The Best Pumpkin Pie (+Video)
This Homemade Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie is a must-make for Thanksgiving and the holidays. It comes out perfectly creamy every time!
A MUST-MAKE THANKSGIVING DESSERT
I have been making this pumpkin pie with brown sugar for many years now. I have tried others but I always come back to this one. It’s my family’s favorite for every Thanksgiving! This pie is creamy and down right decadent without tasting too sweet or rich.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS AMAZING PUMPKIN PIE:
- Oven times vary, but basically the pie should be just a tiny bit jiggly in the middle when it is done. It is overcooked when the pie has totally set up in the oven.
- Also, this pie mixture may look VERY thin compared to what you are used to, but don’t worry, it will thicken up in the oven.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR PUMPKIN PIE: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- deep dish frozen pie shell, refrigerated pie crust (or homemade pie crust)
- salted butter
- light brown sugar
- pumpkin puree
- eggs
- heavy cream
- sour cream
- pumpkin pie spice (or homemade pumpkin pie spice)
- vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE:
If you are using a frozen pie crust, you may need to partially bake it first. Check the back of the package for instructions. Most frozen crusts just require that you to sit it out on the counter for about 10 minutes before putting any filling into it. Put pie crust on a baking sheet. This will make it easier to lift it in & out of the oven.
If using a refrigerated pie crust, carefully unroll the pie crust and place into pie pan and crimp the edges.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Using an electric mixer or a whisk, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, pumpkin puree together until combined.
Add in eggs, heavy cream, sour cream, spices, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into the pie shell, taking care not to overfill.
Also, to keep the pie crust edges from getting too brown, you can put strips of aluminum foil around the crust edges before popping it into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 425F degrees, then reduce heat to 350F degrees and bake for about 40-50 minutes.
Cool to room temperature for 2-3 hours (to allow the pie to finish setting up.) Then serve with whipped cream.
CRAVING MORE?
The Best Pumpkin Pie (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust (or frozen deep dish pie crust)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- If you are using a frozen pie crust, you may need to partially bake it first. Check the back of the package for instructions. Most frozen crusts just require that you to sit it out on the counter for about 10 minutes before putting any filling into it. Put pie crust on a baking sheet. This will make it easier to lift it in & out of the oven.
- If using a refrigerated pie crust, carefully unroll the pie crust and place into pie pan and crimp the edges.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, pumpkin puree together until combined.
- Add in eggs, heavy cream, sour cream, spices, and vanilla.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour batter into the pie shell, taking care not to overfill. Also, to keep pie edges from getting too dark, wrap edge of crust in aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for about 40-50 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature for 2-3 hours (to allow the pie to finish setting up) then serve with whipped cream.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: November 2011
Updated & republished: October 2020
By far one of the best pumpkin pies I have eaten. It was perfect as is. I made it in the 9 inch deep dish.
Baked this recipe with sweet potatoes and it is delicious. Best pie I ever made. Cut back on the pumpkin pie spice to 1/4 tsp. and it worked out great. Thanks for the idea.
My husband and I agree that this is the best pumpkin pie we’ve ever had! We used it with a graham cracker crust and it was perfect! Thank you!
For about 6 to 7 years now I’ve been trying to find a recipe that has no cinnamon in it anyways after my allergy developed I’ve missed pumkin pie pumpkin anything actually I’m so happy I found this recipe I’m that I’m tearing up from glee thank you
I made four pies for my son’s school class party. They were the first thing to get gobbled up and everyone asked for the recipe. I looked like the star Mom!! Thank you!
Do I need to refrigerate the pie after cooling or can it stay at room temperature?
How would I freeze this? Sounds delish, I can’t wait to bake it!
Hi Melissa, you could freeze it before cooking or after cooking. Up to you. If you freeze it before, you’ll need to tack on extra cooking time. 🙂
If I wanted to make this crustless, are there any specific changes I should make??? 90% of the pumpkin pie that I eat is left with a carcass because the crust is dry and never sweet enough. Thanks!
Hi Jan! Honestly I’ve never tried it. You could maybe make your own crust to get it as sweet as you like it maybe?
Oh my goodness. Hello pumpkin pie. Looks so good!
Super yummy! My mom who doesn’t even like Pumpkin pie LOVED this recipe! Making it again today!!
I just put this in the oven, but didn’t use a mixer. The mixture was actually quite thick. Do you think this will make a difference?
I think it will turn out just fine!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving first time and it was wonderful. It is so creamy, delicious and everyone enjoyed it. I had a ramekin that I put the leftover pumpkin pie filling in and baked it @ 350 for 30 min. I ate it warm yummy… Used the deep dish pie crust and covered the outside rim with tin foil. added whipped cream too. No one would know it has sour cream but it adds to the consistency..
Thanks Brandi!
I've been making this pie since last year!!! Question, what do you recommend to do with the left over filling? I hate to admit but the last two times I made it I just kept licking the spoon until it was gone!! Yikes!!! I have not done that this time so HELP!! If someone doesn't recommend something it will disappear too!
Just put in a oven safe dish and bake it. It makes a wonderful pumpkin pudding.
Do you have a similar recipe for Sweet Potatoe pie?
Hi there, question! My husband does not like the taste of Sour Cream even a little bit. In fact, he has a strange ability to taste it in things he shouldn't even be able to taste it in. Do you taste the sour cream in this or is it purely for texture!
Thank you so much for your help!!
I've got one with a cracked top and another (cooked separately) that the pie crust didn't cook through. Do you recommend blind baking this crust? Any suggestions/directions are really appreciated!
Need help quick! Trying to bake these two at a time, in disposable aluminum tins, on a cookie sheet. The temps aren't working out for me. Any thoughts? What shelf, in the oven, should they be baking on?
Thanks! Freaking out! But the filling is AMAZING!!!
Thank you so much for publishing your recipe! I made it for Thanksgiving for my lovely boyfriend and it was a hit!
My pie is currently in the oven, cant wait to eat this tomorrow!
Hi, I was wondering if its ok to use salted butter in this recipe? I wasn't thinking and just grabbed the butter that was on sale I didn't even think to check to see if it was salted or unsalted. Will it make or break this pie? I can't wait to make it! Thank you!
This is very similar to my mom's recipe, which calls for Festal golden pie filling and half and half. I'm having a heck of a time finding Festal
brand, so I will definitely try your version with the pumpkin puree. It looks just like my mom's! Yum!
I'm not a big Pumpkin Pie fan, but I'll eat it if it's the only pie available. However, I've been given the task of making the pies for Thanksgiving and Pumpkin Pies were requested. So I'm thinking this recipe sounds really good. I'll have to try it. Thanks for sharing <3 Kim
My husband loves pumpkin pie..he always requests it for his birthday in place of cake. He has always told me my pumpkin pie was just as good if not better than his Grandma's. Can't wait to try this one for a new twist on a favorite of his. I am new to this blog site and LOVE it..your recipes stop me dead in my tracks every time. Looking forward to many years of cooking and baking from your awesome recipes!
Love Punkin pie, I have always added brown sugar to mine. The sour cream sounds like a creamy addition…. 🙂
if you grease a small pyrex bowl, you can pour the extra batter into it and bake it in the oven next to your pie. Cooks treat!