Make-Ahead Pumpkin Pie
My grandma used to add black pepper as her secret ingredient to her pie, and wow, it makes for the best pumpkin pie you’ll ever have. And in this make-ahead pumpkin pie recipe, you can prep the pie filling the night before baking, which allows the spices to mingle and the flavor to improve.
Equipment
- Pie weights or dry beans
- 9-inch pie dish
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Pie Crust
- Homemade or store-bought pie dough
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Toppings
- Sugared cranberries optional
- Pie dough leaves optional
Instructions
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Make the pie filling by mixing the canned pumpkin, heavy cream, milk, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Pie Dough
- Bring your pie dough to room temperature, preheat the oven to 375°F, and grease a 9-inch pie dish.
- Make egg wash by mixing 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Roll out the pie crust and place the crust in the pie dish. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Place a piece of parchment paper over the center of the dough, followed by pie weights or dry beans.
- Par-bake your crust for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are beginning to brown.
Pie
- Pour the filling into the warm crust until it is ¾ full. Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for 2-3 hours.
- Decorate the pie with sugared cranberries and pie leaves if desired.
Notes
Find instructions for sugared cranberries here.
For pie crust leaves, cut out leaves with a leaf cookie cutter or use a knife to create your own. Brush the leaves with egg wash and bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350°F for 8-12 minutes.
