So many people search for the best pumpkin pie recipe during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Well, I promise you can end your search here, because this is hands-down the best Pumpkin Pie recipe ever, seriously!
This dessert recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen pumpkin pie, and more recently I’ve seen it on Cook’s Country. It is indeed the best pumpkin pie ever, and definitely worth the effort.
So many people aren’t fans of pumpkin pie. That’s because they are often flavorless gelatinous custards in soggy crust. Well, not this one. This is a thick, rich, and flavorful, velvety soft custard with just the right amount of spices.
One of the secrets to the flavorful custard is that you add canned yams to boost the flavor. Then, so it isn’t soggy and gelatinous, you cook the filling to get the excess moisture out of it. It’s a genius little trick that adds so much flavor to the final pie.
This is the perfect dessert for all your family holiday parties including Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a delicious make ahead pumpkin pie that’s smooth and creamy, and will impress all of your guests.
This recipe has been on my blog since 2011, and it’s one of my most popular recipes. But it was time for an update for a better user experience! So I’ve updated it here for you with new pictures, information, and tips!
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Canned yams
Canned candied yams are the secret ingredient in this pie. They provide a boost of fall flavor and great texture.
If candied yams are unavailable, regular canned yams can be substituted.
I’ve also heard from people in other countries that canned yams just aren’t available at all to them, but they still want to make this pie.
So, I did a little research into how much actual sweet potato a 15-ounce can yields once the solids are drained.
Once I drained the can, it left about 2 cups of solids, just placed in a glass measuring up, not packed.
By weight, I got 9.8 ounces from the can I measured. I bet you could round up to 10 ounces and be fine.
Then I mashed the solids and packed them in a measuring cup and got about 1 cup.
So, if you wanted to cook a sweet potato or yam from fresh, they will work in this recipe. I recommend microwaving, baking in the oven, or cooking in the Instant Pot for the root vegetable. And maybe add a little brown sugar to it.
I don’t recommend boiling the sweet potatoes, because the added moisture that boiling brings is not great for pies.
Pie crust
I do have to disagree with ATK on one matter: pre-baked crust. Both the husband and I love the pie-soaked crust. So, I DON’T pre-bake the crust.
If you’re a fan of pre-baking the crust, please feel free to do so. My lovely friend at Lovefoodies has some great tips on how to blind bake your crust.
I’m a lazy baker, and admit that I usually just buy my pie crust. I have found a frozen pie crust that I like, it’s free of lard and trans fats, so it works for me.
If you use a frozen crust, there’s no need to defrost it.
I often like to do an egg wash on my pie crust before I fill it. Just lightly beat one egg white, and brush the crust with it. Pour the filling into the crust and bake as directed. Some people also like to brush melted butter onto the crust before filling it. Neither of these steps are necessary, but do make for a tasty crispy crust and pretty pie.
If you use the crust from the refrigerator section of the grocery store, make sure to follow the package directions on thawing before you roll out the dough.
What brand of crust?
Lovely reader Rhonda asked me recently what brand of frozen pie crust I liked. She says, “Your pumpkin pie recipe is delicious! Would you kindly share which frozen pie crust you like? I think a frozen crust would be ideal to balance out the bit of extra time involved in this scrumptious pumpkin filling.”
Her question is one that might help other reads as well, so I thought I’d share it here.
I have found that Marie Callender’s brand is good. It doesn’t contain any lard, which is good for vegetarians like me. And, it’s already shaped and deep dish.
My store has it in the frozen pie section usually at the bottom of the racks.
Leftover filling
You may have leftover filling after filling the pie. I usually have a ramekin or two’s worth.
If this is the case, simply pour the filling into small ramekins and bake on the side.
The ramekins will take less time to bake than the whole pie, so check early them for doneness, probably about 15-20 minutes early. Check out my recipe for Pumpkin Custards for more details.
ATK
When America’s Test Kitchen said this pie was better than the rest I had my doubts. In fact, I didn’t even want it to be better than the rest because it’s more work.
What? You have to pre-cook the filling? And then you have to strain it?
Well, let me say that I’ve been wrong before, and it happened again here. This pie is so much better than the store-bought flavorless pie. You really will fall in love with this.
This is simply the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. Creamy. Lots of pumpkin flavor. Rich smooth custard. Sturdy without being heavy. Good balance of spice.
I highly recommend that you take a little extra time for the Thanksgiving pie this year and make this pumpkin pie that you can be proud of. Heck, make two; it’s that good!
Read the comments below for reviews of this Great Pie. Also, take a look at Pinterest, for more reviews. This pin has been repinned more than 36,000 times! With a bunch of comments and “tried its”.
I’m so happy to have helped so many people find a great pumpkin pie that they can be proud of!
Pro tips for making the best pumpkin pie
Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Cold eggs are easier to separate than room temperature eggs.
This recipe has the perfect balance of spices. Not too spicy, not too bland. This is the spice blend that was in the original ATK recipe. They have since increased the amount of spices, and I think this original amount is better.
Whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl, and set aside.
Cook the filling
Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat.
Use a spatula to stir the simmering pumpkin mixture and evaporate as much water as you can to concentrate it.
Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated.
Strain the mixture
Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl.
Make sure to push as much of the solids through the fine sieve as possible. After sieving, scrape off the back of the sieve to get all the solids. This helps to thicken up the mixture.
Recently I invested in a food mill, and let me tell you, it’s the best tool for making this pie and making it super easy!
Bake the pie
Make sure to position the oven rack at the bottom of the oven. The pie bakes in the bottom of the oven exposing the bottom of the crust to the most intense heat.
Pour the filling into the pie crust. You may have leftover filling after filling the pie. I usually have a ramekin or two’s worth. See the section above on Leftover Filling.
Place pie crust in pie plate and carefully place plate on the preheated baking sheet. Pour the filling into the pie crust, and bake for 10 minutes at 400° F. Without taking the pie out of the oven, reduce the heat to 300° F, and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175° F), 20 to 35 minutes longer.
Take the pie out of the oven once the center 2-inches thickens, and wiggles like gelatin when the pan is gently shaken.
The best way to judge doneness of this pie is with an instant-read thermometer.
The pie finishes cooking with residual heat to ensure that the filling sets and doesn’t curdle. Cool it at room temperature and not in the refrigerator.
Serve room temperature or chilled with whipped cream. And if you have some leftover cream, here are some tips on what to do with leftover cream as well as how to make the most delicious and easy mason jar whipped cream!
According to the USDA, you can leave the pie on the counter safely for a couple of hours. After that, the pie should be refrigerated.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, this is a great time saver for Thanksgiving because it can be made ahead!
Make this pumpkin pie from scratch, allow it to cool completely on the counter, and keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or foil in the fridge for up to four days before you need it.
It can also be frozen for up to a month ahead. When you’re ready to eat it, take it out of the freezer and keep in in the fridge the day before. It should defrost nicely in the fridge.
You can also freeze individual portions, like if you have leftovers. It makes for a quick and easy way to satisfy a pie craving!
Looking to make a perfect holiday dinner?
Here’s my suggestions for what to make for holiday dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas with recipe links.
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Stuffing
Gravy
Veggies such as Roasted carrots, Creamed spinach, and Brussels sprouts
Green bean casserole
Other amazing holiday desserts that your whole family will love.
I love all the holiday pies and treats. Here are some of my favorites! Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, Pecan Pie Muffins, Candy Cane Pie.
Things I suggest in the recipe:
Note: these are affiliate links
canned pumpkin puree
regular canned yams
canned candied yams
Whisk
Saucepan
Strainer
Food mill (this is a new purchase for me, and I can’t say enough good stuff about it!)
Pie pan
Rimmed baking sheet
instant-read thermometer
Wire cooling rack
Whipped cream dispenser
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via the pin.
Recipe
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 ounce pumpkin puree
- 1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- 1 pie crust homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and place rimmed baking sheet on the rack.
- Whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl, and set aside.
- Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Re-whisk mixture.
- Place pie crust in pie plate and carefully place plate on the preheated baking sheet. Pour the filling into the pie crust, and bake for 10 minutes at 400° F. Without taking the pie out of the oven, reduce the heat to 300° F, and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175° F), 20 to 35 minutes longer. The center 2 inches of the pie should look firm but jiggle slightly; the pie finishes cooking with residual heat.
- Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature and not in the refrigerator to ensure that the filling sets, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream.
Video
Notes
Cook’s Notes: If candied yams are unavailable, regular canned yams can be substituted. You may have leftover filling after filling the pie. I usually have a ramekin or two’s worth. If this is the case, simply pour the filling into small ramekins and bake on the side. The ramekins will take less time to bake than the whole pie, so check early them for doneness, probably about 15-20 minutes early. Check out my recipe for Pumpkin Custards for more details. Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Sandi
Hello Debi,
One of my favourites is pumpkin pie and I always make mine from scratch. I had never put yams in it before though. It came out perfect – so yum. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Sandi
Jodi Hall
i love pumpkin pie! This was amazing!
hopping over from katherines blog hop! 😀
GraceinAZ
Mmmmm – delish! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of yams in pumpkin pie before, but it is really good!
Growing Old With Grace Hugs, GraceinAZ
Amy
America’s Test Kitchen has NEVER steered me wrong. And this pie keeps their promise! So good!
Chad
Just finish cooking the pies for this years Thanksgiving and once again I used this amazing recipe. This has to be one of my favorite Pumpkin Pie recipes, it does requires a little more work but it is well worth it for the final product. The yams and maple syrup made the pie a bit sweeter and enhanced the pumpkin flavor. While the cooking temperature really made for a lighter and creamy texture. One trick I tried this year was to use a blender or a food processor instead of the strainer to thoroughly mix and remove any lumps in the filling. Great post thanks.
Jaclyn
I seem to have a lot of filling leftover. Can I freeze this and re-use at another time? Or do you have suggestions on what to do with the extra filling?
Debi
When I have extra filling, I usually pour it into small oven proof ceramic dishes and bake them along with the pie. They will not take as long as the pie, so check them about 10-20 mintues before the pie is done. Now you have pumpkin custards (and, I love to top them with some sour cream). Actually, this is my favorite way to each pumpkin pie… As a custard with no crust but with sour cream.
Holly
I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving. I was unsure as to whether or not to drain the excess liquid from the candied yams or use it, so I used it. The pie ended up not setting up perfectly and took about 15 minutes longer to bake. I think next time, I won’t use the extra liquid. Regardless, this pie was absolutely beautiful – it almost looked fake (I’m big on presentation when it comes to baking so this was a big bonus for me :), and the flavor was the best of any pumpkin pie I’ve ever tried, and I LOVE pumpkin pie. It was so rich and creamy! Definitly worth the extra fuss. Thanks for sharing.
Debi
Thank you so much for the comment and the feedback! This is what makes doing the blog worth it. And, thanks for the clarification on the yams (drained or not). I’ll go back and clarify the recipe that it should be the drained solids only. Thanks!!!!! 🙂
Lorraine
This recipe was so good last year, I’ll make it again this year!
Justine
This pie sounds delicious and I’d love to try making it this Thanksgiving. Just to clarify, after you put the pie crust in the plate, do you immediately add the filling and bake as directed (10 min at 400 degrees and 20-35 min at 300 degrees)? Or do you bake the crust alone 10 min, then add the filling and bake 20-35 min at 400? Lastly, should the pie be baked the whole time on the lowest rack? Thanks so much!
Debi
Let me know how you like it. I’ll be making it for T-day as well. Personally, I like the pie soaked crust, so I don’t pre-bake the crust. America’s Test Kitchen said the crust should be pre-baked. So, I guess it’s personal preference, but I think it’s easier and tastier to NOT pre-bake the crust. So, bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes – this sort of sears the pie. Then turn the heat down to 300 and continue baking at 400 degrees for 20-35 minutes longer. I think I’ll add a little more detail to the recipe. Thanks for the question on that. And, yep, bake the pie on the lowest rack the whole time. Once the pie is in the oven, no need to take it out until it’s done.
Debbie A.
I was in search of the best pumpkin pie recipe for my first try, and boy, did I find a winner! The flavor and silky smoothness of the pie is just wonderful. My husband and children loved it! My husband even declared the pie to be better than his great-grandmother’s, and she was an amazing cook/baker. Thank you so much!
John
I love pumpkin pie! I make it all throughout the year. I think mine is amazing, but I love the way this calls for the yams. I’m making it soon. I can’t wait. Thank you. 🙂
Taylor
Debi,
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I have a very small oven though – do you think it would be alright to bake without the cookie sheet underneath??
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
Debi
It would be fine. I always bake with a sheet under because I’ve had the filling bubble over on several pies. It saves me from having to clean the oven. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!!! 🙂
Vikki
I really dislike pumpkin pie. I want to like it, but it’s just too….well, pumpkiny. This year, we’re hosting my in-laws for Thanksgiving and I let my father-in-law choose what pie I’d make. You guessed it- pumpkin! I found this recipe and just got the pie in the oven. I have already eaten all of what didn’t make it through the strainer! I can’t believe how much I love it!!! I’m so glad I won’t have to choke down gross pie tomorrow… THANK YOU!!!
valleygirl
I just made this but it took nearly an hour and half to be done in the middle…and then I woke up this morning and the entire middle is all cracked! I kept checking the temp and watching it so I’m doubtful that I overcooked it but maybe? Any idea?
Tammy Eisenberg
This pie was extraordinary! I have a deep-dish ceramic pie pan and the filling was the perfect amount to come all the way to the top. Texture was, as promised, creamy, smooth, velvety. I cut the white sugar to 1/2 C, since I used candied yams, but the maple syrup I use is grade B for rich flavor. I also adore cloves, so I added an additional 1/4 t. of ground cloves. This is my official Thanksgiving pie from now on!!
Debi
Valley girl, I’d guess that it was overcooked. You want to wait for it to be just slightly undercooked (The center 2 inches of the pie should look firm but jiggle slightly) because the heat stays in the pie and it actually finishes setting up while it rests on the counter. And, I’ve always believed that some cracks in the top are ok, because, really it’s all about how the pie tastes, no one cares if it’s cracked. 🙂