Pumpkin Pie: The Classic Thanksgiving Pumpkin Tart Recipe

The History of Pumpkin Pie

• Pumpkin pie grew alongside America itself. The recipe came from the first settlers who arrived in New England in the early 17th century. Native American tribes living on the East Coast had long grown pumpkins, and they introduced this vegetable to the colonists.
• Historians agree that the first written mention of a pumpkin pie recipe appears in a book published in 1651 by French chef François Pierre la Varenne. He called it “tourte à la citrouille.”
• Since then, pumpkin pie has become a classic of American baking and you’ll find it easily in New York restaurants. It’s the star of Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.
• Fun fact: the world’s largest pumpkin pie was made in 2010 at New Bremen, Ohio, during the New Bremen Pumpkinfest. The pie measured over 6 meters (20 ft) across and weighed 1,681 kg (3,704 lb). A record to beat!

Ingredients for 6 servings

For the crust

• 250 g (8.8 oz) flour.
• 60 g (2.1 oz) sugar.
• 125 g (4.4 oz) butter.
• 1 egg yolk.
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or a homemade blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
• 5 g salt.
• 50 ml (3.4 tablespoons) water.

For the filling

• 500 g (17.6 oz) pumpkin puree.
• 3 eggs.
• 250 ml (1 cup) warm milk (79–86°F).
• 100 g (3.5 oz) dark brown sugar.
• 50 g (1.8 oz) granulated sugar.
• 15 g cornstarch.
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. You can also make your own blend: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, a generous pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves.
• 1 pinch of salt.
• Whipped cream for decoration.

Recipe Steps

Making the pie crust

• 1/ Mix the flour, spices and salt.
• 2/ Add the butter gradually, working it in quickly with your fingertips. Tip: remove the butter from the refrigerator well ahead of time. It should be soft enough to work with. Take time to break down the dough with your fingers so the butter is fully incorporated.
• 3/ Roll the dough between your palms.
• 4/ Add the water and egg yolk, continuing to roll the dough between your palms.
• 5/ Form a ball of dough and flatten it several times with the palm of your hand.
• 6/ Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on parchment paper, then place it in a 24 cm (9.4 in) pie pan.
• 7/ Prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While you wait, you can prepare the filling.

Making the filling

• 1/ Cut the pumpkin into pieces and steam them.
• 2/ Blend the pumpkin pieces into a puree.
• 3/ Add the spices, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• 4/ Whisk the eggs, then add the milk. Gently fold the eggs and milk into the pumpkin mixture.
• 5/ Pour the mixture onto the pie crust.
• 6/ Bake at 230°C (446°F) for 5 minutes.
• 7/ Lower the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another 30 minutes.
• 8/ Your pie is ready! Serve it decorated with homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!

Share Your Pumpkin Pie Photo!

• Made your own pumpkin pie? Share photos of your creation on our Destination New York Facebook group.
• Feel free to contact me if you’d like to submit a recipe.