The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• homemade pie dough (full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for leaf decor)
• egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. If you want to decorate the pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup of sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour.
3. Pour remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a large bowl. Toss the cranberries in the sugar, coating them all the way around. Place on a parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
4. Make the pie crust through step 5 according to directions and video tutorial in pie crust recipe. Or use favorite pie dough or store-bought.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9x2-inch deep dish pie dish. Tuck it in with fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with fingers. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture.
7. Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create steam vents and return crust (without weights) to the oven for 7-8 more minutes or until the bottom is just starting to brown.
8. Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.
9. Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like. Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly—that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.
10. Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.
11. Decorate with sugared cranberries and pie crust leaves. You’ll definitely have leftover cranberries… they’re tasty for snacking. Serve pie with whipped cream if desired.
12. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.