This Traditional Pumpkin Pie has been in my family for generations. It has a flaky, buttery crust filled with a flavorful pumpkin center featuring spices of nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon. This is not a bland pumpkin pie…it is packed with a ton of flavor in every bite. Enjoy by itself, with a dollop of whipped cream, or some vanilla ice cream!
I love pumpkin. It is used year-round in my kitchen but once September arrives, pumpkin goodies are baked here on a weekly basis. Did you know the term ‘pumpkin’ we use today stemmed from the Greek word ‘Pepon’ which translates to ‘large melon?’ The French then called it ‘Pompon’ which became ‘Pumpion’ in England and finally arriving in America as the term pumpkin we know today.
What is a scant cup?
In this recipe, we use ‘scant cup’ for a few ingredients. This simply means just shy of a full cup, or about 1-2 Tablespoons less.
What should I do with the leftover Pie Crust?
Because the pie crust recipe is for a double crust and we only need a single, you will have leftover crust. What can I do with leftover crust? So many things!
Make Two Pies
Sometimes I make two pumpkin pies because it stores really well in the refrigerator (up to 5 days) and because it goes fast! It also freezes well. After the pie has cooled completely, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Make Roll-Ups
If I’m not making two pies, I make roll-ups. Roll-ups are bite-sized pie crust rolled up with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. They are like cinnamon buns but smaller and with pie crust instead of bread dough…absolutely delicious! These are great because they are done in about 20 minutes and you can snack on them while waiting for your pie to chill. Please see our recipe for them here.
Pie Decorations
If not making any of the above, you can make cut out decorations to place around the edges or on top of your pie. Roll out the remaining crust and use cookie cutters to create fun festive shapes! Bake these separately from the pie (at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown). After the pie is finished cooling, decorate the top with your cut-outs.
How do I know when the Pie is done baking?
Use the knife test to determine when the pie is finished baking. Insert a butter knife in the center of the pie. If it comes out mostly clean, it is done. If a lot of filling is stuck to the knife, continue baking. You can also observe the edges and center of the pie. The edges should appear firm while the center will still be a little jiggly. As the pie cools, the center will firm up.
Tips
- Canned pumpkin – Be sure you are using ‘canned pumpkin’ or ‘pumpkin puree’ and not ‘pumpkin pie filling.’ Pumpkin pie filling has added spices already mixed in which we do not want for this recipe.
- Measure correctly – I highly recommend using a kitchen scale when baking. Because baking measurements need to be exact, using a scale helps to measure as precisely as possible. It quite honestly was a complete game changer for me when I first started using one! I would be lost without it now.
- Pie crust – It is important to use “ice cold” water when making your crust. The fat in the crust tends to warm as it is mixed with the flour. In order to achieve maximum flakiness, we need to prevent the fat from melting. Hence, the “ice cold” water. I typically fill a bowl with ice and water while collecting the rest of my ingredients so that it is nice and chilled when I am ready to begin. For more pie crust tips, please see our crust post.
- Aluminum foil – Making a ring of aluminum foil around your pie edges helps to prevent excess browning. Additionally, placing a sheet lined with aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven to catch drippings is highly recommended!
- Make Ahead – This pie is great for making the day before serving. While you can eat it the same day (after being chilled in the refrigerator), I find it always tastes better the next day after it has had a chance to rest and the flavors meld together overnight.
My Preferred Tools
You may already have many of these items in your kitchen. I recommend the following for this recipe:
- Pie Plate – 9.5″ diameter
- Pastry Cutter – to cut Crisco into flour in crust
- Rolling Pin – to roll out pie crust
- Pizza Cutter – to cut crust into strips if making roll-ups
- Kitchen Scale – precisely measure ingredients
- Stand Mixer – to mix pie filling
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
This Traditional Pumpkin Pie has been in my family for generations. It has a flaky, buttery crust filled with a flavorful pumpkin center featuring spices of nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- DOUBLE CRUST:
- 2 2/3 cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (184 g) Crisco
- 8-10 Tbsp cold water (ice water)
- FILLING:
- 29 oz can pumpkin puree (1 large can or two 15 oz cans)
- 1 scant cup sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ ginger
- ½ nutmeg
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten, room temp
- 1 scant cup whole milk, room temp
- Cinnamon for sprinkling on top
Directions
- Step 1 CRUST: Measure flour and salt together with whisk in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening (Crisco) with pastry cutter until crumbly and about the size of peas (do not overwork). Sprinkle in water 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until dough forms a ball. Split into two even balls. Press into round discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate while making filling. For more pie crust tips, please see our crust post.
- Step 2 Line bottom oven rack with a foil-lined baking sheet in case of drippings. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 3 FILLING: In a large mixing bowl, beat together pumpkin, sugar, salt, ginger, nutmeg, slightly beaten eggs, and milk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Step 4 ASSEMBLY: Roll out one dough disc from refrigerator on lightly floured surface. Place in a 9 inch pie pan and trim/flute edges. Pour filling into crust and sprinkle desired amount of cinnamon on top. For the second crust disc, please see possible suggestions listed in the blog post above. (Make a second pie, roll-ups, or use to create pie decor.)
- Step 5 BAKE: Bake pie at 450 degrees F for 12 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes. Start checking pie after 45 minutes and add on time as needed. A knife inserted into the middle of the pie should come out mostly clean when it is done.
- Step 6 STORAGE: Let pie sit at room temperature until cooled (several hours), then cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream. Pie will last in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Thank You for sharing your time with us
Thank you for visiting. I truly hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you tried it, please share a comment below and let us know what you think or share a picture on Instagram. Tag @the_kelly_kitchen and hashtag it #the_kelly_kitchen
If you would like to know when we post new recipes, please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. For video updates, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Have a wonderful day!
