Easy Pumpkin Pie (with graham crust)
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.
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
For the cookie crust:
- 1 ¾ cups ground graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 1 pound pumpkin puree at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch grated nutmeg
- pinch ground allspice ground cloves or both
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice mix INSTEAD of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Turn on the oven at 350°F (180°C).
For the crust:
- Combine 1 ¾ cups ground graham crackers with 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a medium bowl.
- Add 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and stir until it looks like wet sand.
- 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.
- Refrigerate while making the filling.
For the pumpkin filling:
- Mix 1 pound pumpkin puree with ½ cup brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Add 3 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.
- Add ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup heavy cream (straight from the container) and mix well. Do not beat the mixture, but integrate it well.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch grated nutmeg, pinch ground allspice OR 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice mix.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon salt, and mix until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into the prepared crumb crust.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until it's *almost* firm in the center. It should still jiggle a little.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours (or up to 2 days) before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.
For the whipping cream:
- Beat 1 cup heavy 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 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 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).
Make it your own: adjust to your and your family's palate regarding the amount of spices, sweetness, and how you like to serve it. You can add up to 2 tablespoons of maple or corn syrup in addition to the sugar if you like a different or sweeter flavor. Use the spices that you want. I don't like cloves much, so I use them sparingly. But you might love it, so go ahead and change the proportions and use more of it.
Mini pumpkin pies: You can use small, individual mini pie pans and serve each guest their own dessert. Use medium ones (not bite-sized, unless it's a cocktail party). You can also make shots or trifles, alternating layers of the crust with filling and whipped cream.
Variation: You can make an easy sweet potato pie using the same crust.
