Spiced Pumpkin Custard Pie (Printable)

Silky pumpkin custard baked in a flaky pastry with cinnamon and nutmeg spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

→ Pumpkin Filling

02 - 15 oz canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
03 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 cup evaporated milk
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the rack in the lower third.
02 - Roll out the pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges, then chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
04 - Pour the pumpkin filling into the chilled pie crust evenly.
05 - Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes to set the crust and start baking the filling.
06 - Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
07 - Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
08 - Serve plain or topped with whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filling is impossibly silky without feeling heavy or cloying, thanks to the precise ratio of evaporated milk and cream.
  • It actually sets properly without cracking on top or jiggling too much in the center, which sounds simple but took me years to get right.
  • You can make it a full day ahead, which means one less thing to stress about on Thanksgiving morning.
02 -
  • If you use pumpkin pie filling instead of pure purée, you'll end up with a pie that's oversweetened and over-spiced because you're essentially doubling all those flavors—I learned this the hard way on my third attempt.
  • The jiggle in the center when it comes out of the oven is not a suggestion; it's the actual doneness indicator, and fighting that instinct to bake it longer is what prevents the pie from cracking as it cools.
03 -
  • If you're making this during a chaotic holiday, do yourself a favor and make the pie the day before—your future self will be grateful when you're not stress-baking while managing everything else.
  • A pinch of allspice can be added alongside the other spices if you want a slightly deeper, more complex flavor, and coconut cream can replace the heavy cream if you're making a dairy-free version.
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