By: Becky Hardin
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This Pumpkin Pie is a must-make for Thanksgiving. We put a twist on this simple recipe by adding brown sugar and a delicious maple whipped cream on top. Making brown sugar pumpkin pie is a breeze with store-bought crust and pumpkin puree!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Pumpkin Pie Recipe
We love this Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie because of its special depth of flavor. It’s simple enough for anyone to make and has become a family favorite since we first made it in 2014. Because we think this is the best way to make pumpkin pie, it’s the only version on our website!
- Easy. We start with a pre-made pie crust and canned pumpkin puree for a recipe any cook can tackle!
- Flavorful. Dark brown sugar and classic pumpkin pie spices make every bite of this pie warm and welcoming.
- Whipped Cream. You saved all that time making a homemade pie crust, so now you’ve got a few extra minutes to whip this incredible maple whipped cream together! I promise it’s worth the effort and only takes about 2 minutes!
Variations on Homemade Pumpkin Pie
You can, of course, make this brown sugar pumpkin pie more traditional by using granulated sugar in the filling, and you can also swap out the measured spices for premade pumpkin pie spice to save a little time. For a more homemade feel, make your own pie crust and pumpkin puree.
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How to Store
Store leftover pumpkin pie covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy cold, at room temperature, or reheated in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze this pumpkin pie whole or cut into individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and topping with whipped cream.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this pumpkin pie topped with delicious maple whipped cream and honey roasted pecans, or try pumpkin spice whipped cream, pumpkin ice cream, shaved chocolate, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce.
Enjoy with a warm pumpkin spice latte, slow cooker pumpkin hot chocolate, or a boozy pumpkin spice white Russian or pumpkin pie punch.
What kind of pumpkin is best for pie?
Personally, I find that there’s a lot more variability in fresh pumpkin puree than in canned, which can often lead to a watery pie, so I like to stick with canned pumpkin for consistent results every time.
Is heavy cream or evaporated milk better for pumpkin pie?
I like to use heavy cream in this pie because it creates a super creamy filling. I sometimes find that evaporated milk leaves a bit of an aftertaste.
How do you keep pumpkin pie from getting soggy?
Pre-baking the crust should help ensure the pie doesn’t become soggy! Make sure the crust is fully cooled before filling it to ensure no extra moisture is created.
Should I poke holes in the bottom of my pie crust?
I recommend weighing the crust down with sugar. It’s the method I used in this recipe, and it leaves you with a wonderfully flavorful toasted white sugar that you can use for other recipes later on. However, if you don’t have enough sugar to do this, you can either use pie weights, dried beans, or simply dock the crust with a fork.
What causes a pumpkin pie to crack while baking?
Usually, eggs are the culprit for a cracked pie. Overcooked eggs tighten up and create cracks in the surface, so it’s best to pull the pie when it is jiggly but not wet in the middle. Of course, if your pie does happen to crack, that’s what the whipped cream is for! Whipped cream covers all mistakes!
Does pumpkin pie need to be refrigerated?
Yes! I like to press plastic wrap onto the surface to keep it the freshest, but you can also wrap it in foil. Wait to top with whipped cream until just before serving!
More Pumpkin Pie Recipes We Love
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Crumble
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Pie Dessert Lasagna
- Caramel Macadamia Nut Pumpkin Pie Bars
- And check out our list of all the Best Thanksgiving Pie Recipes!
5-Star Review
“Wow! I stumbled across this recipe because I didn’t have granulated sugar and searching brown sugar pumpkin pie I found this! Wow! So so amazing! The best pie I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! I will never make it any other way now!” – Casey C
Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Recipe (+ Maple Whipped Cream)
4.79 from 19 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 25 minutes minutes
Cook: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Total: 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
Serves8 slices
Print Rate
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Get ready to taste the best pumpkin pie recipe of your life! It's so easy to make, you won't believe it! Use all the time you save to make easy and delicious maple whipped cream!
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Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust 213 grams, store-bought or homemade
For the Filling
- 1 cup dark brown sugar 213 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree 425 grams (1 can) – not pumpkin pie filling!
- 1 cup heavy cream 227 grams
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream 227 grams
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams
- 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup 20 grams (or sub 2 tablespoons/14 grams powdered sugar)
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or bourbon 14 grams, optional
For Garnish
- Honey Roasted Pecans optional
Recommended Equipment
Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Pie Crust
Preheat oven to 425°F, and place a baking stone (if available) on the middle rack.
Roll out the pie crust and place it in a 9-inch pie pan. Blind bake (or prebake) the pie crust for 10 minutes by covering the inside and outer edges with foil and filling the foil with sugar – this will keep the crust in place during baking. After 10 minutes, place the crust on a cooling rack, and very carefully (sugar will be hot), transfer the foil with the sugar to a heat-proof bowl. Cool the crust completely.
1 9-inch pie crust
For the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg together. Add the pumpkin puree and heavy cream and whisk until all ingredients are well incorporated.
1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 15 ounces pumpkin puree, 1 cup heavy cream
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the cooled pie crust, place in the preheated oven on the baking stone, and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake another 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the outer crust with foil or with a pie crust shield.
Transfer the baked pie to a cooling rack, remove the pie crust shield, and cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
For the Whipped Cream
Pour the whipping cream into a large, cold bowl. With a hand mixer set on low, beat the cream until it thickens slightly. With the speed still on low, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and rum (or bourbon). Turn the speed to medium-high and beat the cream until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon dark rum or bourbon
To Serve
Slice the pie into equal pieces. Garnish each piece of pie with whipped cream and honey roasted pecans (if desired).
Honey Roasted Pecans
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the outer crust with foil or with a piecrust shield.
- Make sure you buy 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. We are adding all the spices to it with this recipe, so you don’t want to start with a pre-spiced pumpkin filling.
- The pie will still be a bit jiggly in the center when it’s ready to take out of the oven. This will firm up afterward because the pie will continue to cook a bit after being removed from the heat.
- You can also try our Stabilized Whipped Cream! Works great on this recipe.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Storage:Store pumpkin pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1slice Calories: 451kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 46g (15%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 29g (45%) Saturated Fat: 16g (100%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 114mg (38%) Sodium: 424mg (18%) Potassium: 252mg (7%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 32g (36%) Vitamin A: 9216IU (184%) Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) Calcium: 93mg (9%) Iron: 2mg (11%)
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How to Make Pumpkin Pie Step by Step
Prep the Crust: Preheat your oven to 425°F and place a baking stone on the middle rack. You can also place a plain baking sheet on the middle rack if you don’t have a stone. Roll out a 9-inch pie crust and place it into a 9-inch pie pan. Cover the inside and outer edges of the crust with foil and fill the pie shell with sugar. Blind bake the crust like this for 10 minutes, then place the crust on a cooling rack and very carefully (the sugar will be hot) transfer the foil with the sugar to a heatproof bowl. Cool the crust completely.
Make the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 cup of dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon of ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, and ½ of ground nutmeg together. Add 15 ounces (1 can) of pumpkin puree and 1 cup of heavy cream and whisk until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Start Baking: Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the cooled pie crust, place in the preheated oven on the baking stone, and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the Temperature: Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake another 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the outer crust with foil or with a pie crust shield. Transfer the baked pie to a cooling rack, remove the pie crust shield, and cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Make the Whipped Cream: While the pie cools, make the maple whipped cream. Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a large, cold bowl. With a hand mixer set on low, beat the cream until it thickens slightly. With the speed still on low, add 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of dark rum (or bourbon). Turn the speed to medium-high and beat the cream until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Serve the Pie: Slice the pie into equal pieces. Garnish each piece of pie with whipped cream and honey roasted pecans (if desired).
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