American
Classic Spiced Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg bake in a crisp blind-baked shell to a silky custard with a gentle central wobble.
8 servings · 25 minutes prep · 78 minutes cook
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, fitted into a pie plate with at least 4-cup capacity and chilled
Pumpkin Custard
- 1 can pumpkin purée, 15 ounces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 can evaporated milk, 12 fluid ounces
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
- Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Blind-Bake the Chilled Shell
- Place a baking sheet in the oven and heat to 425°F / 220°C. Line the chilled deep-dish pie crust with parchment and fill to the rim with 2 pounds / 900 g dried beans reserved for pie weights, or with commercial pie weights. Bake on the hot sheet for 15 minutes.
- Lift out the parchment and weights. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the base looks dry and barely golden. If a crack appears, press it closed gently while the crust is still warm.
Whisk a Low-Foam Custard
- Whisk the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and kosher salt until uniform.
- Gently whisk in the eggs and the egg yolk, then the evaporated milk and vanilla. Stop when smooth; do not whip air into the custard.
Fill and Stage the Bake
- Pour the custard into the warm shell, stopping at least 1/4 inch / 6 mm below the rim, and return the pie to the hot baking sheet. Transfer any excess custard to a ramekin and bake it alongside the pie, removing it when the edges are set and the center still wobbles, usually after 25 to 30 minutes. Bake the pie at 425°F / 220°C for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven without opening it to 350°F / 175°C.
- Continue for 35 to 45 minutes until the outer three inches are set, the central two-inch circle wobbles as one piece, and a thermometer inserted near the center reads 160 to 170°F / 71 to 77°C. Shield the rim with foil if it darkens early; do not wait for the center to become rigid.
Cool Completely Before Slicing
- Transfer the pie to the wire rack and cool for 90 minutes to 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. Do not leave the pie unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours total. Serve cold, or temper individual slices for 10 to 15 minutes, with the unsweetened whipped cream.
