This easy pumpkin pie recipe is a perfect way to make something traditional for Thanksgiving while giving it a modern spin. Smooth and decadent, with a light caramelized flavor from dulce de leche and warm spices all creamy together in a flaky crust. Kick things up a notch this year!

slice of pumpkin pie on a plate

Calling all pumpkin pie lovers! I know you’re out there, and I have something extra-wonderful for you. Rich, smooth, velvety, with a unique depth of flavor added to the classic dessert thanks to the addition of one special ingredient: dulce de leche. Simply whisk everything together, pour it into a crust and bake! Creamy, and perfectly spiced to boot. Thanksgiving found a brand new favorite!

For another perfect pumpkin pie recipe with a twist, try this chocolate pumpkin pie or pumpkin pecan pie! These are new-fashioned pie recipes I feel genuinely good about adding to my holiday traditions.

Why this is the Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

  • A new family favorite for the holiday season. This is the same easy pie you know and love, with a few added flavors. It will be a stand-out treat at all your family gatherings!
  • Thick, creamy & smooth. Dulce de leche adds richness, and helps create a smooth custard-like texture better than you’ve ever had before.
  • Easy picture-perfect slices topped with whipped cream. Here’s a pie filling you could even make in a blender with beautiful crack-free slices. All with professional chef guidance!
pumpkin pie in a pie plate.

Professional Tips for Homemade Pumpkin Pie:

  • Par bake your crust. Par baking keeps your crust flaky to complement the creaminess of your filling, and it will keep you from getting a soggy bottom! Here is my YouTube Tutorial on how to par bake a pie crust or read all my tips and tricks in this post on how to partially blind bake pie crust
  • Whisk the filling until no streaks of eggs are visible. The filling has to be well-combined to get you that smooth, even texture. You can also mix the filling in a blender or with an immersion blender for extra insurance.
  • Don’t poke your pie to determine doneness. Give your pie a gentle shake. If it looks in any way liquid, it isn’t done. It should be puffed and move like Jello in one cohesive unit. If you poke it, you can guarantee that it will crack as it cools.

What are the ingredients?

Pumpkin pie ingredients on white countertop.
  • A pie crust: Store-bought is fine! If you want to go all in, here is my go-to all-butter pie crust recipe! You could also steal the chocolate cookie pie shell from my grasshopper pie.
  • Canned dulce de leche: I used La Lechera dulce de leche for this recipe, but I bet a homemade version or a different brand would work just as well here.
  • Spices: Warming spices for this pie include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
  • Pumpkin Puree: I use Libby’s pumpkin puree because it is consistent and that is what I use to develop all my recipes. Use whichever brand you prefer. Just be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix! Save any extra for a batch of pumpkin snickerdoodles!
  • Why is evaporated milk used in pumpkin pie? Evaporated milk adds sweetness and helps thicken the custard. It’s what gives the final filling that extra creamy richness.
  • Kosher Salt
  • Large Eggs
  • Whipped cream: Whipped cream or whipped topping to serve. This is honestly not really optional, because it makes this pie sing!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Canned Pumpkin vs. Fresh Pumpkin in Desserts

As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of canned pumpkin for pie recipes — or any pumpkin desserts, for that matter. I find homemade pumpkin puree to be a little too savory for dessert recipes, and it also isn’t as flavorful.  It is also not my preference to use fresh pumpkin puree due to the varying moisture content. That said, if you have homemade pumpkin puree on hand or you want to make some, it does work in this pie recipe! If going the homemade route, be sure to allow it to drain for at least 4 hours before use. If it comes down to choosing between pie or no pie, I’d choose pie!

Variations & Substitutions

  • What can I use if I don’t have evaporated milk? If you don’t have evaporated milk, you could substitute it with heavy cream for a slightly richer version of this recipe. You can also use sweetened condensed milk, but will want to omit or reduce the dulce de leche to keep it from being overly sweet.
  • Can I make swaps to the spices? Yes, you can! If you’re not a fan of cardamom, you can leave it out. You can also swap the cardamom, ginger and nutmeg for 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (keep the cinnamon as-is). You can also use the spices that are listed in this recipe and adjust the amounts to your taste preferences.
  • Mix up the flavor. Add a layer of blackberry or another berry compote under your pumpkin pie filling. Use this blackberry bottom pie or these cherry pie bars as inspiration.

How to Serve Pumpkin Pie

How to Make Pumpkin Pie

Use these instructions to make a pumpkin pie that won’t crack! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Par-Bake your pie crust:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F conventional. If using homemade pie crust, roll out one portion of pie dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8th inch thick. Chill 30 minutes flat on a baking sheet. This allows the gluten to relax and the butter to resolidify.

Step 2: Press one pie crust dough into the bottom and sides of your pie plate. Flute the edges as desired. 

It helps if you allow your dough to warm up just enough to be workable. Lift up the edges and allow it to settle on the bottom. 

Step 3: Crumple a piece of parchment paper and line the inside of the chilled crust. Fill with pie weights, beans or rice. I find beans work best.

I always crumple my parchment paper into a tight ball and then unroll it before lining my pie crusts for par baking. This softens the paper and allows it to form to the shape of the crust without poking it or allowing huge gaps.

Step 4: Bake crust for 15-20 minutes and then remove the weights and parchment. I remove the parchment and weights when the crust has just begun to brown and doesn’t look raw anymore. If you remove it too soon, the crust will still slide down the sides of the dish particularly if you are using a ceramic dish.

This is the par-baked stage. You can use it immediately while it is still warm or you can cool it completely, wrap and freeze it for a later date.  Find more instructions on how to par-bake pie crust in this tutorial!

Make & bake the pie:

Step 5: Microwave the dulce de leche in a microwave-safe bowl until it’s easy to stir and drips off the spoon. This will help the dulce de leche (which is really thick straight from the can) to incorporate into the pumpkin pie filling.

Step 6: In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients (except pie crust) together until combined. Make sure there are no streaks of egg white and the filling is smooth.

You can also mix the filling in a blender or with an immersion blender. This is how professionals make large scale batches!

Step 7: Pour into a parbaked shell. Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until set on the edges and jiggles slightly in the center. The pumpkin pie filling will puff and will move as one unit like Jello or cheesecake. Try not to poke the pie with a knife or cake tester to test for doneness. Poking makes it crack as it cools.

Step 8: The pumpkin pie will set perfectly and not crack if allowed to cool completely prior to cutting. Serve at room temperature or refrigerated.

This recipe makes 1 regular 9” pie. If you have a deep-dish pie pan or a slightly larger pie dish, I would make 1.5 times this recipe. You will need to cook the pie for closer to 50 minutes.

slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with a forkful taken out of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store pumpkin pie?

Store pumpkin pie at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap before storing.

How do you keep the bottom crust of pumpkin pie from getting soggy?

Under baking, baking at too low a temperature or not par-baking your pie crust will cause a soggy bottom crust in pumpkin pie. You do not have to par-bake your pie crust for pumpkin pie, but it is the best way to ensure your crust is done to flaky, crispy perfection. If you choose not to par-bake, please bake the pie in a metal baking dish and start baking at 425°F for the first 15 minutes.

How far in advance can pumpkin pie be made?

Prepare the par-baked pie crust up to a week in advance. I usually wrap and store these in the freezer. You can prepare and bake the pie up to one week in advance. You can also prepare the filling and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to a week before baking.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!

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pumpkin pie slice on a plate

Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Stephanie
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Take the classic pumpkin pie up a notch with dulce de leche! This easy pie recipe is a perfect way to make something traditional for Thanksgiving while giving it a modern spin. It’s also extremely delicious.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pie crust, store-bought or homemade
  • 1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for topping (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • Whipped cream or whipped topping, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F conventional. If using homemade pie crust, roll out one portion of pie dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8th inch thick. Chill 30 minutes flat on a baking sheet. This allows the gluten to relax and the butter to resolidify.
  2. Press one pie crust dough into the bottom and sides of your pie plate. Flute the edges as desired. 
  3. Crumple a piece of parchment paper and line the inside of the chilled crust. Fill with pie weights, beans or rice. I find beans work best.
  4. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes and then remove the weights and parchment. I remove the parchment and weights when the crust has just begun to brown and doesn’t look raw anymore. If you remove it too soon, the crust will still slide down the sides of the dish particularly if you are using a ceramic dish.
  5. Microwave the dulce de leche in a microwave-safe bowl until it’s easy to stir and drips off the spoon. This will help the dulce de leche (which is really thick straight from the can) to incorporate into the pumpkin pie filling.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients (except pie crust) together until combined. Make sure there are no streaks of egg white and the filling is smooth.
  7. Pour into a parbaked shell. Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until set on the edges and jiggles slightly in the center. The pumpkin pie filling will puff and will move as one unit like Jello or cheesecake. Try not to poke the pie with a knife or cake tester to test for doneness. Poking makes it crack as it cools.
  8. The pumpkin pie will set perfectly and not crack if allowed to cool completely prior to cutting. Serve at room temperature or refrigerated.

Notes

  • Technique – Don’t poke your pie to determine doneness. Give your pie a gentle shake. It should be puffed and move like Jello in one cohesive unit.
  • Variations – If you’re not a fan of cardamom, you can leave it out. You can also swap the cardamom, ginger and nutmeg for 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (keep the cinnamon as-is).
  • Storage – Store pumpkin pie at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap before storing.

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed easy pies!