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5 from 3 votes

Easy Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

This easy pumpkin pie from scratch recipe is bursting with flavor and is completely made from scratch. It is smooth, creamy, and has the perfect amount of spice. Plus, it is made with a homemade pie crust that is flaky and buttery. Delicious Thanksgiving dessert recipe!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade pie crust, pie, Thanksgiving
Servings: 6 slices
Author: Lora

Equipment

  • 1 glass pie plate
  • 1 glass bowls

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon I usually add a touch more
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger I add more ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 can 15 oz pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling mix)
  • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 Tablespoons corn starch (or use 1 12 oz can evaporated milk)

Instructions

  • Make the pie crust:
  • Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse it one time to mix. Add the butter pieces and and pulse 4 times. Add shortening one tablespoon at a time and pulse each time you add a tablespoon.
  • The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture one tablespoon at a time. Pulse once after you add each tablespoon of water.
  • If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough doesn’t hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
  • Clean off your counter really well or use a pastry board or a nice cutting board. Flour your hands generously. Take the dough out of the food processor.
  • Divide the dough into two balls and flatten each into a 4-inch wide disks. When you are flattening the disks, you are not working the dough. You are just simply flattening the shape into a disk.
  • Sprinkle a little bit of flour on each disk and then wrap both separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling.
  • Make the dough by hand:
  • The dough could also be made completely by hand. You could use pastry cutters or just your hands to bring the dough together.
  • Make sure you refrigerate for at least an hour. Reserve the second disk for your next pie in the fridge. It can stay for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
  • Roll out the dough:
  • When it is time to roll the dough out to make my pie, I take it out of the refrigerator and I usually let my dough sit out for about a few minutes before rolling. It’s hot here in Florida. Doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to get to the perfect rolling temperature.
  • On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough.
  • The dough will be big enough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
  • When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish.
  • Gently unfold and be sure to not stretch the dough to fit. Fold pastry into quarter folds and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
  • Trim off any excess pie dough edges and use your fingers to crimp the edges of the pie crust, as desired. If baking that day, place pie crust in refrigerator at least for an hour before you bake the pie.
  • Make the pie filling:
  • When ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk the almond milk with the corn starch (or use a can of evaporated milk). Add the almond milk mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Whisk until well combined.
  • Remove the pie plate with the pie crust from the refrigerator.
  • Place pie plate on a baking sheet to prevent spilling the filling. Carefully pour filling into pie plate. Use foil paper strips to cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch strips.
  • Bake the pumpkin pie:
  • Bake the pie on 425°F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350°F. Bake about 45 minutes longer. It’s fine if the filling jiggles a little when you remove it from the oven. It will still set some more as it cools down.
  • Cool the pie at room temperature for 2 hours.
  • Refrigerate about 4 hours, or until chilled. Slice and serve with homemade whipped cream, or whatever your favorite topping is.
  • You could chill the pie overnight.
  • The pie flavor does get even better overnight.
  • Wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • Spices: You could use pumpkin pie spice mix or your own individual spices. I like mine with more cinnamon and ginger flavor, so always add a touch more of both of those spices. But add the amount you like, to your taste.
  • For Dairy-free: I used almond milk mixed with corn starch in place of evaporated milk. But you could use instead 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk. Or 1 can of evaporated coconut milk.