Recipe

How to Make Pumpkin Pie From a Fresh Pumpkin

By Tommy Galfano at University of New Mexico

Everyone knows fall is the best time of the year. The weather is perfect, the food is better (who can complain about all the pumpkin-flavored things that exist?), and Halloween and Thanksgiving are right around the corner!

Arguably the most classic fall dessert out there is none other than a pumpkin pie—I mean, who doesn't love pumpkin pie? Every year people will bust out festive pies from just a can of pumpkin, but I think we need to change that!

All of fall's beauty can be encapsulated in a pumpkin, so let's see just how easy it is to turn a fresh pumpkin right from the patch into the best pumpkin pie your family will ever taste.

  • Prep Time: 2 hrs
  • Cook Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 3 hrs
  • Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
  • 1 stick butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar or to taste
  • 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons allspice
  • 1 teaspoon clove
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Photo By Tommy Galfano

Step 1

Gather ingredients and preheat oven to 350ºF.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 2

Cut pumpkin in half, remove stems and scrape out seeds and pulp.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 3

Cover the pumpkin in foil and bake for 1.5 hours, or until tender.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 4

Take pumpkin out of the oven and let cool.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 5

Scrape out the pumpkin flesh and place into a bowl and mash into a smooth puree.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 6

Add the heavy cream, melted butter, and brown sugar to the pumpkin puree, and mix well.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 7

Beat in eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 8

Now for the crust, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 9

Cut butter into cubes and lay on top of the flour mixture.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 10

Cut butter into the flour mixture to form a crumbly mixture.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 11

Add the cold water and mix together with a spatula until it forms a ball.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 12

Allow dough to rest in fridge for at least one hour. Then roll out the dough on a cutting board.

#SpoonTip: Put flour on both sides of the dough to prevent sticking!

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 13

Lay crust in pie dish, trim edges with a knife. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 14

Fill the crust with your pie filling.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 15

Bake pie at 350°F for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes, or until the middle is set.

Photo by Tommy Galfano

Step 16

Allow pie to cool, slice it up, and enjoy!

Photo by Tommy Galfano