The one and only pumpkin pie! EAGLE BRAND makes this traditional dessert the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving feast. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

We have over 130 recipes for homemade pumpkin pie here at Allrecipes, but this recipe takes the cake (or pie) with over 2,600 five-star ratings. And it’s proof that a good recipe doesn’t necessarily need to be a complicated one — you get a great result with canned pumpkin puree and store-bought pie crust. Of course, you can customize it to suit your preferences by using fresh pumpkin or a homemade pie crust for that from-scratch taste. Plus, it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated (or frozen) until you’re ready to serve! Your search for the perfect pumpkin pie ends here.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

Here’s what we love about this recipe: This pie is incredibly approachable, even for novice bakers. Of course, you can add to the steps below by making your own pie crust, blind baking your crust, etc., but the whole process can really be boiled down to three simple steps.

Step 1: Mix

Well, technically you’ll first need to preheat the oven. Then you can start by mixing all the ingredients for your filling: pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk it all together until smooth.

Step 2: Bake

Pour the mixture into your pie crust (store-bought or homemade is fine). Bake in the preheated oven.

Step 3: Reduce Heat and Bake Some More

Now you’ll reduce the heat and continue to bake. This helps the pie to cook evenly without cracking. Once a knife inserted 1 inch from the crust comes out clean, then it’s ready. The center should be just a little jiggly. Let cool and serve, refrigerate, or freeze. Really, that’s it!

Do You Need to Blind Bake the Pie Crust?

Blind baking refers to baking pie crust, either partially or completely, without filling it. Why would you do this? Pie with a custard-based filling, such as pumpkin, generally requires little oven time, which means you may want to give your crust a bit of a head start to ensure you don’t end up with a raw, soggy bottom.

Several reviewers suggest blind baking the pie crust in the recipe, particularly if you’re using a homemade pie crust. Learn step-by-step how to blind bake a pie crust, whether store-bought or homemade. If you’re using a frozen pie crust, you can often find instructions for blind baking on the package.

Can You Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Several reviewers call out using ready-made pumpkin pie spice — a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and sometimes cloves and mace — and additional cinnamon in place of the spices called for: “I followed a suggestion that someone else had made and used 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead,” says reviewer Devin. Some folks prefer the taste of the store-bought pumpkin pie spice to the individual spices, but ultimately it’s a matter of personal preference (and convenience!).

Does Pumpkin Pie Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes, pumpkin pie needs to be stored in the refrigerator as it is an “egg rich pie,” according to the USDA. Do allow your pie ample time to cool before refrigerating it (this will also give the filling time to set), but don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, otherwise there’s a risk of bacteria growth. Pumpkin pie will last up to three to four days in the fridge. If you plan to make pumpkin pie in advance, we’d suggest making it one to two days in advance and refrigerating — this way you’ll still have a couple days for leftovers, too!

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pie?

Custard-based pies freeze remarkably well, so you can absolutely make pumpkin pie ahead of time and freeze it for up to one month in advance (hello, stress-free holidays). If you go this route, we do suggest baking your pie in an aluminum pie pan.

To freeze pumpkin pie, bake your pie and allow it to cool completely. Then wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap, and follow with an additional layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to one month. When you’re ready to serve, remove the aluminum foil and allow the pie to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

How to Make Whipped Cream for Pumpkin Pie

Cracked pie? Whipped cream to the rescue! Use homemade or store-bought whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon to cover any imperfections on your pie. To make homemade whipped cream, follow this top-rated whipped cream recipe.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“Outstanding flavor and very easy to make. Two combinations I love,” says reviewer TaoWine.

“I used fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin, which I would recommend because it is fresher and gives more texture,” suggests reviewer MadameD. “Also, if you are using a homemade pie crust, I recommend you bake it a tad before adding the filling.”

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Whisk pumpkin puree, condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until a knife inserted 1 inch from the crust comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
5. Let cool before serving.

Recipe by Eagle brand