Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
This Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie is silky, creamy, and perfectly spiced with warm fall flavors. It’s the classic dessert that no Thanksgiving table is complete without.
So what makes this an Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie? It all comes down to one ingredient: milk (not evaporated milk).
I compared a dozen pumpkin pie recipes from cookbooks from the 1940s through the 1960s. They all used regular cow’s milk, compared to the evaporated milk used in more modern recipes. While evaporated milk makes a lovely pumpkin pie, I really did enjoy this classic version, made with regular milk. It’s softer, lighter, and a little more “melt in your mouth” than a more modern recipe.
I baked the pie in this Never Fail Pie Crust, which is always flaky, tender, and easy to roll out-it was an absolute winner.
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What You’ll Need
- I love this Never Fail Pie Crust for this recipe. It works every time!
- The milk should be 2% or whole. I don’t recommend using skim, which has a higher water content.
- Make sure the can says pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling, the latter of which is sweetened already.
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How to Make Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
- Whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
- Pour into an unbaked pie crust that’s in a 9-inch pie pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 50-55 minutes.
- Let cool completely, then refrigerate. Cut into slices and serve.
Kate’s #1 Tip for Making Pumpkin Pie
Pies always taste better on the day that they are made. That’s when the crust is the most crisp. That’s definitely true here, but if you’re making it the day before, be sure to cool the pie completely at room temperature before placing it in the fridge. Placing a warm pumpkin pie in the fridge will cause the crust to get soggy, due to the moisture content of the filling.
Love pie? Don’t miss this collection of old fashioned pie recipes, including pecan pie, strawberry Jello pie, sour cream raisin pie, and more.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 9-inch pie crust or pie shell uncooked (I used half of this Never Fail Pie Crust)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée, 2 eggs, 1½ cups milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, ¾ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Pour into the pie shell (or pie crust, placed in a 9-inch pie dish).
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking the pie for another 50-55 minutes. The pie will still jiggle slightly in the middle when you take it out. That's ok-it'll firm up as it cools.
- Let cool completely at room temperature, and refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream on top.
I made this pie last week. It was so delicious that it only lasted the day. When I saw someone sneaking a slice, I smiled. To me it was a compliment. Give it a try and make sure to use milk, not canned milk. Oh, one thing I did differently. I used the same amount of spice but I used Pumpkin Spice mix instead. I can’t know the difference in taste but it must not have mattered. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for your kind comment, Bren! Sneaking a slice is indeed the ultimate compliment for pie. 🙂
planning to make this for Christmas Day, I was drawn in by “never fail” Ha Ha THe filling reads as marvelous!!! Will post again after dessert! TY