Seriously Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe

I’m sharing an Easy Pumpkin Pie made with just six pantry staples: a 9 inch unbaked pie crust, pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, two eggs and pumpkin pie spice with a pinch of kosher salt. This no fail recipe keeps things ridiculously simple and leaves a few tempting secrets to uncover.

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I didn’t expect a pie this simple to turn out so close to perfect, but this Seriously Easy Pumpkin Pie does. It’s my go to when I want dessert that looks like I spent hours, but really takes minutes.

The whole thing comes together with a 9 inch unbaked pie crust, a 15 oz can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling, a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, two large eggs lightly beaten, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. No fancy techniques, no mysterious additions, just mix, pour, bake and you’re done.

People searching Easy Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Pie Recipe Easy or even Homemade Pumpkin Pie From Fresh Pumpkin will be surprised how good this is, and how annoyingly simple. I make it when friends drop by and they always ask for the recipe, even though I tell them its basically cheating.

Try it, you’ll see.

Why I Like this Recipe

1. I love how simple it is, only six ingredients and almost nothing to do, so I can throw it together even when Im tired.
2. I like that the condensed milk makes the filling super creamy and smooth, its rich without being fussy.
3. I appreciate the bake trick of starting hot then lowering the heat, it gives me a nice set edge and a silky center every time.
4. Its forgiving and low stress, plus the rimmed baking sheet and foil trick mean less cleanup and less panic if things brown too fast.

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust, store bought or homemade if you wanna

- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling

- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 425°F and place a rack in the lower third of the oven; keep your unbaked 9 inch pie crust in the pan, crimp the edges if they look sad.

2. In a large bowl combine 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 2 lightly beaten large eggs, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tsp kosher salt; whisk until smooth, dont overmix though.

3. Pour the filling into the unbaked crust and give the pan a gentle shake to level the top and release air bubbles.

4. Put the pie on a rimmed baking sheet (trust me, its easier for cleanup) and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

5. After 15 minutes lower oven temp to 350°F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes more, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle like jello.

6. If the crust or edges brown too fast, loosely tent foil over the rim of the crust about 20 minutes into the second bake, dont press it down.

7. Remove the pie, set it on a cooling rack and let cool at room temp for about 2 hours so it finishes setting, then chill in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight for cleaner slices.

8. To check doneness you can insert a thin knife near the center, it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, not liquid.

9. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 4 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (must reach 425°F, then 350°F)
2. 9-inch pie pan with unbaked pie crust (in the pan)
3. Oven rack (set in lower third)
4. Rimmed baking sheet (for the pie while baking)
5. Large mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Measuring spoons (for 1 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp) and a liquid measuring cup (optional)
8. Can opener (for pumpkin and condensed milk)
9. Rubber spatula or large spoon (to scrape bowl and pour filling)
10. Thin knife (to test doneness)
11. Aluminum foil (to loosely tent crust if it browns too fast)
12. Cooling rack (to let pie finish setting)
13. Oven mitts (youll need them to handle hot pans)
14. Refrigerator or covered container (to chill and store leftovers)

FAQ

Q: How long and at what temperature do I bake this pie? A: Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Bake about 50 to 60 minutes. The edges should be set and the center will still jiggle a little. If you use a thermometer aim for about 170 to 175 F in the center. Let it cool; it will finish setting as it cools.

Q: Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree? A: Yes you can, but you gotta roast and puree it first and squeeze out excess water. Use about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of cooked pumpkin puree to match a 15 oz can. If it’s watery your filling will be too loose.

Q: What if I only have evaporated milk or regular milk instead of sweetened condensed milk? A: You cant swap them straight across because sweetened condensed milk is thick and very sweet. If you use evaporated milk you must add sugar to taste and expect a slightly different texture. Bottom line, use sweetened condensed for this recipe if you want the exact, easy result.

Q: My pie cracked, what did I do wrong and how do I avoid that? A: Cracks usually mean overbaking or cooling too fast. Don’t bake it longer than needed, check early, and let it cool on the counter then refrigerate. Also avoid very hot ovens, and tent the crust edges with foil if they brown too fast.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. You can make and refrigerate the baked pie for up to 2 days. For longer keep it wrapped tight and freeze up to 1 to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temp or warm gently before serving.

Q: Any tips for a prettier crust or for preventing a soggy bottom? A: Blind bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes if you worry about sogginess, or brush the crust with a thin beaten egg white and bake 1 to 2 minutes to seal it. Also don’t overfill, and cool the pie on a rack so steam can escape.

Seriously Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pie crust
- Graham cracker crust — crushed graham crackers mixed with melted butter and a little sugar, press into pan and bake a few minutes so it sets
- Gluten free crust — use a store bought GF crust or make an almond flour crust (almond flour mixed with butter and a bit of sugar)
- No crust — bake the filling in a buttered baking dish like a custard if you want less fuss
Pumpkin puree
- Roasted fresh pumpkin or butternut squash puree — roast a sugar pumpkin or squash, scoop and puree, same texture and flavor
- Sweet potato puree — canned or roasted sweet potato works well and gives a similar sweetness
Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk plus sugar — stir in sugar to taste and warm a bit if you want it thicker, this mimics the sweetness and body
- Sweetened condensed coconut milk — canned, great for dairy free or if you want a slight coconut note
Eggs
- Applesauce — use 1/4 cup applesauce per egg so 1/2 cup for two eggs, keeps it moist but a touch sweeter
- Flax eggs — 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg, so 2 tablespoons flax plus 6 tablespoons water for two eggs
- Silken tofu — 1/4 cup pureed silken tofu per egg, gives a smooth creamy set
Pumpkin pie spice
- Make your own — 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ginger plus a pinch each of nutmeg and cloves to equal about 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Cinnamon plus allspice — if youre missing some spices use cinnamon with a little allspice and you’ll be fine

Pro Tips

– Let stuff come up to room temp first. Cold eggs or pumpkin make the filling sluggish and more likely to trap air or curdle, so sit them out for 20 to 30 minutes. It really helps the texture, trust me.

– Preheat a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone and bake the pie on that. It gives the bottom crust a better blast of heat so it wont be soggy, plus it helps the whole pie cook more evenly.

– Use an instant read thermometer if you can. Pull the pie when the center reads about 175 to 180°F, it will still look a little wobbly but wont be liquid. The pie keeps cooking a bit after you take it out so dont overbake.

– For deeper flavor, bloom your pumpkin pie spice in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds or stir in a teaspoon of vanilla or a tablespoon of brown sugar or molasses. Small stuff like that makes the filling taste less flat without changing the recipe much.

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

263

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (must reach 425°F, then 350°F)
2. 9-inch pie pan with unbaked pie crust (in the pan)
3. Oven rack (set in lower third)
4. Rimmed baking sheet (for the pie while baking)
5. Large mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Measuring spoons (for 1 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp) and a liquid measuring cup (optional)
8. Can opener (for pumpkin and condensed milk)
9. Rubber spatula or large spoon (to scrape bowl and pour filling)
10. Thin knife (to test doneness)
11. Aluminum foil (to loosely tent crust if it browns too fast)
12. Cooling rack (to let pie finish setting)
13. Oven mitts (youll need them to handle hot pans)
14. Refrigerator or covered container (to chill and store leftovers)

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust, store bought or homemade if you wanna
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F and place a rack in the lower third of the oven; keep your unbaked 9 inch pie crust in the pan, crimp the edges if they look sad.
In a large bowl combine 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 2 lightly beaten large eggs, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tsp kosher salt; whisk until smooth, dont overmix though.
Pour the filling into the unbaked crust and give the pan a gentle shake to level the top and release air bubbles.
Put the pie on a rimmed baking sheet (trust me, its easier for cleanup) and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes lower oven temp to 350°F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes more, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle like jello.
If the crust or edges brown too fast, loosely tent foil over the rim of the crust about 20 minutes into the second bake, dont press it down.
Remove the pie, set it on a cooling rack and let cool at room temp for about 2 hours so it finishes setting, then chill in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight for cleaner slices.
To check doneness you can insert a thin knife near the center, it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, not liquid.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 4 days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.