Southern Pumpkin Pie

Southern Pumpkin Pie is everything you love about a classic pumpkin pie. Smooth and creamy with a flaky homemade crust.

It's pumpkin time baby! And there is no better recipe to share than my mom's decadent homemade pumpkin pie recipe. It has been a favorite of mine since childhood.

This pumpkin pie is so smooth and creamy and has a big spice flavor which I love!

The filling is super easy to make, and you already know that you HAVE To have a homemade pie crust with it. No worries though - I walk you through step by step with everything you need to know about making it. Let's get started!

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed
• How to Make
• How Do You Blind Bake a Pie Crust?
• Pie Crust Recipe
• How to Make Ahead of Time and Freeze
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Southern Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients Needed

• Canned Pumpkin Puree - NOT pumpkin pie filling
• Honey - local if you can get your hands on it
• Eggs
• Cream
• Milk
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Salt

How to Make

This is actually a super easy one-bowl recipe (outside of the crust). It is hard to mess up and anyone can do it!

1. Add pumpkin, honey, and spices to a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add in eggs and whisk.
3. Stir in the cream and milk until smooth.
4. Pour the pumpkin filling into the blind-baked (see below) pie crust and place it back in the oven for 55-60 minutes. You want the center to just be set. Do not overbake!
5. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

How Do You Blind Bake a Pie Crust?

What does blind baking a pie crust mean? Blind baking a pie crust is the process of partially cooking a crust in its shell without a filling inside. You do this for any liquid or custard-based quiches or pies because they are liquid fillings. If you were to place a liquid filling in an unbaked pie crust and bake, the bottom of the pie crust would never be able to fully bake and still be raw. By blind baking it by itself, you ensure that the bottom of the crust actually gets baked for those types of recipes.

You will need to use pie weights*, or better yet, just buy a bag of $1.50 dried pinto beans from Walmart and designate them to be your "baking beans" used only for this recipe (my mom and I have ours stored in a mason jar). You will need the weight of the beans on top of the crust to ensure an even bake on the bottom without any air bubbles forming.

1. If a blind or partial bake is needed, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place wax or parchment paper over the pie crust on the pie plate. Pour in baking beans or pie weights and evenly distribute around the shell.
3. Place in the oven for 15-16 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
5. Pick up the edges of the wax or parchment paper and pour the beans into a mason jar. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Recipes you would need to blind bake a pie crust for would be things like quiches, and custard filling pies like this southern pumpkin pie, pecan, cherry, etc.

Pie Crust Recipe

• 1 Cup Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Lard or Shortening
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• 3-7 Tablespoons Ice Water  + more if needed

1. In a large bowl, add flour, salt, cold butter, and cold lard/shortening.
2. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter and lard into the flour until the mixture resembles small pea size shapes. If the butter and lard have gotten too warm in the process, place into the freezer for 5 minutes to chill before continuing.
3. Fill a large glass with water and ice. Using a tablespoon measure, spoon 5 tablespoons of the ice water into the flour mixture. Using a fork or spatula, mix well. You may need to add in more water if still floury and not coming together. You want the dough to just begin to come together - not sticky and wet but not floury and crumbly as well. It will still be a bit crumbly but when you squeeze it together with your hands it stays together (see the picture below). Do not add too much water (I usually end up adding around 5ish tablespoons most of the time).
4. Sprinkle flour lightly out onto the counter and place dough on top. Roll around flour so that all sides are covered and bring it together into a ball shape.
5. Roll out with a rolling pin in a circle until it is larger than your pie plate.
6. Gently pick up the crust at one end and scoot the pie plate right up next to the dough so that it is easy to flip over/drag over onto the pie plate (this allows you not to have to pick up the entire pie of dough and risk breaking). Make sure the dough lays evenly around all the edges.
7. Trim off any excess on the sides of the crust, then gently crimp your edges with your fingers all the way around the pie plate. (To crimp: gently fold the excess crust under itself on the edge. With your pointer finger and thumb on both hands, gently pinch together the crust then push both hands together to meet, forming a small pinch. Repeat around the entire crust.)
8. Blind bake and proceed with the recipe as directed.

How to Make Ahead of Time and Freeze

I will never forget when my mom realized she could bake Thanksgiving pies ahead of time and freeze them. Leaving no work to be done for desserts once Thanksgiving day or week rolls around. ??

She thought, "if I can buy a frozen pumpkin pie at the grocery store, why couldn't I make mine early and have it in the freezer ready to go?"

Good thought mom! So, good news! You can!

Make prepping for Thanksgiving WAY EASIER by knocking out the desserts and having them DONE and READY TO GO!

Bless!

How to Freeze and Make Southern Pumpkin Pie Ahead of Time

1. Follow the above recipe and instructions completely. Once the pie is baked, allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap a couple of times and then with foil making sure it is airtight. Write "Pumpkin Pie" and the date on the outside of the foil with a sharpie and place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
2. To enjoy, remove from the freezer and place in the fridge 24 hours before to thaw. Set out on the counter 1-2 hours prior to when needed to enjoy at room temp or enjoy cold straight from the fridge.

Leftover pumpkin pie can be kept covered in the fridge for 4-5 days. Serve this with a big dollop of homemade whipped cream and everyone will be in Thanksgiving heaven!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Pumpkin Recipes You Will Love!

• Overnight Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
• Old Fashioned Pumpkin Loaf
• Super Soft Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Addicting Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Glaze
• Soft Pumpkin Scones with a Maple Drizzle
• Sous Vide Pumpkin Pie

More Thanksgiving Recipes!

• How to Fry a Turkey
• Southern Cheesy Corn Casserole
• Southern Cheddar Mac and Cheese 
• Slow Cooker Green Beans
• Maple Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts 
• 1 Hour Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Yeast Rolls
• Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Style Cream Corn
• Watergate Salad Recipe
• Broccoli Casserole
  

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