Classic Pumpkin Pie

The perfect pumpkin pie is warmly spiced with a delicate sweetness. It manages both to herald the holiday season's arrival and bookend it, the satisfying final page on a day of family gathering and celebrations.

This pumpkin pie recipe is silky, smooth, and has great depth of flavor from the spices and the orange zest. And our recipe for pumpkin pie does all these things beautifully—literally. We've added some playful pastry work in the form of piecrust cutouts that sit atop clouds of fluffy maple-flavored whipped cream.

While we've made many pumpkin pie recipes in our Test Kitchens over the years—and there certainly are many more to be found on the internet—we think you'll agree this Classic Pumpkin Pie manages to capture everything the seasonal dessert should be: It's simple to make, warmly inviting, and, as any grand dessert should, it stands apart from the basic orange slabs you'll find in most other holiday displays with its beautiful decorations.

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

To make the filling for this easy pumpkin pie, you will need:

• Refrigerated pie crusts: You'll need two pre-made crusts, or you can make your own Double-Crust Pie Pastry.
• Canned pumpkin: Not pumpkin pie filling.
• Evaporated milk: The thicker, richer milk helps keep the pie filling luscious.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness without overpowering the pie filling.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Make your own, or buy the pre-mixed kind in the spice and baking aisle.
• Vanilla extract: Elevates all the flavors of the pie.
• Kosher salt: Just a hint of salt balances the pie's sweetness.
• Ground ginger: Classic pumpkin pie seasoning, ginger adds a hint of zing and warmth.
• Orange zest: Not standard but very much worth the work of zesting an orange. It adds a beautiful floral note to the pie.
• Eggs: Brings together the pie's custard filling and texture.

For the pumpkin pie spice leaves, you'll need more pie crust, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and egg, plus heavy whipping cream, as well as flour for the work surface.

For the maple whipped cream, you'll need more vanilla extra, maple syrup, and heavy whipping cream.

How To Make Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie is classic and easy, so review this outline, and then find the full recipe with step-by-step photos further below.

• Step 1. First prepare by preheating the oven to 425°F. Unroll the crust, fit into a pie plate, fold the edges under, and crimp. You can, as we did, get a little creative with the tines of a fork to stamp a bit of a pattern on the crust. You could also use pastry presses, which are silicone mats that you push into raw dough to form decorations on the crust. This is optional, but it adds to the character of your homemade pumpkin pie.
• Step 2. Next, whisk together the canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, ginger, and orange zest until smooth.
• Step 3. Whisk in the eggs, and then pour the filling into the crust. Smooth the top with a spatula or back of a spoon.
• Step 4. Bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, and bake for about 40 to 45 more minutes.
• Step 5. Remove the pie from the oven, but leave the oven on.

You can leave the pie plain, adding a bit of whipped cream if you want. But we hope you'll keep going with the cut-out pie crust cookies.

How To Make Pumpkin Spice Pie Leaves

Finish off this pie with cute leaves with a hint of spice. Let the pie cool completely, first on the baking sheet, and then on a wire rack. While it's cooling, prepare the pumpkin spice leaves.

• Step 1. Roll out pie crust on a lightly-floured work surface, and use cutters to cut eight leaves. You can use the same cutter for all the leaves, or mix and match with a set.
• Step 2. Place the leaf cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Step 3. Whisk together egg yolk, cream, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Brush each leaf lightly with the mixture.
• Step 4. Bake at 350°F until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Just before serving, prepare the maple whipped cream. Beat cream, maple syrup, and vanilla with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Transfer the cream to a piping bag (or zipper bag with a corner cut off), and place eight dollops on the pie. Top each one with a leaf.

Can You Use Regular Pumpkins for Pie?

This pumpkin pie recipe calls for canned pumpkin, an easier and more consistent alternative to fresh. With extra effort, you can also use fresh pie pumpkins instead after making it into a homemade pumpkin puree.

What's the Difference Between a Carving Pumpkin and a Pie Pumpkin?

Not all pumpkins are created equal when it comes to transforming them into pies. Carving pumpkins—the type typically used for Halloween jack-o-lanterns—are easier to clean out and reasonably thin and easy to carve.

Pie pumpkins on the other hand are relatively smaller with a more rounded form. Their flesh is also more flavorful than carving pumpkins, which typically have little to no flavor if roasted.

Can You Make Pumpkin Pie Ahead of Time?

If you wanted to make this pumpkin pie ahead of time, you can bake this pie up to 2 days in advance. Make the cookies, too, but don't whip the cream or decorate until a few hours before dinner.

How To Store Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie should be refrigerated. Any pie made with dairy or eggs shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours at room temperature before putting it in the fridge. It can keep up to 3 days in the fridge, though the crust might become a little soggy.

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.