Simple Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Around here we refer to this time of year as "Pie Season". It's simple, November is for eating pie. It doesn't necessarily have to be pumpkin pie, but lets be honest, it should be. You can eat pumpkin pie any time of day. Breakfast pie? Hell yeah. Pie for lunch? Sock it to me. Seriously, pie, pie, pie. Not obsessed enough for you? How about this: I've got a tattoo of a slice of pumpkin pie (whipped cream and all) on my arm. I literally wear my love of pie on my sleeve.

     I grew up eating my grandfathers pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving, and it was always incredible. Papa always made his dough from scratch, and it always gave it that extra amazing homemade taste. While I have made my pies with scratch dough in the past, I've found that the extra time and cleanup often discourages me from making the pie to begin with. So, I've started keeping the handmade dough balls from our favorite local pie spot in the freezer, and just using them anytime I decide its pie time. Hint: it's always pie time.

So, over that last few years I've simplified and mastered my favorite pie recipe, and decided that I should share it. A little tip before starting: You can use canned pumpkin puree, but there's something special to be said for roasting your own pumpkins and making your own puree. All you have to do is grab a few pie pumpkins from the store (or your garden if you plan way ahead), slice them in half and clean them out, and roast in your oven or on your smoker at about 250 degrees until they're soft and a fork is easily stuck into them. Let them cool, scrape out the meat, pulse in a blender, food processor or mash by hand until smooth. It doesn't usually turn out quite as creamy as the canned stuff, but the flavor is amazing. 

What you'll need:

1 9" pie pan, a whisk, and some tin foil. 

1 Ball or roll of chilled dough (Make your own, or store bought crust is fine!)

1 Can 100% organic pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 Can evaporated milk

2 Large eggs

3/4 Cup of brown sugar

2 Tablespoons of homemade pumpkin pie spice* + 1/2 tbsp. Cinnamon

(*Spice recipe below)

Now here's what you do:

-Heat your oven to 375 degrees.

-Roll out your dough ball until its about 1/4" thick and smooth and gently lay is across the pan. If you're using a store-bought crust, simply roll it across the pie pan.

Trim off any access dough, but leave enough to fold down the edges to create a simple crust edge. just slowly roll the dough down and tuck it into itself. The more dough you leave untrimmed around the pan the thicker and more twisted you crust will look. Go crazy. 

Now the crust is all done, all you have left to do is mix up the rest of the ingredients. I make my own pumpkin pie spice by mixing 4 parts cinnamon,  2 parts ground ginger, and 1 part each ground clove and nutmeg. I think it's cheaper than buying the little jars, and you can make enough to use for the whole year and keep it in an air tight container.  (December 2021 edit: My partner uses a tablespoon of two of fresh minced ginger in place of dry stuff, and it's amazing.)

I typically use a little less than the full can of evaporated milk, about 3/4. And make sure your eggs are room temperature. Whisk everything together starting with the wet ingredients until its nice and smooth, then pour it slowly into the crust.

Bake it for about 40 minutes, then put a little foil around the crust and bake for another 10 minutes, turning the oven down to 350 degrees.  If you're looking for a way to make the recipe your own, or just want to add a little extra something, try adding brown sugar pecans around the edge during the last 10 minutes of baking, or use an extra rolled out crust and some little cookie cutters to make a decorative leaf or pumpkin border! Remember to secure any little dough adornments with a light coating of egg wash, and rough up the connecting areas with a fork a bit to make sure they stick.

    Your pie is done once a wooden toothpick can be stuck into the middle, and pulled out clean. Let your pie cool for at least a few hours (don't stick it in the fridge until its room temp!). Personally, I think pumpkin pie tastes best the day after its made, so I usually make it the day before I intend to devour it. 

However you like to enjoy your pie, you won't be disappointed by the way this recipe turns out. I make it every year for Thanksgiving (and every other Thursday in November) and it never seems to last long. I definitely recommend using whipped cream, because let's be honest, only barbarians eat pumpkin pie without whipped cream. Just whip heavy cream and a little bit of vanilla and powdered sugar to taste until stiff peaks form. It is always worth the effort. 

     I hope you've found the last pumpkin pie recipe you'll ever need here, and I sincerely hope you all have an amazing holiday filled with friends, family, and most importantly, pie. 

Cheers.

-Marie