This easy pumpkin pie recipe will wow your guests! The pumpkin custard can be made with fresh pumpkin puree or canned – your choice!
Be sure to check out this collection of delicious holiday side dishes, too!
I’ll be completely honest with you. For me, the traditional holiday pumpkin pie recipe has been outdone by these maple pumpkin custards. Of course, I avoid eating wheat, so the custards are a better option for me anyway, but some of us still want pie. My youngest son is our pumpkin pie guy — he makes this recipe for our “pie holidays.” (In our house, that’s Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
This easy pumpkin pie recipe wins dessert
Here’s the secret to making the best pumpkin pie recipe: Don’t use canned pumpkin. The good news is, it’s not hard to make fresh pumpkin puree. [Here’s how.] We use kabocha pumpkins which are available locally. You can use a wide variety of pumpkins or even winter squash to make homemade pumpkin puree.
(Note, though, that the pumpkins that are readily available in October that you carve into jack-o-lanterns are not super flavorful.)
No way, you say? Consider the fact that what’s in a can of pumpkin isn’t exactly what you might be thinking. The “what’s in my can of pumpkin?” discussion has been making the rounds. Here’s the great pumpkin debate laid out neatly for you. Might as well choose your own pie filling for this easy pumpkin pie recipe, right?
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And once you’ve prepared some of that fresh pumpkin, you’ll want to make some of these easy pumpkin spice bars or a hot pumpkin spice latte, too!
This recipe makes enough custard for two pies. My grandmas’s pie crust recipe (you’ll want to try that, trust me!) will make two single crust pies.
Ingredients
Flour — When I bake with all-purpose flour I opt for the unbleached option. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated with bleaching agents that I don’t really need in my food.
Pumpkin — I like to use homemade pumpkin puree, but if you don’t have it, canned pumpkin is just fine. Just be sure to get plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.
Sugar — Use your favorite brand of granulated cane sugar. I prefer organic.
Dairy — This pumpkin pie recipe calls for half and half or heavy cream. If you’re dairy free, I’d substitute your favorite nut milk (for half and half) and coconut milk (for heavy cream).
Eggs — This can — of course — be made with standard chicken eggs, but for an extra richness, try using duck eggs!
Spices — Vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg give this dessert the classic “pumpkin spice” flavor that we so love.
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Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
This delicious pumpkin pie recipe will wow your guests!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups granulated organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 4 cups pumpkin puree
- 3 cups half and half or heavy cream
- 2 unbaked pie shells, (my Grandma's pie crust recipe makes two shells)
- Whipped cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Mix dry ingredients in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir pumpkin and dry ingredients into eggs. Gradually stir in cream. Set each pie shell on a cookie sheet. Divide custard evenly between two pie shells. (I use my big canning ladle for this.)
- Carefully move pies to preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; then bake for 40 to 50 minutes more. A knife inserted near the center of the pie should come out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Notes
This recipe makes enough filling for two pumpkin pies.
Optional: Top with whipped cream before serving. (For some people in my family this is not considered optional. And yet, year after year after year I forget to have whipping cream on hand.)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 372mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 9g
We add just a hint of orange oil/zest and swap out the milk products with a pint of Hagen-daz vanilla ice-cream. This makes a quart of custard.
To cut down on the metallic taste of canned pumpkin, warm the purée on the stove with all the spices. Let cool and then add to custard.
Can I substitute evaporated milk to make a pumpkin custard pie?
I haven’t tried this, but it seems like it should work?
Delicious and easy to make.