Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Ahhhhh, pumpkin pie. Who doesn't have a piece (or five) during the holiday season? It's a holiday staple and nearly irresistible, especially with a fresh pot of coffee brewing! Not only do I make it for Thanksgiving dinner but I unashamedly admit that I have had pumpkin pie for breakfast on several occasions. Whether you want to add this traditional pie to your Thanksgiving dinner or you just want it in combination with a celebration cake, this recipe is for you! Let me show you how easy it is to have bakery-style pumpkin pie in your very own oven:

Mixing the Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

First, preheat your oven to 425. Then mix 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of cloves together in a large bowl. I added a little extra cinnamon for a deeper color and flavor.

How to Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling

Now in a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs and the 15 oz can of pumpkin.

Make sure it's nice and creamy.

Pop open your 12 oz can of evaporated milk and pour it in slowly, mixing as you go. DON'T POUR IN THE WHOLE CAN! Libby's recipe calls for the full 12 oz, but every time I have followed their directions my pie filling overflows the pie crust. So I hold a little back, maybe an ounce or two and that way my pie is full of all the pumpkin-y goodness without spilling over the edge. If you use the whole 12 ounces of milk, you will most likely be unable to use all the pie filling. And my goodness, who wants to throw out pie filling?! That's the best part!

Now pour in your spice mixture and mix until smooth.

Baking the Pumpkin Pie in the Crust

Fill up the pie crust (just a simple 9 inch frozen one will do), leaving a little bit of space because the filling will expand. If your local market sells deep-dish pie crusts, grab one of those! All the filling will fit with room to spare. My grocery store didn't have such variety so this is my remedy.

Put your pie on a cookie sheet for the drippage. There WILL be some and you don't want it to hit the bottom of the oven and bake 40 more times before you scrape it off. Then that whole making-your-house-smell-like-a-bakery thing, won't work. Bake it the first 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then turn the temperature down to 350 and cook another 45 minutes.

Pull it out when the middle no longer wobbles and you have a deep, orangey-brown color. Let it cool COMPLETELY before you eat it. I know it will be hard to keep the kids (and husband!) from digging their fingers into it, but put it aside so that it can firm up. It will cut more easily when it is completely cooled.

Top it with whipped cream and you're ready to eat! If you need more dessert ideas for the holiday season you may want to check out my Dessert Recipe Index where you'll find recipes for Crockpot Peach Cobbler, Disappearing Butterscotch Cookies, and 8 Layer Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle. My Dessert boards on Pinterest also have more ideas. Whatever you decide to cook, have a blessed season. Happy Thanksgiving y'all!