Grandma’s pumpkin pie recipe from scratch is so delicious and comforting, perfect for any holiday pie occasion. It’s a must make pie for Thanksgiving!

slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top on a white plate

This pumpkin pie recipe just like grandma used to make comes from my mother-in-law and is my husband’s favorite pie. He even requests this pie for his summer birthday instead of a cake which always makes me laugh as I bake a pumpkin pie in middle of summer! This pumpkin pie filling comes together pretty quickly and is easy to make. It’s a must make pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas in our family. We usually double the recipe and make 2 pies at the same time, same amount of work and double the pie!

If you want more pie ideas, don’t forget to check out my absolute favorite coconut cream pie or the decadent german chocolate pecan pie. Add a large dollop of delicious homemade whipped cream on top!

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slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top on a white plate with a fork holding a bite

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie

Crust

Unbaked 9″ pie shell (Ready made store bought refrigerated pie crust or fresh homemade pie crust)

Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup milk, scalded
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Why Scald the Milk

Scalding milk basically takes the performance level and taste up a notch versus using regular milk in this pumpkin pie recipe. Scalding milk does not mean burning the milk to the bottom of the pan. It’s when the milk reaches a temperature of 180F degrees where it kills off the milk proteins. This aids in better baking recipes where you need a good rise in dough proofing, bread and cakes. It also helps boost the flavor too.

If you want more details on why I recommend taking the extra step to scald the milk, read this blog post here.

How to make pumpkin pie

Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a small sauce pan, add milk and heat on medium high, stirring often. After about 4-5 minutes, the milk will start to scald (get a thin skin on top). Use an instant read thermometer to check if the milk has scalded when it reaches 180F degrees. Do not boil.
Add scalded milk to large bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Add slightly beaten eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Blend well with a whisk.
Pour into unbaked 9″ pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then lower temperature to 325F. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until edges of pie are firm but center is slightly jiggly when gently shaken. Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling rack before serving. Center of pie will continue to cook and firm up as it cools. (If pie is overcooked, the center will crack. No worries, it still tastes amazing even if it was accidentally overcooked.)
Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top!