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White plate with bitten slice of pumpkin pie, fork with bite beside it

Easy Pumpkin Pie (with graham crust)

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4.9 from 21 reviews

A homemade pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust and simple filling ingredients. The crumb crust is much easier and quicker than a traditional pastry crust, making it a last-minute dessert for your holiday table! It keeps well and disappears quickly.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients

Units

For the cookie crust:

  • 1 3/4 cups ground graham crackers
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

  • 1 pound pumpkin puree, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of grated nutmeg
  • Pinch of cloves and/or allspice
  • OR use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix (instead of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

For the whipped cream:

  • 1 cup double, heavy, or whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream or cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Turn on the oven at 350°F/180°C

For the crust:

  1. Combine ground cookies with sugar in a medium bowl.
  2. Add the melted butter and stir until it looks like wet sand.
  3. Pat on a 9-inch pie plate (24cm) covering bottom and sides. Begin pressing at the sides and angle where the bottom meets the side and then press to cover the bottom. 
  4. Refrigerate while making the filling.

For the pumpkin filling:

  1. Mix the pumpkin puree with sugar in a large bowl. 
  2. Add eggs one by one, mixing well each time. I use a whisk. If you want to use an electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed. 
  3. Add sour cream and cream (liquid, straight from the container) and mix well. Do not beat the mixture but integrate it well. 
  4. Add spices, vanilla, and salt, and mix until smooth and creamy.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
  6. Bake for about 40 minutes or until it's *almost* firm in the center. It should still jiggle a little. 
  7. Let cool completely on a wire rack, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours (or up to 2 days) before serving. 
  8. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.

For the whipping cream:

  1. Beat cold cream with sour cream/cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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 end it by hand with a whisk. It's hard to overbeat a preparation with a manual whisk. 

Notes

  • Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.  
  • Pumpkin: canned or homemade pumpkin puree; both work perfectly well. Don't use pumpkin pie filling, which is very different and unsuitable for this recipe.
  • Storing: it keeps well at room temperature the day it's made (before you add the whipped cream if you're using it). Otherwise, keep it in the fridge and cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out quickly.
  • Freezing: it can be frozen and it's better without the cream on top. Defrost in the fridge (I take it out the day before). 
  • Variation: you can make an easy sweet potato pie using the same crust. 
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cooling time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Pies & Tarts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8
  • Calories: 356
  • Sugar: 22.1 g
  • Sodium: 167.5 mg
  • Fat: 25.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29.6 g
  • Fiber: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 4.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 135.5 mg