20 Best Pumpkin Pie Recipes to Finish Your Holiday Meal Strong (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to make pumpkin pie the day before or day of? ›

Pumpkin pie is a great make-ahead dessert to cross off your Thanksgiving to-do list. You can prepare and bake the pie up to two days in advance, and it will still taste great on the big day. Just make sure you store the pie in the refrigerator—not on the kitchen counter—until you are ready to serve it.

To that end, we've found that refrigerating pumpkin pie filling overnight before using it not only enhances the spices' flavors, but also mellows them.

Pick a winner at the pumpkin patch

Make sure it has no cracks, splits or soft spots that are a sign of rot. Gently press a fingernail into the rind. If you can easily push through the surface, the pumpkin was probably picked too early and will rot. A mature pumpkin will not easily scratch.

Typically, the crust takes longer to cook than the filling. This is often the case for pie recipes with custard fillings, like this chocolate chess pie, this pumpkin pie, or this rhubarb custard pie. Pre baking the crust for those types of pies will give the pie crust a head start by partially baking it.

FDA says to leave pumpkin pie out no more then 2 hours and then put it in the refrigerator. It's a good idea to cover it up also.

If you are making a pie where the filling bakes with the crust, like a fruit pie, then no, do not poke holes, as the liquid filling will leak and you won't get a properly baked crust. How do you crimp your pie crust after blind baking the bottom crust? The raw top crust just would not meld to the baked edges.

Pre-baking is a must if you're looking for a flaky pie crust. It's especially helpful for recipes with a wet center. Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy.

Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.

UNLESS you maybe had it in a very high temp oven on lowest rack, even then I'm doubtful the bottom would be done if the top is not, either way if the bottom is really done and top is not, place the pie on the bottom rack turn the broiler on using the low setting, close the oven and check every 2–3 minutes until done.

The most common cause of a watery pumpkin pie is over baking. Take it out of the oven while the centre of it is still soft and jiggly. It'll finish setting as it cools. But there are other possible reasons, such as, using fresh instead of canned pumpkin.

Is it better to bake a pie the night before or the day of? ›

If made ahead without baking, the pastry crust can become too wet and end up soggy after baking. The best way to make your apple pie in advance? Bake the pie completely, then chill it overnight, allowing the pie to sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

In this taste test, our Test Kitchen pros found that the biggest name in the pumpkin game does, in fact, make the best canned pumpkin on the market. Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin is a favorite among our culinary crew.

Choose The Right Kind. For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat.

Sugar Baby Pumpkin

You'll find lots of sugar babies available at the farmers' market. Also known as Sugar Pie pumpkins, these thin-skinned squash are smaller (4-8 lbs.) and have a sweet, dense flesh with a fine-grained, smooth texture.

Make the Filling

Let the pie cool on a rack (leave it on the baking sheet) to room temperature, a few hours. Slice or refrigerate until ready to serve. Make Ahead: Pumpkin pie can be made one day ahead of time and refrigerated.

If you can, make pie the day before or early in the day you plan to serve. “Most pies are better off if they set up, even if you want it warm,” Bishop said. “Cool it down, and if you want, pop it back into the oven for a few minutes before serving. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is cutting into it too early.”

A week in advance then. Or even two days if refrigerator space is tight. If they are baked Thursday morning, they can sit out on the counter. But since a pumpkin pie has a moist filling, consider a graham cracker or nut crust instead of traditional pastry, as it will be less likely to become soggy.