This creamy custard pie with pumpkin is lighter and softer than a traditional pumpkin pie but still full of rich fall flavors. The spiced filling is made in one bowl and poured into a quick graham cracker crust for an easy, foolproof holiday dessert. It's perfect when you're craving a change from the usual holiday pies. No special equipment or advanced pie dough skills required.
A must-bake!
A new pumpkin pie that turned out to be so delicious, I'm including it in every holiday dessert table this year and in the pies with graham cracker crust roundup. It should at least make an appearance at your Thanksgiving table.
It's lighter and softer than our simple pumpkin pie, but just as easy.
- Minimal skills required: the crumb pie crust and one-bowl filling make this recipe a great one for beginner pie bakers.
- Spiced and flavorful: You have enough pumpkin flavor in every vanilla custardy bite. A change from the usual dense traditional pie.
- Crowd-pleaser: whether you're looking for a new dessert or love to feature different pumpkin pies, this is a winner with adults and kids.
Testing Notes
Key takeaways:
Use fine graham cracker crumbs and room-temperature ingredients to avoid lumps. Mix the custard gently; do not beat. Don't overfill the crust; pour carefully to avoid spillage and chill for 8+ hours for best texture and cleaner slices.
- Graham cracker crumbs: Use a food processor to create fine, sand-like crumbs. This helps the crust bind well and stay firm after baking. Avoid coarse crumbs, which make the base loose and crumbly. If you don't have a processor, crush the crackers in a large Ziploc bag using a rolling pin. Leave a small air hole and press firmly until very fine.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure the eggs, pumpkin, and dairy are all at room temp. This ensures a smooth, lump-free custard. Cold ingredients can lead to separation, a lumpy or grainy texture.
- Do not beat the custard mixture. Instead, whisk or stir gently just until combined. Beating adds air, which can cause the filling to puff and crack during baking. A slight rise is normal, but we want a creamy, even surface.
- Avoiding spills: This filling is thin and easy to spill, so pour the mixture into the crust slowly, filling almost to the top, but not over. Depending on your pie dish and the size of your eggs, you might have a few tablespoons of extra custard. Don't force it in. To avoid messes, place the pie shell on the oven rack or a baking sheet before pouring in the filling. You can also fill it just next to the oven, but transfer it gently.
- Chilling is essential: This pie improves after chilling. Let it cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Chilling firms up the custard and enhances the texture. It keeps beautifully for up to 2 days, making it perfect for holiday prep.
FAQ
Can I use store-bought graham cracker crust?
Yes, a pre-made crust works in a pinch. However, a homemade crust has better texture and flavor, especially when chilled and baked with the filling.
Can I freeze this pie?
Absolutely. Freeze the baked pie without the topping. Wrap well in plastic and foil, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add whipped cream after thawing for best results.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- Pumpkin puree: canned fresh pumpkin or make homemade pumpkin puree. Please don't mistake it for pumpkin pie filling, which is a different product.
- Milk: Use regular, full-fat milk for a richer and creamier result.
- Cream: Heavy cream is what I usually use, but double or heavy whipping creams also work well.
- Spices: I like our homemade pumpkin pie spice mix, but any store-bought mix you like works. Or use a different blend of spices you like with pumpkin.
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners' or icing sugar.
Process steps
The crust
There's no need to pre-bake the crust; it's chilled while you prepare the custard pie filling, which has to be baked, so it all goes into the oven at the same time.
For more details, check out the homemade graham cracker crust post with images and a video.
Easy filling
You need a large mixing bowl and a whisk. It's all stirred together and doesn't need to be beaten; I don't recommend an electric mixer if you want the creamiest custard.
Baking
When is the pie done? Start checking 5 minutes before the given time in the recipe card's instructions. The center should still jiggle a little. It will firm up as it cools down and then when it's refrigerated.
Whipped cream topping
Though this is a great pie to eat plain, a whipped topping adds to the creamy texture of the pie. It can be made ahead so you don't have to be beating at the last moment.
We use a piping bag and make a ring around the edges. But you can mound it at the center of the pie (like in this pumpkin pie), pipe rosettes like in the sweet potato pie, or add a dollop to the served slice on the plate.
How to make a more stabilized whipping cream: use a tablespoon or two of cream cheese. It thickens the mixture and is easier to pipe.
Serving
This pie can be eaten at room temperature or somewhat cold. I don't recommend it straight from the fridge as the flavors are a bit lost when it's very cold.
But most of you already know how you like your pumpkin pies, don't you?
Add some pumpkin spice cookies to the plate and sprinkle the cream topping (if using) with pumpkin pie mix or cinnamon.
Storing
- At room temperature, it keeps well, covered in plastic wrap or under a cake dome, the day it's made and before you add the whipped cream, if you're using it.
- Refrigerating: Once you add the whipping cream, keep it in the fridge and cover it (without crushing the topping too much) to prevent it from drying out quickly. I use plastic wrap, but you can use aluminum foil or a pie container with a lid that fits in your fridge.
- Freezing: wrap the cooled pie (without the topping) in plastic, then aluminum foil. Place it in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. Be sure to label it with the date. It can be frozen for up to a month. To thaw, transfer it to the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Do not thaw it at room temperature. It's always a good idea not to subject the pie to go from one extreme temperature to another.
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Pumpkin Custard Pie (with graham crust)
Ingredients
For the graham crust:
- 1 ¾ cups ground graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the pumpkin custard filling:
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 ½ tablespoons cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Turn on the oven at 350°F (180°C).
Make the graham cracker crust:
- Combine 1 ¾ cups ground graham crackers with 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, and stir until it looks like wet sand.
- Pat on a 9-inch pie plate (24cm), covering the bottom and sides. Begin pressing at the sides and angle where the bottom meets the sides, then press to cover the bottom.
- Refrigerate while making the filling.
Pumpkin creamy filling:
- Put 3 eggs in a large bowl and add ½ cup sugar. Stir or lightly beat just to incorporate with a fork or whisk.
- Add 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Mix well until integrated.
- Slowly add 1 ½ cups whole milk and ⅓ cup heavy cream, stirring constantly without beating, until you have a smooth and fluid mixture.
- Place the pie shell in the preheated oven and slowly pour the pumpkin mixture. You can do this right next to the oven but be very careful when transporting it to the oven as it's very liquid and it spills easy.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until it's almost completely set and the top is golden brown. It will continue to solidify as it cools. If the edges of the pie are browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil and continue baking until done.
- Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. You can make it 2 days ahead and keep refrigerated, always well covered to prevent dryness.
Whipped cream topping:
- Beat 1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream, cold, with 1 ½ tablespoons cream cheese and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
- Consistency of the cream: I like it to be thick but soft, so I whip it to medium peaks. But you can go all the way and beat it to firm peaks, similar to chantilly cream. Be careful it doesn't curdle. It's what happens if it's overbeaten. You might want to beat with an electric mixer until you're almost there, and then finish it by hand with a whisk. It's hard to overbeat a preparation with a manual whisk.
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