Pumpkin Pie From Scratch

It's time for the holidays; and Pumpkin Pie is a perfect dessert for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.

It is also as good as any pie for any special occasion. This recipe is 'from scratch' because I link to one of my instructables explaining how to make the pumpkin puree from scratch instead of using store-bought canned pumpkin.

Also, be sure to check out my new-ish food blog: Michael's Test Kitchen !

Step 1: Ingredients

Ingredients:

1 regular sugar pumpkin

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon pumpkin spice

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

NOTE:

If you really must, then you can use 1 can of canned, pre-made, factory-processed pumpkin.

Step 2: Cut Up the Pumpkin

If you want to see how to make the pumpkin puree from scratch in a separate instructable, go here. If not, continue:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off the stem, then cut the pumpkin in half, and scrape out all the seeds and strings, reserving them if you plan on roasting the seeds. Cut the halves again into half, so that you have four pieces of pumpkin.

Step 3: Puree

Place all the quarters of the pumpkin face down on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake in preheated oven for about an hour and a half, until tender.

Scrape the tender meat off the rind, and place in a high speed blender, or food processor. I used a Vitamix, which works really well. Puree until completely smooth, and no chunks are found. Now you’re ready to use this your pumpkin pie.

Step 4: Mix It All Up

Set oven temperature to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl whisk together the spices and salt. In a large bowl, beat together pureed pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs. Then dump in the spices, and stir in well.

Step 5: Bake, and EAT

Pour mixture into an unbaked pie crust, and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Then set oven temp to 350, and bake for another 45 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Remove from oven, and rest for an hour or so, then place in fridge, and cool for another 6 hours until cold.

Serve with whipped cream.

Step 6: Done!

Comments

[motherearthmark]

How far ahead can this be made? A day? Two? And if so, how should it be stored? Thanks!

[MichaelsTestKitchen]

Good question! I would say that you could make it a day or two ahead of time if you plan on just refridgerating it, however, you should be able to freeze it longer ahead of time. (of course this is after baking it)

thanks,

Michael

[pawtanwar]

Looks delicious :D

[Aristarco]

I thought this was from scratch but has the same ingredient that renders all pumpkin pie recipes on the webz useless for me: pumpkin pie spice. We don't have that here in Mx. Now, if you have an instructable showing how to make "Pumpkin Pie Spice", that'd be great!

[MichaelsTestKitchen]

actually, the pumpkin pie spice really is optional if you at least use the other spices

[Wild-Bill]

Yummy. Maybe it is time to make another pumpkin pie. I have a pumpkin on my doorstep and several containers of cooked pumpkin in the freezer. I have never grown sugar pumpkins but orange and white ones.

My recipe uses any type of pumpkin or even Hubbard squash (my mother thought Hubbard squash made better pumpkin pies than pumpkin). 2lb of pumpkin makes about 2 cups of cooked pumpkin which is enough for a pie. I just cook mine in a pot on the stove with a little water skin side down. When processing a large pumpkin I freeze the cooked pumpkin in 2 cup units. I don't know pumpkin spice(?) but use grated nutmeg, ginger powder, ground cinnamon in equal quantities (1/2 tsp) plus a few cloves and a couple of cardamon pods (all ground up with a mortar and pestle). I use canned evaporated milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 eggs. I make pumpkin soup and bread. I save a few seeds for next year and, salt and roast the rest. I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin are very easy to grow.

[MichaelsTestKitchen]

Thanks for the tips! I should try growing pumpkins sometime. I just get the sugar pumpkins from Trader Joe's :)

[GTO3x2]

I couldn't tell one where to start making something like this and have been curious in the past couple of years. After taking up some of my own cooking (the best was soup from nearly scratch and scraps (which came out very good ), I have very much respect for cooking.

I do have to say though, for the price of cooking, it seems the store-bought pies can't be beat. I do realize that the typical cooking will be done in a house that will be receiving the desired heat. I also recognize the eventual loss of skill and knowledge. It's also interesting how this pretty much opens the door to understanding what living boils down to. Thanks for a good instructable.

[joen]

You forgot step 6.

Step 6:

Enjoy! :D

[MichaelsTestKitchen]

thanks for reminding me :D

[arete01]

good 'ible... but the pastry is not from scratch!

[seamster]

This looks exactly like the recipe my mom made when i was a kid. Brings back memories! :)

[MichaelsTestKitchen]

:D