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Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch pie crust Partially blind baked
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root I like the bright flavor this gives, but you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg This really makes a difference if you are willing to try! I hate grating things, but I swear it's worth it.
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom Optional, but I'm obsessed with cardamom. You can swap ground cloves here if you want.
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 15 ounces canned pumpkin Libby's brand consistently rates the best
  • 1 cup half-and-half Or swap for a can of evaporated milk...no judgement :)

Instructions

Prepare Pie Crust

  • Using recipe of choice, or the one on this site HERE, prepare pie crust, roll and plate. Keep covered in refrigerator or freezer. I prefer freezer since you are going to partially bake the crust.
  • Preheat oven to 400
  • Partially blind bake the crust (I'm sorry). See this post HERE for how to do it.

Prepare Pie Filling

  • While partially baked crust is cooling, turn oven temperature down to 325 (see notes on baking method at the bottom).
  • In a small bowl, mix sugars, fresh ginger (if using), spices, flour and salt together. I like to run the fresh ginger into the sugar to make it really aromatic.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk canned pumpkin to break it up. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating completely.
  • Add the sugar/spice mixture and blend well.
  • Gently stir in the half-and-half (or evaporated milk) until combined and mixture is homogenous. Go easy here because you don't want to whisk in a lot of air bubbles.
    • King Arthur suggests letting the mixture rest in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors meld. Great step to do ahead of time.
  • Place pie shell on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Turn filling into pie shell, gently tapping bottom to remove any air bubbles.
    • Extra filling can be placed in small ramekins and baked along with the pie. I call these my "side cars" and they are a great way to sneak a taste preview!
  • Bake pie via your chosen method (see below). I choose low and slow which is to bake at 325 for 45-55 minutes.
  • WHEN TO REMOVE IT: No matter which method you use to bake it, remove the pie from the oven when there is still a slight jiggle in the middle. The pie will continue to cook once it's removed and this will prevent the top from cracking. If you are second-guessing yourself, it's probably the right time.
  • Let cool completely and store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Notes

These are the main approaches to baking a pumpkin pie that I have seen throughout the many recipes and articles I have read:
The Hot Flash Method: The main one seems to be to start the pie at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 25-30 minutes. I trust all of these sources, but in my oven it never works out that well. My pie bakes too fast, which means the crust is not done (always a total of 30-35 min) and it ends up cracking despite my best efforts to capture the perfect jiggle when I remove it.
Even Steven Method: The next approach is to bake it the entire time at 350. This works well for me, though I admit I do end up with errant air bubbles and slight cracks sometimes.
Low and Slow Method: This is Alison Roman's method that's mentioned in the post. She recommends the low and slow baking method for pumpkin pie. In this variation, you bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes. I experimented with this and I really liked how the pie baked.
Choose what you have the most experience with!