Classic Pumpkin Pie with All-Butter Crust

Name: Classic Pumpkin Pie with All-Butter Crust
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 8 tbsp (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes; 4 tbsp (60 ml) ice water, ice removed before measuring; start with 3 tbsp and add the rest only if needed; 15 oz can (about 1¾ cups) (425 g) 100% pumpkin puree; ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 tsp (4 g) pumpkin pie spice; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature; 12 fl oz (1 can) (355 ml) evaporated milk, shaken before opening; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, softly spiced pumpkin custard in a crisp, blind-baked all-butter crust. Evaporated milk gives the filling its creamy texture, and a thermometer check takes the guesswork out of knowing when it's done.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Wait: 3 hr 30 min
Total: 5 hr 30 min
Makes: 1 deep-dish 9-inch pie (8 slices)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
8 tbsp (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
4 tbsp (60 ml) ice water, ice removed before measuring; start with 3 tbsp and add the rest only if needed
For the filling
15 oz can (about 1¾ cups) (425 g) 100% pumpkin puree
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp (4 g) pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature
12 fl oz (1 can) (355 ml) evaporated milk, shaken before opening
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Equipment (9)

9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plate
Large mixing bowl
Rolling pin
Parchment paper
Pie weights or about 2 cups (400 g) dried beans or rice
Whisk
Rimmed baking sheet
Instant-read thermometer
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Plan on about 5½ hours start to finish. The dough needs 1 hour to chill, the shaped crust needs 30 minutes, and the baked pie needs at least 2 hours to cool and set.
Cut the butter into cubes and put it back in the fridge, and fill a cup with ice water. Cold butter is what makes the crust flaky.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Check that the can says 100% pumpkin.
Make sure your pie plate is deep-dish (about 2 inches / 5 cm deep, 4-cup capacity). If you only have a standard plate, you may have a little filling left over.

1
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, crust sugar and crust salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat.
- Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, press and cut the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-sized and almond-sized pieces.
- Drizzle in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the ice water and toss with a fork.
- Squeeze a handful of the mixture.
- If it doesn't hold together, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Gather it into a ball, flatten into a 5-inch (13 cm) disk and wrap tightly in plastic.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough clumps when squeezed and shows visible streaks and flecks of butter. It should not feel sticky.
Tip: Don't knead or overwork. Visible butter pieces are what make the crust flaky.
2
Chill the dough
- Refrigerate the wrapped dough disk for at least 1 hour (up to 2 days) so the flour hydrates and the butter firms up.
- This makes the dough easier to roll and keeps it from shrinking in the oven.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed.
3
Roll and shape crust
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 13-inch (33 cm) circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, turning it a quarter turn after every couple of passes.
- Loosely roll it around the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate.
- Lift the edges and ease the dough into the corners without stretching it.
- Trim the overhang to 1 inch (2.5 cm), fold it under so it sits on the rim, and crimp with your fingers.
- Prick the bottom all over with a fork.
- Chill the shaped crust for 30 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough is firm to the touch and the crimped edge holds its shape.
Tip: Stretched dough snaps back and shrinks in the oven. Let it settle into the plate under its own weight.
4
Blind bake with weightsOven 400°F / 205°C
- About 15 minutes before the chill ends, set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Line the crust with a large sheet of parchment, pressing it into the corners and up the sides.
- Fill to the rim with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Edges look pale golden and the dough no longer looks raw and wet.
Tip: Put the pie plate on a baking sheet now. It makes moving the filled pie later much safer.
5
Finish the blind bakeOven 400°F / 205°C
- Lift out the parchment and weights by the corners.
- Return the crust to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Then remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Leave the crust on the baking sheet.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bottom looks dry and lightly golden, with no shiny or raw patches.
Tip: If the crust puffs, gently press it down with the back of a spoon.
6
Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and filling salt until smooth and no sugar lumps remain.
- Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk until fully combined.
- Slowly pour in the evaporated milk and vanilla, whisking gently just until smooth and uniform.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Filling is uniformly orange-brown with no streaks of egg or lumps of sugar.
Tip: Whisk gently. Beating in lots of air gives a puffed, cracked pie.
7
Fill and bakeOven 375°F / 190°C
- With the warm crust still on the baking sheet, set it on the oven rack that is pulled halfway out.
- Pour in the filling until it comes to about ¼ inch (6 mm) below the rim.
- You may have a little extra.
- Slide the rack in gently.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes, without opening the door.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Edges are set and slightly puffed, and the center still jiggles when nudged.
Tip: Filling the pie on the oven rack prevents spills on the way to the oven.
8
Test for donenessOven 375°F / 190°C
- Check the pie.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center.
- It should read 175°F (80°C).
- If it's lower, bake 5 more minutes and recheck.
- If the crust edge is browning too fast, cover it with a strip of foil.
- Once done, the center should wobble like gelatin, not slosh like liquid.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Center reads 175°F (80°C); edges are set and the middle has a slight, uniform jiggle.
Tip: Don't bake until the center is firm. The pie keeps setting as it cools, and overbaking causes cracks and a grainy texture.
9
Cool completely
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until it is no longer warm to the touch.
- The filling finishes setting as it cools, so slicing too early gives soft, messy slices.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The pie is room temperature and the center is firm with no wobble when gently shaken.
Tip: Don't put a hot pie in the fridge. The sudden temperature change can crack the filling.
10
Slice and serve
- Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled, with whipped cream if you like.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Slices hold clean edges and the filling is smooth and set.

Good to know

Tips

Blind baking the crust is the key to a crisp bottom under a wet custard filling.
Pull the pie when the center reads 175°F (80°C) and still jiggles slightly. It finishes setting as it cools.
Use a glass or ceramic pie plate on a baking sheet. It browns the bottom crust evenly and you can see the color.
For a cleaner cut, chill the pie for 1 hour after cooling before slicing.

Make ahead

"The dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the fridge). The whole pie can be baked, cooled and refrigerated, loosely covered, up to 2 days ahead.

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking, since the pie contains eggs and milk. Fridge: loosely covered, up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze whole or in slices on a tray until solid, then wrap tightly, up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge. Serve chilled or at room temperature; the crust can be refreshed by warming slices at 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes.

Substitutions

pumpkin pie spice → 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves. Equals about 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
evaporated milk → Heavy cream (355 ml / 1½ cups). The filling will be richer and slightly softer.
light brown sugar → Granulated sugar (150 g / ¾ cup). Gives a lighter flavor with less molasses depth.
unsalted butter → One store-bought refrigerated 9-inch deep-dish pie crust. Skip the dough steps and follow the same blind-baking instructions.