Classic Pumpkin Pie
A silky, warmly spiced pumpkin custard baked in a flaky all-butter crust that's pre-baked so the bottom stays crisp. The Thanksgiving pie, done right.
Chef's note Pre-baking the crust is the step people skip, and it's why their bottoms are soggy.
Chef's note Pre-baking the crust is the step people skip, and it's why their bottoms are soggy. Pull the pie while the center still wobbles; it keeps cooking as it cools, and overbaked custard cracks. The pie keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 150 g
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp fine salt for the crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick (113 g), cold and cubed
- 4 tbsp ice water 60 g, plus more if needed
- 1 can pumpkin purée 15 oz (425 g), not pie filling
- ¾ cup light brown sugar 150 g, packed
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp fine salt for the filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream 240 g, or evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Steps
Whisk 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and ½ tsp fine salt. Cut in ½ cup unsalted butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the biggest pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in 4 tbsp ice water, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds together when squeezed. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.
Roll the dough on a floured counter into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhang under and crimp. Freeze 15 minutes while the oven heats to 400°F.
Line the crust with foil, fill it with pie weights or dried beans, and bake 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and pale golden. Lower the oven to 350°F.
Whisk 1 can pumpkin purée, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ⅛ tsp ground cloves and ½ tsp fine salt until smooth. Whisk in 3 large eggs, then 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly when you nudge the pan. Cover the crust edge with foil if it browns too fast.
Cool on a rack at least 2 hours so the filling sets. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with whipped cream.
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