Simple, Warm, and Spicy Pumpkin Pie With Graham Cracker Crust for Fall

Today we’re making pumpkin pie!

I haven’t had pumpkin pie in a while so I decided to make it myself instead of buying a premade pie from the store. 

And it’s rediculously easy.

Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever buy a premade pie again. It’s warm, spicy, homemade custard filling with my favorite graham cracker crust that hit all the cravings.

All you need is five ingredients and some spices and you can whip up this pie in no time. Freeze it for a family dinner coming up or enjoy it after it’s chilled and set in the fridge. 

Ok, let’s get started.

What is pumpkin pie?

It’s a dessert pie with a pumpkin custard filling. Traditionally it’s made with a pie crust that you can make yourself or buy from the store. But I used a graham cracker crust because that’s what my family and I enjoy eating. Pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie are similar in color but pumpkin pie uses a lot of spices to give you the warm and cozy feeling of fall.

What’s pumpkin pie made out of?

It depends if you make it yourself or if you buy some of the ingredients from the store. This was my first time making pumpkin pie and actually making the filling with real pumpkins. 

Did you know that canned pumpkin is made from winter squash, including butternut squash and pumpkin puree?

Since pumpkin is considered part of the squash family, your canned pumpkin is still considered 100% pumpkin. (I didn’t know that either!) But you can make your own pumpkin puree using only pumpkins and it’s super easy. 

You’ll notice that store-bought pumpkin puree is more orange in color because of the added winter squash. When you make the puree yourself, it will be slightly darker and less yellow. But it tastes so much better.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkins are packed with vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A and K, magnesium, and Iron. A study found that a combo of zinc, vitamins C and E, and beta carotene may slow down one of the most common age related causes of loss of sight. And pumpkins have small amounts of all of those vitamins and minerals¹. 

Pumpkin is believed to help strengthen the immune system, boost skin health, and help with heat health and metabolism. Now, I’m not saying all of the pumpkin pie you want and you’ll be healthy. It’s still a dessert but there are some good nutrients going into your delicious custard pie.

Why…

Didn’t My Pie Set?

It’s likely that your pie was undercooked or it was at a lower temperature than it needed. Cutting into a runny pie is the worst, especially when you have friends or family you’re supposed to serve. When you take your pie out of the oven, the center should juggle a little bit. If you’re still not sure, insert a knife in the middle. There shouldn’t be any pie filling stuck to the knife. If there is, put your pie back in the oven and bake for a few more minutes and check again.

Do I Have Cracks?

That means that you overbaked your pie. Custard pies have a lot of eggs in the filling that gives them that jiggly texture. When pumpkin pie is overcooked, the proteins in the eggs tighten up faster and create cracks. It shouldn’t have a burnt taste to it so I would still eat it, personally. But that’s completely up to you.

How to Store

The FDA says that you can leave pumpkin pie out at room temperature for 2 hours. After that, it can start to develop bacteria that are considered bad for your health. I like to keep mine in the fridge because the custard texture stays firm.

If you want to make your pie ahead of time, tightly wrap your pie with layers of plastic wrap and put it inside a large Ziploc bag for extra protection. It should last up to a month in the freezer. To thaw, put your pie in the fridge for 8-12 hours. This is a great make ahead dessert when you have a group of people to feed, or you want leftovers for yourself.

Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie

One of the best reasons to make pumpkin pie is that it’s easy, you only need a few ingredients, and it’s pretty hard to mess it up. It’s a great recipe to try if you’re new to baking pies because it has plenty of room for error (if you need it) and your friends and family will love it. 

If you really want to impress, make your own pumpkin puree instead of using canned, store-bought pumpkin.