What makes this pie the perfect pumpkin pie you ask? Well, when it comes to what is essentially a simple dessert, it's really all about richness, balance, and texture. And this version gets all three of these elements just right. It began as an adaptation of a recipe titled "the ultimate pumpkin pie" (an undeniably promising beginning), which appeared in Bon Appétit magazine circa 1993. I've made just a few minor alterations over the years, but they've proven to be popular. This recipe for perfect pumpkin pie has now become one of the most frequently requested recipes in my kitchen. Enjoy!
If you enjoy classic homemade pies as much as I do, then you may also be interested in my Maple Pecan Pie, Old Fashioned Apple Pie, Blueberry Crumble Pie, or Homemade Cherry Pie.
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Ingredients for Perfect Pumpkin Pie
- all purpose flour
- powdered sugar
- salted butter
- heavy whipping cream
- baker's sugar
- light brown sugar
- cornstarch
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- kosher salt
- pumpkin puree
- sour cream
- eggs
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Prepare the Crust
Heat the oven to 350℉. Blend the flour, powdered sugar, and chilled butter in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
With the machine running, add the 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and process briefly, just until large clumps form.
Then gather the dough into a ball, flatten to a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 14 inch round, and then transfer to a 9 inch pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp.
Place the dough lined pie plate in the freezer and chill for 15 minutes.
Line the crust with foil, pressing firmly.
Then bake until the sides of the crust are set, about 15 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake about 5 minutes more.
Prepare the Filling and Bake the Pie
Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. (If there are any stubborn sugar lumps, just use your fingers to break them up.)
Add the pumpkin, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, and eggs.
Then whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake until the filling puffs around the edges and no longer looks wobbly in the center, about 60 to 70 minutes, using a pie shield if the crust begins getting too brown toward the end of the baking time. (Gently nudge the dish from side to side to make sure that the center is almost set before removing the pie from the oven.)
Cool the pie completely on a wire rack. Then slice and serve with generous dollops of whipped cream.
Hint: The crust here is richer than most...almost reminiscent of sweet tart dough. And when it is fully baked, the color will be a darker shade of brown than you may be used to with basic butter pie crust. (More sugar means more browning.) That said, it's a good idea to begin keeping an eye on this crust about halfway through the baking process. If the edges begin looking a bit too dark, then use a pie shield (or a simple sheet of aluminum foil) to cover the crust for the remainder of the baking time. By the way, you could certainly opt for a straightforward butter pie crust instead here if you prefer...but the richer crust pairs beautifully with the earthy pumpkin filling.
Equipment
You will need a 9 inch pie plate for perfect pumpkin pie. My favorite is a deep ceramic ruffled version by Emile Henry.
Storage
Perfect pumpkin pie can be stored in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 to 4 days.
Top tip
When preparing the crust for this pie, the chilling step in the freezer is important. This will prevent your crust from slumping or excessively shrinking down the sides of your pie plate during the blind baking and before you have the chance to pour in all of that irresistible filling! In other words, do not be tempted to skip this key step. And if any cracks should develop during blind baking, no need to panic...simply use the back of a metal spoon to gently press and patch the dough back together.
Related
Looking for more pie recipes that are worthy of sharing with your favorite people or serving for a special occasion? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- food processor
- Rolling Pin
- 9 inch pie plate (a deep one)
- wire rack
Ingredients
Crust
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into small pieces chilled
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Filling
- ¾ cup baker's sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten room temperature
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- Heat the oven to 350℉.
- Blend the flour, powdered sugar, and chilled butter in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- With the machine running, add the 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and process briefly, just until large clumps form. Then gather the dough into a ball, flatten to a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 14 inch round, and then transfer to a 9 inch pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp.
- Place the dough lined pie plate in the freezer and chill for 15 minutes.
- Line the crust with foil, pressing firmly. Then bake until the sides of the crust are set, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake about 5 minutes more.
Prepare the Filling and Bake the Pie
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. (If there are any stubborn sugar lumps, just use your fingers to break them up.)
- Add the pumpkin, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, and eggs. Then whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the filling puffs around the edges and no longer looks wobbly in the center, about 60 to 70 minutes, using a pie shield if the crust begins getting too brown toward the end of the baking time. (Gently nudge the dish from side to side to make sure that the center is almost set before removing the pie from the oven.)
- Cool the pie completely on a wire rack. Then slice and serve with generous dollops of whipped cream.
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