Description
This Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe offers a rich, smooth, and flavorful dessert featuring a homemade pie crust, a perfectly spiced pumpkin filling, and optional decorative sugared cranberries. Ideal for holiday celebrations, this recipe guides you through making the crust, preparing the filling with a blend of warm spices, par-baking the crust, and baking the pie to a tender finish. The sugared cranberries add a festive touch and a sweet-tart contrast, while homemade pie crust leaves enhance presentation. Serve with whipped cream for a classic holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For Sugared Cranberries
- 1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
For Pie Dough and Egg Wash
- Homemade Pie Dough (full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for leaf decor)
- Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
For Pumpkin Pie Filling
- One 15-ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
Instructions
- Prepare Sugared Cranberries: Place fresh cranberries in a large heatproof bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and 3/4 cup sugar to a simmer, whisking until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Pour syrup over cranberries and stir. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Transfer cranberries with a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat. Dry uncovered for 1 hour. Toss cranberries in remaining 1/2 cup sugar to coat evenly. Place back on lined baking sheet and dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Make the pie dough according to your preferred recipe or the detailed tutorial referenced. Chill dough until ready to use.
- Preheat Oven & Roll Dough: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove one pie dough disc from refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, turning a quarter turn every few rolls for even thickness. Transfer dough gently into a 9-inch by 2-inch deep pie dish, pressing it into the corners and forming a thick rim by folding overhanging dough. Crimp or flute edges as desired. Lightly brush edges with egg wash.
- Par-bake Pie Crust: Line the crust with crumpled parchment paper and fill evenly with pie weights or dried beans (enough to cover the base). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Prick the crust bottom all over with a fork to create steam vents. Return crust to oven and bake 7-8 more minutes until the bottom just begins to brown.
- Prepare Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, and brown sugar until smooth. Add cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Whisk vigorously until fully combined.
- Assemble and Bake Pie: Pour filling into warm par-baked crust, filling about 3/4 full. Reserve any extra filling for mini pies if desired. Cover crust edges with foil or a pie crust shield after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the center is almost set with a slight wobble. Check doneness starting at 50 minutes.
- Cool and Decorate: Transfer pie to a wire rack and cool completely for at least 3 hours before serving. Decorate with pie crust leaves and sugared cranberries as desired. Serve with whipped cream if preferred.
- Store Leftovers: Cover tightly and refrigerate leftover pie for up to 5 days.
Notes
- This pumpkin pie is rich and smooth, packed with warm spices and perfect with homemade pie crust and whipped cream.
- The pie crust leaves and sugared cranberries are decorative and optional additions; you may omit either or both.
- You can use store-bought pie dough if desired.
- Sugared cranberries can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Using a deep dish pie pan is recommended to accommodate the filling amount.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
