Feel confident making your own pumpkin pie this year with this recipe. This filling has a smooth texture, balanced sweetness, and is spiced to perfection!
The best pumpkin pies start with homemade pumpkin pie filling made from scratch. This recipe will help you move away from fully store-bought pumpkin pies as it works great with any pre-made pie dough.
Homemade pumpkin filling + ready-made pie dough = the perfect balance of easy and impressive.
Any pie crust works great with this recipe. Pick one up at your grocery store, from a local bakery, or make your own. In this recipe, I'll show you how to blind-bake it perfectly for the best results!
Jump to:
🌟Why you'll love this recipe
🧾Ingredients in this recipe
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🌟 Pro Tip
Did you know you can ask your local bakery to buy some of their pie crust dough? Buying pre-made pie crusts from local bakeries is a great way to support them and take a tasty shortcut to the perfect pumpkin pie filling.
🫚From-scratch pumpkin pie spice
The perfect pumpkin pie spice blend for this recipe is made as follows: 4 parts ginger, 4 parts cinnamon, 1 part cloves, and 1 part nutmeg.
In a pinch, you can use 2.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in this recipe.
Store pre-made pumpkin pie spice in a sealed jar in a dark, dry area.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
🌟 Pumpkin puree in advance
You can keep the cooked pumpkin puree in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it and defrost it overnight in your refrigerator.
🌟 Pro Tip
Cooking your pumpkin pie filling for a short while helps to release the amazing flavor and aroma of those spices!
📋Pumpkin Pie Filling FAQs
Insert a knife or toothpick into the center of the pumpkin pie. If it comes out clean, then it is ready. If you don't want to insert a knife in the center, then you can check the doneness of the filling by shaking the pie and making sure it isn't jiggly. This is a good alternative as inserting a knife into the center may cause the top to crack.
This happens because of drastic temperature changes, or if you've overcooked the filling. Help prevent cracking by leaving your pie to cool fully in the oven, after turning the oven off and cracking the oven door.
Pie pumpkins are sweeter and have a richer flavor than a carving pumpkin, which can be a little bitter. If you want to substitute, use a can of pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin puree in a can is just pureed, roasted pie pumpkin. Canned pumpkin pie filling is usually pre-sweetened with added sugar and spiced with pumpkin spice (cinnamon, allspice, clove, and ginger).
Yes, blind-baking the crust of a custard-based pie prevents a soggy bottom.
🥧 Related Recipes
Get your baking hat on to make these impressive seasonal sweets & desserts.
I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 1 store bought pie crust the rolled frozen or refrigerated version at room temp
- 2 cups pie pumpkin usually 1-1.5 pie pumpkins, roasted or sub. 1 can pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups half-and-half
- ¼ cup 100% maple syrup
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F with the rack in the lower half of the oven.
- Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 1 hour. Let cool. Remove skin.
- In the meantime, prepare your pie dish with the crust. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until step 4.
- Once the pie pumpkin is baked, let them cool enough so you can touch it, and remove all the skin.
- Blind bake the crust by covering it with parchment paper and weighing it down with dry beans, pie weights, small shapes of dried pasta noodles, or even clean pennies and other change. Bake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes.
- While it's blind baking, add 2 cups of the pumpkin meat along with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to a food processor and blend it for 1 minute.
- Add the puree to a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until heated through, ~5 minutes.
- Add the half-and-half and maple syrup. Whisk until incorporated. Remove from heat.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until incorporated.
- Add the pumpkin mixture to your prepared pie dish.
- Bake ~1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool for 1 hour before cutting into it.
Veronika
The filling is so smooth and creamy! I love that you're taking the time to make it completely from scratch. Will make again!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you liked it, Veronika!
Jo
In love with this simple and perfect pie filling recipe. I love to make everything from scratch and this pie filling recipe is a keeper. It's perfect!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you liked it, Jo!
Jenny
We love pumpkin pie and I am always hesitant to make the filling from scratch. Your recipe post is so beautiful and inspirational, so I made it for the first time. Really appreciate all your tips and suggestions. Thanks so much!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you found it helpful and were inspired to make it yourself... enjoy, Jenny!
Heidy Linn
This homemade pumpkin pie was awesome! I was a little sketchy at the thought of adding maple to it, but---YES--- it was really outstanding with a whole new layer of flavor. I think I will make this homemade pumpkin pie for the holidays! Great instructions too!
Candice
Thanks for letting me know, Heidy... I am so glad you liked it!
Shelley
I'm totally in the fall mood right now -- scented candles and everything! This is just the perfect recipe to complete it! Can't wait to share it with my family this Thanksgiving, too.
Candice
I'm so glad to hear it, Shelley... enjoy!
Valerie Skinner
Homemade pumpkin pie filling is so much better than store bought! I will definitely be using this recipe to make my pumpkin pie this year.
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you liked it and it's going to be your regular recipe, Valerie!
Eva
Too often do I stumble upon pumpkin pie recipes that call for the canned stuff, without ever giving any clue on how to make it from scratch if you can't buy canned pumpkin purée (I don't live in the States). So thank you for this.
Candice
You're so welcome, Eva. I'm glad you liked it!
Colleen
I love pumpkin pie at this time of year and your addition of maple syrup is perfect.
Candice
So glad to hear you like it, Colleen!
Gloria
Totally LOVE this pumpkin pie. One of my top 3 for sure. I could eat the filling as a dessert alone.
Candice
That makes me so happy to hear, Gloria... thank you!
K Gates
Followed this recipe exactly and it was delightful! I used wild persimmons off a tree on our land. It was delicious warm with butter spread on it. Thanks!
Candice
Thank you, K! I think you're referring to the Persimmon bread recipe, right?