Extra-Smooth Pumpkin Pie

This extra-smooth pumpkin pie recipe delivers an exceptionally creamy and flavorful filling without a soggy bottom crust.

A whole, cooked pumpkin pie sits on a wooden table next to a pie server and turquoise napkin.
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Adding cream cheese to the pumpkin pie filling makes it extra creamy and smooth, and adds a pleasant tang.
  • Blind-baking the pumpkin pie crust ensures it crisps up beautifully.
  • This filling has less moisture than that of most other pumpkin pie recipes, so the bottom crust stays crisp, not soggy.

Does anyone else feel like most pumpkin pies exist only because pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving tradition? Don't get me wrong: A great pumpkin pie can be truly delicious, but most pumpkin pies are not great. Bland fillings, soggy bottom crusts, and a texture that's either too mushy or grainy and wet are the norm.

Our Extra Smooth Pumpkin Pie tackles these problems head on. The trick is to substitute cream cheese for the condensed milk that's typically added. This not only creates a drier filling that doesn't dampen the bottom crust, but also gives the filling a tangy flavor that boosts its pumpkin-iness without masking it. Cream cheese also contains emulsifiers that help ensure the pie stays moist and tender (not grainy and wet) even if it ends up slightly overcooked. I'm not saying that cream cheese is a magic ingredient, but it does solve most of a pumpkin pie's problems in one fell swoop.

A few problems can arise when you're making pumpkin pie from scratch. Here are some of the most common, and how to deal with them:

Pumpkin Pie Problem 1: No Pumpkin Taste

Q: My pumpkin pie doesn't taste much like pumpkin. Why not?

First off, make sure you're using the right kind of pumpkin! Look for pumpkins labeled "sugar pumpkin" or "baking pumpkin." The pumpkins typically used for jack-o'-lanterns are stringy, watery, and bland. If you can't find straight-up pumpkin, kabocha squash or even butternut squash can make a good substitute. And, of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with using canned pumpkin for a pie.

If you're starting with fresh pumpkin or squash, the way you roast it for purée can also have a significant effect on the end product. Slow-roasting is the real key here. Not only does slow-roasting intensify flavors by allowing more liquid to evaporate, it also gives endogenous enzymes within the pumpkin flesh more time to act, converting some of the pumpkin's starches into sugars. This will intensify its sweetness and aid in the Maillard browning reactions and caramelization, both of which add complexity. A pumpkin roasted at 275°F (140°C) will come out tastier and more intensely flavored than one roasted at 350°F (180°C).

To make 15 ounces of pumpkin purée, cut a 24-ounce pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub the halves lightly with vegetable oil on all surfaces, then place them cut side down on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place the pumpkin in a preheated 275°F oven and roast until the area around the stem is completely tender and shows no resistance when poked with a knife or a toothpick, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Problem 2: Soggy Crust

A slice of pumpkin pie on a black plate, flanked by a fork.

Q: My crust comes out a little soggy after baking. How can I prevent this?

There are a number of reasons a crust can come out soggy. We've tested our recipes using glass and ceramic pie plates, but some pie plates transfer heat more slowly than others. If your pie plate is especially slow, it could be that your bottom crust is simply not getting enough heat as it bakes, allowing the filling to soak into it. Placing a heavy-duty aluminum baking sheet in your oven as it preheats, then baking the pie directly on top of it, can help to pump more energy into the bottom crust and keep it crisp.

Overcooking your pie will also lead to a soggy bottom crust. A pumpkin pie filling is an egg-based custard, and, like all egg custards, it will weep liquid if those eggs become overcooked (think: the watery pool that builds up underneath overcooked scrambled eggs). Make sure to keep an eye on your pie and remove it from the oven as soon as the center reaches the point of jiggling only slightly. If you've got yourself a thermometer, 180°F (82°C) is a good upper bound for the filling's temperature.

Pumpkin Pie Problem 3: Grainy Filling

Smooth pumpkin pie filling in a food processor.

Q: My pumpkin pie comes out grainy or gritty. What am I doing wrong?

Two possible problems here: First, it could be that you aren't processing your pumpkin filling sufficiently. I recommend spinning it in a food processor until it's completely smooth, or even using a standing blender with a plunger for more blending power (just make sure it doesn't overheat while blending). Pressing the filling mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or a conical strainer using the back of a ladle will ensure that it is completely smooth before you start to bake.

Second, even the smoothest pie filling will become grainy if it overcooks. The egg proteins in pumpkin pie filling form a loose net that traps moisture. As the egg proteins are heated, they begin to contract. Cook them hot enough, and they'll contract so much that they separate from each other into curds, giving your pie filling that grainy, wet texture. This recipe contains cream cheese in order to help the pie stay nice and smooth even if it's slightly overcooked. But once again, keeping an eye on the pie and using a thermometer are two steps to guarantee success.

November 2012

Recipe Details

Extra-Smooth Pumpkin Pie

Active 60 mins
Total 4 hrs
Serves 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

  • One half recipe easy pie dough

  • 6 ounces granulated sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée, or 15 ounces homemade pumpkin purée 

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 3 large eggs

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Place a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat oven to 425°F (220°F).

  2. Roll pie dough into a circle roughly 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Using a pair of kitchen shears, trim the edges of the pie dough until it overhangs the edge of the pie plate by 1/2 inch all the way around. Fold edges of pie dough down, tucking it under itself, working your way all the way around the pie plate until everything is well tucked. Use the forefinger on your left hand and the thumb and forefinger on your right hand to crimp the edges.

  3. When oven is ready, line chilled pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with weights (you can use reuse dried beans for this), transfer pie to the preheated baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and liner, turn pie, and bake until the bottom crust is a golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove pie shell from oven and allow to cool completely. Reduce heat to 350°F (180°C).

    Pie shell for pumpkin pie
  4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and pulse 3 times to mix. Add the cream cheese and pulse until a homogeneous paste forms. Add the pumpkin and butter and process for 30 seconds. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process until the mixture is completely smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Add the eggs and process until completely smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. For extra-smooth pumpkin pie, press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or a conical strainer using the back of a ladle.

    Combining spices and sugar in a food processor.
    Pumpkin pie filling in food processor
    Adding pumpkin puree to a food processor.
    Adding eggs to pumpkin filling in a food processor.
  5. Pour the mixture into prepared pie shell and smooth over the top with a rubber spatula. Rap the shell firmly against the counter a few times in order to release any air bubbles. Transfer pumpkin pie to the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the filling puffs slightly and the center only moves slightly when jiggled, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pumpkin pie halfway through baking. Allow the pumpkin pie to cool for at least 1 hour before serving. The pumpkin pie may be chilled for up to 2 days.

    Smoothing the surface of a pumpkin pie with a spatula.
    Extra Pumpkin-y Pie

Special Equipment

9-inch pie plate, pie weights, food processor, fine-mesh strainer

Notes

See our step-by-step guide to homemade pie crust and our guide to blind baking pie crusts for detailed step-by-step photos of the process.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
404 Calories
24g Fat
43g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 404
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 324mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 178mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)