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pumpkin pie sprinkled with pecans
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Best Pumpkin Pie

Best Pumpkin Pie is my great-grandmother's award-winning recipe. This creamy pumpkin pie decorated with piped whipped cream and sprinkled with chopped pecans will have your guests begging for the recipe.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pie, pie crust, pumpkin, whipped cream
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chill 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 2 pies

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold butter 2 sticks - cut into cubes
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup of ice water

Pie Filling

  • 3 eggs – yolks separated
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 15 ounces pumpkin puree not pie filling
  • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon – heaping
  • ¼ tsp ginger
  • 24 ounces evaporated milk
  • Chopped Nuts - topping
  • Whipped Cream - topping see recipe below

Homemade Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

Crust

  • Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Using a pastry cutter, start working the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like crumbles. (You can also use 2 butter knives & cross them through the ingredients to combine OR use a food processor & pulse until the mixture has crumbled.)
  • Once you have reached a crumbly texture add the water.
  • Work it together with your hands pressing & lightly kneading it together until you have a moist ball of dough that holds together well.
  • Place the dough on a well-floured surface. Divide the dough in half for 2 crusts.
  • Flour your rolling pin & start working from the center pushing outward in all directions.
  • Once you have stretched the dough large enough to fill your pie plate carefully transfer it to your plate.
  • Repeat with second crust.
  • Trim any excess dough that hangs over the edge of the pie plate.
  • Flute your edges by crimping between your fingers and pinching the dough every ½ inch or so.

Pie Filling

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl.
  • Add in half of the sugar as well as the pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix well.
  • Combine the remaining sugar with the evaporated milk and heat to lukewarm. (Grandma did this on the stovetop over med heat – but you can also do it in the microwave in 30-second increments)
  • Pour into the egg yolk mixture and stir.
  • Beat egg whites until fluffy. Fold gently into the pumpkin mixture until fully incorporated.
  • Divide evenly between the prepared pie crusts. Tent the pies with foil.
  • Bake for 5 minutes at 425 with the pies tented with foil, then remove the foil and reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 55-60 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles.
  • Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the tops of the pies with the chopped nuts if not adding whipped cream.
  • Once the pies have cooled completely, top with whipped cream, sprinkle with nuts and serve.

Fresh Whipped Cream

  • Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes to chill before making the whipped cream.
  • Once the bowl is chilled, remove it and pour in the heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla.
  • Whisk on high speed for about 1 minute or until stiff peaks form - taking care to not over mix.
  • Gently transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large open star top and pipe it into the desired pattern.
  • Sprinkle the top of the decorated pie with chopped pecans.

Notes

Note - if you want to stabilize this whipped cream to keep it from deflating, add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar when combining the other ingredients.