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Grandma’s famous pumpkin pie is smooth, thick, and creamy! A MUST for the holidays and the best when served with a big dollop of whipped cream on top!

My grandma would make the best pies ever! If you love pumpkin pie as much as I do then try this Sheet Cake, Pie Bars, or Cupcakes.

Front view of a slice of pumpkin pie with a bite taken out of it.

Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

My grandma was an amazing cook but an even better baker! I don’t know anyone that could make better bread, cookies, and pies than her! And her pies… Those were truly a diamond in the rough! Her pies were truly the BEST! I would always go first for her cherry pie followed by pumpkin. Then another slice of cherry. Followed by another slice. There is always room for pie right??

The pie starts with her perfect pie crust! It’s tender and flaky and totally melts in your mouth. Then the pumpkin filling is smooth, thick, and creamy! It’s filled with the most delicious spices and flavors and really makes it the best pie around. While you are at it, you should try these Perfect Mini Pumpkin Pies. They are just as delicious and perfect for the little ones!

Ingredients for Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a must for the holiday season! You will love my grandma’s famous pumpkin pie recipe and will use it every time! It will become a family favorite! See the recipe card for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

Pie Crust: I use my grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust for any pie crust recipe.
Granulated Sugar: This is how you sweeten up the pumpkin pie.
Ground Cinnamon: This flavoring that makes it taste like fall.
Salt: You only need to use a dash! This will enhance the flavors of all of the other ingredients!
Ground Ginger: Flavorful spices that make this pie even more delicious!
Ground Cloves: These give it a bolder and richer flavor that tastes like fall in a pie.
Eggs: You don’t want to over beat the eggs, just slightly beaten together.
Canned pumpkin: Libby’s is my favorite! Or, you can make your own using this Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe!
Evaporated Milk: This milk makes it rich and creamy.
Pecans: These are always a great topping for pumpkin pie if you love a crunch!
Whipped Cream: one of my favorite toppings!

Use Pumpkin Pie Spice

Instead of using cinnamon, ginger, and cloves separately, feel free to add prepared pumpkin pie spice to your pumpkin mixture!

Placing a homemade, unbaked crust in a pie pan.

Let’s Bake Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie!

Your holiday season just got better with this pumpkin pie! It is a tried and true recipe that is simple to make and oh. so. delicious! My grandma knew just what to do when baking and made this pie PERFECTION every time!

Make Pie Crust and Filling: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare this pie crust recipe and set aside. In a large bowl mix together sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. Add eggs, canned pumpkin and evaporated milk. Mix until fully combined.
Combine and Bake: Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and then bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool, Top and Serve: Cool on wire rack for 2 hours to completely cool. Then, top with pecans and whipped cream if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

4-photo collage of preparing the crust and pumpkin pie filling.

Canned or Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Using fresh or canned pumpkin puree does make difference. I have found that fresh pumpkin puree does not set up as well as canned pumpkin. Because of this, I prefer canned pumpkin puree for this pie recipe. It sets up nicely and has a thick, creamy, and flavorful texture. The fresh pumpkin puree also has a different texture that is a little bit grainy and slightly lumpy even after it is pureed. If you do use homemade pumpkin puree then you will want to be sure to drain the liquid using a paper towel. Fresh pumpkin holds in extra water.

How to Make Pie Crust Leaves

You will want to first double my Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust before making these pie crust leaves. These are so fun and easy to make on top of almost any pie. There are so many other shapes and sizes that you can use too instead of the leaves.

Roll out dough about 1/8 of an inch thick. Using leaf cookie cutters or any other small shape, simply cut out the shapes in the dough.
Brush each shape lightly with a beaten egg and milk mixture.
Place onto parchment paper or greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
Let cool completely before adding them to your pumpkin pie.

A baked pie, topped with pieces of crust that look like leaves.

Baking Tips

Making a homemade crust takes an extra step but it is worth it in the end! I love how simple and delicious it is! There are so many flavors that will melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. These tips will help you come up with the best pie this holiday season!

Pie Crust : To make it easier, you can always use store-bought or frozen pie crust. This can save you a little bit of time! If you do make a homemade pie crust then it’s best to first bake your pie crust before adding the pumpkin pie filling.
Using a Pie Crust Shield: Using a pie crust shield can prevent the edges of your pie crust from being over cooked and turning brown. If you do not have a pie crust shield you can simply use a foil covering on the edges instead.
Don’t Overbake! Make sure to not over bake your pumpkin pie. It will tend to crack if you over bake it. I like to take my pumpkin pie out even if it is a little wobbly and let it finish baking as it cools. The pumpkin pie will slowly firm up leaving no cracks.
Separation of Crust and Filling: There tends to be a little separation between the pie crust and the pie after it is baked. Don’t be alarmed this is normal and will still taste delicious!
Toppings: Add toppings over your pie while it is still warm. Sprinkle brown sugar over top or add any nuts over top. This will give your pie a sweet and crunchy flavor.

Top-down view of pie with slices cut out of it.

How to Store Leftovers of Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Day-old pumpkin pie is just as delicious as a fresh-made pumpkin pie! I love the flavors and how rich, bold and creamy this pie turns out to be. It does well fresh, refrigerated, or frozen! You can’t go wrong.

Make Ahead and Freeze: Luckily pumpkin pie freezes well and up to 1 month. Simply make your pumpkin pie and let it cool completely. Once cooled, place in a ziplock bag or airtight container. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make Ahead and Refrigerate: Get ahead of the holidays by preparing this pumpkin pie ahead of time. Pumpkin pie can be made about 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Once baked and cooled, completely wrap your pumpkin pie tightly with plastic wrap. Then place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This will avoid any bacteria getting in the pumpkin pie.
Ready to Serve: When ready to serve, take your pumpkin pie out of the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or eat it a little cold immediately.

More Delicious Pie Recipes to Try

The one thing that I know that baking this pie will do is make you want to bake more pies! So, I’ve made that easy for you by picking out some of my very favorite tried and true pie recipes! They are so delicious and there are so many different kinds to choose from! You can make them for just about any occasion and they will be the talk of the party! Try one. Or try them all, they are SOO GOOD!

Desserts

Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients for Grandma’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Use Pumpkin Pie Spice