Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This is the original Pumpkin Pie recipe from the 1993 Thanksgiving issue of Cook’s Illustrated. I have made adjustments over the years to improve the recipe for my and my family’s personal tastes. They are included in parentheses! Additional notes on ingredients and shopping resources are included after the recipe.

Rating

4.81 stars (72 reviews)

Keywords

pumpkin, thanksgiving

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, (measured by dip-and-sweep)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1¼ sticks) (chilled and cut into ¼-inch pats)
3 tablespoons ice water (— use up to 2 tablespoons vodka if you like, see notes below)
2 cups pumpkin puree (16 ounces )
1 cup packed dark brown sugar (— I use granulated white sugar)
2 teaspoons ground ginger ( — I use 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt (— I use 1 teaspoon salt)
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs (— I decrease and use only 3 eggs)
1 1/3 cups heavy cream (cold)
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon brandy

Cuisine

American

Steps

Pie Pastry Shell Directions:
- mix
- shape
- roll
- transfer
- press
- refigerate
- bake
Spicy Pumpkin Pie Filling Directions:
- combine
- pour
Brandied Whipped Cream Directions:
- beat