Simple Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you make pumpkin pie with regular pumpkins? ›

Start with the right variety of pumpkins, sugar pumpkins. Large pumpkins that we traditionally think of as jack-o-lanterns aren't ideal for pie as they are very stringy and have a lot of seeds. There really isn't very much “meat” to the larger pumpkins. Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are sweeter.

The store-bought options are slightly cheaper. I spent about $8 on the ingredients for Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie and Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie, and around $10 to make a pie entirely from scratch.

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

The pie is generally flavored with pumpkin pie spice, a blend that includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. The pie is usually prepared with canned pumpkin, but fresh-cooked pumpkin can be used.

Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing. These terms are often used interchangeably in recipes, though you may also see the term solid-pack pumpkin. All these terms mean 100% steamed and pureed pumpkin—no extras, no add-ins—not even in the canned variety.

There isn't much of a difference between canned pumpkin and fresh pumpkin puree, and looking at the list of ingredients on the back of the can will tell you that. It will probably just say pureed pumpkin or steamed pumpkin puree.

It's thicker, fresher, and sweeter tasting than canned. I used homemade pumpkin puree when baking pumpkin bread this weekend. The pumpkin was so sweet tasting that I was able to reduce the sugar in the recipe by one third.

The pumpkins we eat, often labeled pie or sweet pumpkins, are smaller and less watery than the ones used for decorating. Heritage varieties that are good for cooking include Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Fairytale and Cinderella pumpkins.

You should ask for a pie pumpkin or a sugar pumpkin. Pie pumpkins tend to have a thicker skin and more flesh on the inside than a carving pumpkin. The flesh is less stringy and the color is generally darker but not always.

Don't use pumpkin pie filling in place of pumpkin purée.

Every can of pumpkin pie filling has a different amount of sugar and spices and if you add it to a bread or muffin recipe you might get a very sweet and not-spiced-enough loaf. Try this instead: Buy pumpkin purée!

What is most pumpkin pie filling made of? ›

Store-bought pumpkin pie mix (sometimes labeled "pumpkin pie filling") is a shortcut for making homemade pumpkin pie. It contains puréed pumpkin plus added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It also contains sugar and other chemical additives.

Pumpkin puree can be labeled as 100% pure pumpkin, pumpkin puree, solid pack pumpkin, or simply "pumpkin." Regardless of what it's called, one thing pumpkin puree won't contain is any sort of seasonings or sugar—it's just cooked and mashed squash.

If the recipe doesn't use enough spice, or if the spices were old enough to have lost much of their flavour, or if the mixture isn't well balanced, then the pie is not going to taste right and could be quite bland.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

Now if your pie tends to come out bland, you may not be letting your spices hit their full potential. Joy Wilson of Joy the Baker suggests, "To get the most festive flavor out of the spices in your pumpkin pie, bloom the spices with the pumpkin puree in a small saucepan before incorporating into the filling.

You should ask for a pie pumpkin or a sugar pumpkin. Pie pumpkins tend to have a thicker skin and more flesh on the inside than a carving pumpkin. The flesh is less stringy and the color is generally darker but not always.

Yes! No matter the type of pumpkin, make sure to reserve the seeds. Give them a rinse, toss them with some oil, salt, pepper, and whatever spice strikes your fancy, and toss them in the oven for a snack that will ready before your jack-o-lanterns are lit!

If you attempted to make homemade pumpkin puree from a regular field pumpkin that you would use to carve a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, the result would be stringy, watery, and bland. Instead, use pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins for the best flavor and texture in any sweet or savory recipe.

When selecting a pumpkin for cooking, save the field pumpkins for your jack o' lanterns. These tend to be too large and stringy for baking. Choose smaller ones for baking, those less than 10 pounds, with firm, dense flesh.