumpkin puree somewhere. Don't overthink it. Roast the pumpkin, spoon it out and puree it! If you want it fine, then pass it through a tamis or colander.
So bummed! I followed the recipe exactly and it looked so good! Took one bite and was so disappointed. ???? Definitely not sweet...not even a little. Not sure anyone will eat this now. What a waste. ???? I feel like I've been punked.
Hi Rachel - I am sorry you are disappointed. Are you sure you used *sweetened* condensed milk. It's crazy sweet but if you picked up the wrong can by accident, then I can see how the pie would be devastatingly unsweet
This is my go-to pumpkin pie recipe! I've made it several times and it always turns out great. It is extra perfect because pumpkin pie is my husband's favorite dessert. Thanks so much for sharing!
You are welcome, Amy! I am so glad that you and your husband love it!