Brad’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Learn how to make pumpkin pies from scratch using Brad’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe.

Total Time: 70 mins

Yield: 8-12 servings or 1-2 pies

Before we get started with the making of Brad’s Pumpkin Pie, lets learn some fun facts about pumpkins. 

Pumpkin a squash or a gourd?

“Pumpkins, squash and gourds are members of the enormously diverse Cucurbitaceous family, which contains more than 100 genera and over 700 species. They have been providing mankind with food and utilitarian objects since before recorded history. Various members of the genus Cucurbita are known as squash or gourds.”

Source Answer Thirst

Brad’s How-to-Pumpkin-Puree-Hack

To make pumpkin purée from scratch, cut a medium pumpkin in half. Scrape out the insides and discard. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on the lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F until a fork can easily pierce them, about an hour to an hour and a half. Remove from oven, let cool, scoop out the pulp.

Pie Filling Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 cups pumpkin purée (see Brad’s How-to-Pumpkin-Puree-Hack)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 homemade pie crust, chilled or frozen or 2 pre-made pie shells

Method

1. Preheat the oven:

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

2. Make the filling: Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, spices — cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, cardamom, and lemon zest.

Mix in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the cream. Beat together until everything is well mixed.

3. Fill the pie shell and bake: Pour the filling into an uncooked chilled or frozen pie shell. Bake at a high temperature of 425°F for 15 minutes.

Then after 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes more. The pie is done when a knife tip inserted in the center comes out wet but relatively clean. The center should be just barely jiggly.

(FYI jiggly is not a technical term but rather a fun verb)

Note, the pumpkin pie will come out of the oven all puffed up (another fun verb) and will deflate (one more fun verb) as it cools.

4. Cool the pumpkin pie on a wire rack for 2 hours.

Serve with whipped cream.

Hope you enjoy making Brad’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe as much as he did sharing it with you.

Brad’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe Printable Version