Cooler weather, changing leaves, and pumpkin everything: it must be fall. And one of the most popular desserts on everyone’s table this time of year is pumpkin pie. While you can get a store-bought pie that tastes pretty good, baking your own can be even more yummy. Try this delicious and easy pumpkin pie recipe and satisfy your pumpkin-flavored cravings.
From Scratch or Not From Scratch?
While you can make everything from the pie crust to the puree from scratch, you don’t have to. In fact, you can put together the key parts of this pie without forming the crust if you don’t have a lot of time. However, you can roast a sugar pumpkin for a deeper flavor. Cut a sugar pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and strings. Then, place the halves cut side down and roast on a pan at 350℉ for one to one and a half hours.
Pumpkin Pie Ingredients
To make your pumpkin pie, you’ll need:
- 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
- 1 can of evaporated milk, or 1 ½ cups of heavy cream
- ½ cup of packed brown sugar
- 2 cups of pumpkin puree or one 15-ounce can
- ⅓ cup of white sugar
- ½ a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest
- 1 homemade pie crust or two frozen pie shells
- ½ teaspoon of salt
In addition to these ingredients, you’ll need these signature spices, such as:
- ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon of ground cardamom
Or, you can substitute those spices with 3 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Making Your Pie
First, you’ll need to prep the pie crust. For a homemade crust, line a deep dish pan and freeze your crust for 30 minutes. For store-bought, unwrap the crusts just before filling them. Then, preheat your oven to 425℉, and move the rack to the bottom third of the oven. Now, start making your filling. Beat the eggs and mix in the sugar, salt, spices, and lemon zest. Once you have mixed those, add your pumpkin puree and cream or evaporated milk. Pour the filling into your pie crust, and place it in the oven.
However, after 15 minutes, you’ll have to lower the oven’s temperature to 350℉. After that, bake a single deep-dish pie for 50–60 more minutes. If you have used two store-bought crusts, they should take about 35–45 minutes more. In fact, you’ll know your pie is done when it is just barely jiggly in the middle.
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Enjoy Your Pie
It can be hard to wait, but you’ll want to let your pie cool on a wire rack for about two hours. Then, you can top each slice with a little whipped cream. In addition, you can make pumpkin pie ahead of time and freeze it for up to one month. Then, allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge and warm to room temperature on the counter before serving.
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