Go Back

Fresh Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

Fresh pumpkin pie from scratch uses roasted sugar pumpkin puree and a flaky, blind-baked crust. Warm spices and heavy cream create a smooth filling that sets at the edges while the center still jiggles slightly.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 9 minutes
cooling, draining, and chilling 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 14 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 395
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pumpkin puree
  • 1 sugar pumpkin 2 1/2-pound; halved lengthwise and seeded; you will use 1 3/4 cups puree
For the crust
  • 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup salted butter cold, cut into pieces
  • 3 tbsp ice water to 5 tablespoons
For the filling
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.125 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs large
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Equipment

  • 1 rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 9-inch pie plate

Method
 

Roast the pumpkin
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the flesh.
  4. Let the pumpkin cool until easy to handle, about 30 minutes.
  5. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh.
  6. Puree the flesh until smooth.
  7. Drain the puree in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes.
  8. Measure 1 3/4 cups puree for the pie.
Make the crust
  1. Mix the flour in a medium bowl.
  2. Cut in the cold salted butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are pea-sized.
  3. Stir in 3 tablespoons ice water.
  4. Add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time just until the dough holds together when pressed.
  5. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  6. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface.
  7. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, trim and crimp the edge, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  8. Heat the oven to 375°F.
  9. Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes.
  11. Remove the parchment and weights.
  12. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom looks dry.
  13. Cool the crust for 10 minutes.
Make the filling and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  3. Whisk in the eggs.
  4. Whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.
  5. Pour the filling into the crust.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Reduce the oven to 350°F and bake for 35 to 45 minutes more, until the edges are set, the center still jiggles slightly, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads at least 160°F.
  8. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.
  9. Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

For a smooth filling, drain the pumpkin puree well and measure 1 3/4 cups. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; the pie can be frozen. For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in the crust.