Classic Pumpkin Pie

Hello, my name is Kayla and I am a pie snob. That being said, I very much dislike store bought pie crusts in comparison to this homemade ultra flaky pie crust.

My mom has been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. My entire family adores and devours it! Around the holidays my mom spends hours in the kitchen baking pies for all of our family gatherings. It’s the one thing everyone is guaranteed to request that she bring. The real star of this pumpkin pie is the crust.

The secret ingredient happens to be butter flavored crisco. This is not an ingredient I typically bake with, however, this happens to be the best pie crust I’ve ever eaten. Out of respect for the flaky crust and my mom’s recipe, I will continue to use the butter flavored crisco! I highly recommend you trust me and also grab that crisco! While we are on the topic of crisco, I suggest you do not substitute the butter flavored with the original for this recipe. The end result just isn’t the same.

When it comes to presentation, I like to use these pie crust cutters from Williams Sonoma. Not only do they make the pie look like a professional creation, but they also hide any flaws/tears you may have created when transferring your crust into your pie plate. Speaking of pie plates, this one happens to be favorite of mine and is featured in the photos for this post.

Important note: If you plan on using pie crust cutters, you will need to roll out two crusts (1 for the pie plate, 1 for cutting out decorative shapes). My recipe below makes 2 pie crusts. If you prefer a classic one crust pumpkin pie, you will want to cut the recipe in half!

ingredients - double pie crust:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups butter flavored crisco

5 tbs ice water

2 tsp white vinegar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

*ground nutmeg & granulated sugar for sprinkling on the crust before baking

ingredients - filling:

1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin purée

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground allspice

*optional: Whipped cream for serving

directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

To make the crust - in a large mixing bowl, use a pastry cutter to mix the flour with the crisco until well combined. Pieces will be about the size of a pea. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, a fork will work just fine.

In a separate bowl, combine ice water, vinegar, egg and salt. Pour the mixture over the flour and crisco mixture. Mix until combined (be sure to not overwork the dough - this will ensure your crust is flaky).

Split dough in half to create 2 separate balls. Cover each ball tightly with saran/plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. *Note: this dough can be chilled overnight and rolled out the next day.

When ready to roll out your dough, start by lightly flouring your surface and rolling pin. I have also found that lightly flouring and rolling out the dough on parchment paper can make transferring the dough into the pie plate easier. It also helps with the clean up!

One at a time, begin rolling out your crusts on the floured surface. Add additional flour to your rolling pin if it begins to stick. The key to ensuring an even thickness/tear-free crust is taking your time and gently rolling the surface of the dough. Patience is key!!!

Roll the crust until it is large enough to fit your pie plate with some excess dough around the edges. I like to hold my pie plate upside down over the rolled out dough to ensure i’ve rolled it out thin enough to fit the plate.

When ready, gently fold the dough over your rolling pin and unroll over the pie plate. At this time I like to trim any excess crust from the edges of the pie plate. If not using pie crust cutters, you can now crimp your crust edges to your preference. If using pie crust cutters, roll out your second ball of dough and cut shapes out to arrange along the edge of your pie crust. If cutting any decorative shapes for the top of the pie, you will want to place these on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown. If you place them unbaked on the liquid pie filling, they will sink. I highly recommend dipping the cutters in flour before pressing them into the dough. This will ensure the dough doesn’t stick to the cutter.

Lightly sprinkle the edges of your pie crust with nutmeg and sugar.

To make the filling - In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to use a whisk for this step to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Pour filling mixture into unbaked pie crust. Depending on the size of your pie plate, you may have extra filling.

Place pie in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the center is no longer jiggly. Remove from oven and cool.

I recommend serving this pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream!