How to make pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin - gardenstead (2024)

Have you ever made pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin? If not, this is your year to give it a try. It is easier than you think and you will have such a great sense of satisfaction knowing your pie is completely made from scratch. I love bringing homemade goodies to gatherings with friends. Everyone oos and awws when I say something is made from scratch. I think that’s because people don’t make things from scratch as often as they used to. We’re all very busy and it’s so easy just to buy something already made, or at least start with part of the pie ready to go.

If you grew sugar pumpkins this year, then you really should make pumpkin pie with those beautiful pumpkins. If you didn’t grow your own, you can pick up a few at a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin stand or your local grocery store. Here’s a basic recipe that will have you boasting about your homemade pumpkin pie to all your friends.

Start with the right variety of pumpkins, sugar pumpkins. Large pumpkins that we traditionally think of as jack-o-lanterns aren’t ideal for pie as they are very stringy and have a lot of seeds. There really isn’t very much “meat” to the larger pumpkins. Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are sweeter. They are also pretty small. When picking a sugar pumpkin, look for one about 6 to 8inches (15 to 20cm) wide and about 2 pounds (.90 kg). You might need two sugar pumpkins to make a pie if yours are smaller.

Now that you have the right pumpkins, it’s time to roast them so that you can turn them into pumpkin puree for your pie.

First wash your pumpkins and scrub them lightly with a vegetable brush. You want to make sure you aren’t pressing any dirt or contaminants into the pumpkin as you cut into the flesh. Dry the pumpkins off so they aren’t slippery to work with, then place them on a cutting board. Turn the pumpkin on its side so that the stem is facing to your right or left instead of straight up. Then simply cut the pumpkin in half. You can cut off the stem if you want to, but you don’t need to.

Next you’ll need to scrape out all of the seeds, which you can save to roast later, as well as the stringy mass. Make sure to get all of the strings. Once you have done that, place the pumpkin halves flesh side down on a parchment or foil lined baking pan and bake at 350°F (176° C) for one hour. Oven times will vary so check it at about 50 minutes. You’ll know the pumpkin is done cooking when you poke a fork into it and it goes in easily. Remove the pumpkins and let them cool enough to touch.

Now on to the pie recipe. A simple recipe that I like to use is a blue ribbon pumpkin pie recipe from Yankee Magazine. It was published 13 years ago, wow time flies, but it’s that good and simple that I’ve kept it on hand. It’s called a blue ribbon pumpkin pie recipe because it actually won a blue ribbon at the Connecticut fair. Feel free to make adjustments to suit your taste of course.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Steps

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together.
2. Beat in the eggs.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk.
4. Place the pie shell into a 9 inch pie pan.
5. Pour your mixture into a prepared pie shell.
6. Bake at 425° (218° C) for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350° (179°) and bake for 40-45 more minutes. *Halfway through cooking time, cover the crust with tin foil or a pie crust guard.

You’ll know your pie is done when you insert a knife into the center and it comes out clean. If you’re feeling really ambitious, and want the entire pie to be made from scratch, then you can also make your pie crust. If not, you can pick up a ready-made pie crust at your local grocery store. Here’s an easy pie crust recipe if you’d like to make your own.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup Crisco shortening
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 5 tablespoons ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Steps

1. Start by mixing the flour and salt.
2. Cut the shortening and butter into small pieces.
3. Add the shortening and butter to the dry mixture a little at a time until it looks crumbly.
4. Add the water and vinegar slowly, about a tablespoon at a time. Mix it with a fork.
5. Lightly flower your work surface. Then place the dough onto it.
6. Lightly sprinkle flour onto your hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.
7. Press the dough into a ball.
8. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for two hours or overnight.
9. Once chilled, lightly flour your work surface again and roll out the dough into two circles that are about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than your pie pan so that your crust will hang over the edge.
10. Lightly flower your rolling pin and then roll the dough around it so that you can transfer the dough to the pie dish. Unroll the dough onto the dish.
11. Press the dough lightly into the dish and then fold the edges under. Then use your fingers to mold the dough into a crinkled crust.

Your pie crust is now ready for the pie filling.

If you truly love pumpkin spice everything, like I do, then you’ll love this recipe for a pumpkin spice crust. This is the one I used with the pie in the photos. It’s an amazing all around pumpkin flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup flour, plus more from rolling
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ cup cold butter chopped
• 5 Tbs ice water

Steps

1. Combine dry ingredients in a food processor fitted with a dough blade.
2. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles pea sized crumbles.
3. Add Ice water to the mixture slowly.
4. Remove dough and form into a ball. Wrap in cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
5. When ready to use the crust, lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Place inside a 9 inch (22 cm) pie pan.

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