Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe From Scratch

Homemade pumpkin pie recipe from scratch has a delicious and classic smooth pumpkin center with a buttery crust. This will be your go-to fall dessert.

slice of pumpkin pie recipe from scratch on a white plate with the rest of the pie behind

I made homemade pumpkin pie from scratch a couple of weeks ago at the suggestion of my three-year-old son.  

The pie turned out great, but I didn’t have whipping cream. I honestly didn’t even want to eat it without whipping cream. Do you feel the same?  

I served some to my son and he was excited, but then fifteen minutes later he returned the almost untouched pie to the countertop. He said he didn’t like the “smushy mud” in the middle.

Oh, kid. I guess he’s not into the pumpkin pie texture.  

slice of pumpkin pie covered in whipped cream on a white plate

Pumpkin Pie From Scratch Is Perfect For Friendsgiving

So, anyway… Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  

I really love holidays that bring families together.

Whether your family lives nearby or hundreds of miles away, or even if your family consists of friends who fulfill the definition of family, this gathering together is exciting and memorable.

I’ve had lots of friends moving away over the last couple of years, and perhaps as a result, I’ve seen more “friendsgivings” than ever before. I absolutely love seeing the togetherness among groups who, while technically unrelated, find that the value of like mindedness, oneness of heart, and the daily sharing of their lives connect them just as deeply.

So, relevant to the occasion, Amy requested a pumpkin pie recipe that involved fewer processed ingredients.  Really, the only ingredients in a traditional pumpkin pie that didn’t fit her criteria were the brown sugar and canned evaporated milk.  So, let’s deal with those.

Simple Swaps To Make This Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe Healthier

  • Evaporated Milk: To veer away from the canned evaporated milk, I made my own, which worked really well. Basically, however much evaporated milk is called for, double that amount in regular milk and add it to a small saucepan.  This recipe uses 8 ounces of evaporated milk, so I poured 16 ounces of cold milk in the saucepan.  
  • Brown sugar:  To accomplish a sugar substitute, I used a blend of honey and maple syrup so as to not overwhelm the pie with either flavor.  I cut back slightly on the milk to compensate for the added liquids.

Tips For Making Pumpkin Pie From Scratch:

  • Once you’ve prepared your evaporated milk, this recipe doesn’t take long at all to put together.  The ingredients are simple and delicious, and the resulting pie has great flavor and texture, and it slices and serves easily. 
  • Use your favorite pie crust recipe, regular or gluten free. If you don’t want to make your own crust, you can use store-bought.
  • This recipe uses a standard pie plate. If you use a deep dish pie plate you pie may look a little wimpy.
  • You can make your own pumpkin puree or used canned for this recipe.

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What you may need:

Bowl

Measuring spoons

Liquid measuring cup

Standard pie plate

Saucepan

Whisk

Silicon spatulas

How To Make Evaporated Milk:

  1. Heat 16 ounces of milk on low for approximately 2.5 hours.
  2. Heat until the milk has reduced to about half of its original quantity.  

I found this was the perfect amount of time to fold and put away a basket of laundry, cook dinner for a family of four, and change two diapers.  

So, yes, it takes longer than peeling the lid off a can, but it’s also extremely low maintenance, and it tastes really delicious!  

The Crust

About the crust:  I use many different recipes for pie crusts, so use the one you love the best.  If you are gluten free, use a gluten free pie crust. Or

Go with a standard pie plate, though.  A deep dish pie plate will leave your pie looking inadequate, as the filling is perfect for a standard pie, but less than what you would want for deep dish.

 I found that out for you, so now you won’t have to bring an ugly pie to Thanksgiving dinner.

real-food-pumpkin-pie

How To Make Pumpkin Pie From Scratch

Step 1: How To Make Condensed Milk

  1. Pour 16 ounces of cold milk in a small saucepan.
  2. Heat on low for approximately 2.5 hours, until the milk has reduced to about half of its original quantity.
  3. Set aside.

Step 2: Prepare The Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Prepare your pie crust, using a standard size pie plate.

Step 3: Make The Pumpkin Pie Filling

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and the evaporated milk.
  2. Add the two eggs as you stir. I like to add these one at a time, in a seperate dish, before adding them to the filling. This way if you get in a shell it is easier to get out or if you get a bad egg you don’t ruin your whole batter.
  3. Drizzle the maple syrup and honey into your mixture.
  4. Stirring vigorously, add the salt and pumpkin pie spice.
  5. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell.

Step 4: Bake

  1. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for approximately 30 minutes, or until the middle is set.
  2. Allow to cool until room temperature. Slice and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Find More Fall Inspired Recipes:

Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Spice Popcorn Recipe

Baked Pancakes With Spiced Apples

Homemade Paleo Apple Crisp Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Recipe From Scratch 

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it you come back and give it 5 stars! Please and thank you.

Classic Pumpkin Pie {real food recipe}

A classic pumpkin pie made from scratch
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 198kcal
Author: Libby

Ingredients

  • 15 oz pumpkin puree
  • 8 oz evaporated milk homemade or store-bought
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 honey
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 unbaked pie shell
  • whipped cream for topping

Instructions

For the evaporated milk

  • Pour 16 ounces of cold milk in a small saucepan. Heat on low for approximately 2.5 hours, until the milk has reduced to about half of its original quantity.

For the pie

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare your pie crust, using a standard size pie plate.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and the evaporated milk.
  • Add the two eggs as you stir.
  • Drizzle the maple syrup and honey into your mixture.
  • Stirring vigorously, add the salt and seasonings.
  • Pour the pie filling into the unbaked pie crust.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for approximately 30 minutes, or until the middle is set.

For the whipped cream

  • Amy added raw milk cream to her stand mixer and mixed until the cream became stiff. Add a bit of sugar for some sweetness, if you like!

Notes

Monitor your crust so that it doesn't burn. Cover the edges with aluminum foil, if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8400IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ablossominglife or tag #ablossominglife!

This post was updated October 2019

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