How to Bake a Smooth, Crack-Free Pumpkin Pie

A silky spiced custard in a crisp crust. The secret is a partly prebaked shell and knowing when to take the pie out of the oven.

Makes

One 9-inch pie, 8 slices

Active time

About 40 minutes

Bake

Crust 20 minutes; pie about 55 minutes

Cool

At least 2 hours

Pumpkin pie is a custard pie: the eggs set the filling the way they set a flan. That makes it easy to mix but easy to overbake, and an overbaked custard cracks and turns grainy. A wet custard can also soak a raw crust, so this recipe partly bakes the shell first.

Ingredients

For the single crust

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk or heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Make and chill the dough. Mix the flour and salt, work in the butter until it is in pea-sized pieces, then stir in just enough ice water for the dough to hold together. Flatten into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Shape the shell. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, ease it into a 9-inch pie plate, trim to a 1-inch overhang, fold it under and crimp. Freeze for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. Blind-bake. Line the frozen shell with parchment or foil and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove the weights and paper, then bake 5 more minutes until the bottom looks dry. Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C).
4. Mix the filling. Whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices and salt until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the evaporated milk and vanilla. Don't whip it. Air bubbles can puff and crack the surface.
5. Fill and bake. Set the warm crust on a baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Cover the crust edge with foil if it browns too much.
6. Check for doneness. The pie is done when the edges are set and the center 2 inches still jiggle slightly, like gelatin, when you nudge the pan. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 175°F (80°C). It will finish setting as it cools.
7. Cool. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours, then refrigerate if not serving within a few hours.

Variations

• Fresh pumpkin: roast a small sugar pumpkin until soft, purée it and drain it in a fine sieve for an hour. Use 1 3/4 cups.
• Sweet potato or butternut squash: substitute an equal amount of smooth, well-drained purée.
• Dairy-free: full-fat coconut milk works in place of evaporated milk.

Because it's a custard made with eggs and dairy, pumpkin pie should be refrigerated once it has cooled, and it keeps covered for up to 4 days.