Good pumpkin pie is actually closer to crème brûlée than it is to “pie filling.” The magic is the ratio: the custard should be loose and pourable in the raw state and the sweetness should lean more caramel/brown sugar than white sugar. If you can, bake this the day before. Pumpkin pie tastes better the next day, when all the spices have married and the custard has tightened.
Yield: 1 pie (8 servings)
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 (9‑inch) unbaked pie crust (blind baked 10 to 12 minutes, optional but recommended)
- 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oven to 425°F / 218°C.
Step 2
Whisk pumpkin, eggs, both sugars, salt, spices, and vanilla until totally smooth, then whisk in the cream. Mixture should be loose/pourable and glossy.
Step 3
Place pie shell on a sheet pan, pour in the filling.
Step 4
Bake 15 minutes at 425°F, then drop heat to 350°F / 177°C and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, until the edges are puffed and the center wobbles like Jell‑O, not sloshy.
Step 5
Cool completely on a rack at least 2 hours (zero shortcuts here).
Step 6
Chill 3 to 12 hours for clean slices. Serve with cold whipped cream and cinnamon on top.