Recipe Roundup

Our 31 Best Pumpkin Pie Recipes for Traditionalists and Rule Breakers

Whether you're looking for a classic custardy beauty or something a little different, you're bound to find the best pumpkin pie recipe for your Thanksgiving celebration right here.
Photo of a caramelized honey pumpkin pie in a pie dish with two slices topped with whipped cream on plates.
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell

Looking for the best pumpkin pie recipe? You've come to the right place. Classically seasoned with the warm spices of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger—and occasionally a touch of allspice—pumpkin pie is the iconic Thanksgiving dessert. But you don't have to go classic. Below you'll find 31 pumpkin pie and pumpkin-pie-adjacent recipes to suit whatever your Thanksgiving vibe. There are pies with flaky, buttery pie crusts and custardy fillings that strike just the right balance of sweetness and spice, pies that play fast-and-loose with the pumpkin name (relying on butternut or kabocha squash for a change in flavor), elegant tarts that would impress anyone, and assorted pumpkin cheesecake mash-ups, each begging to become your go-to holiday dessert.

Making pumpkin pie (not to mention pie crust) from scratch can be intimidating, especially when you have a large Thanksgiving dinner to cook. To help you make the best pumpkin pie ever, we’ve got tips and tricks like how to prevent your pie from cracking, how to blind bake a pie crust, and everything else you need to know about baking pies for Thanksgiving. These desserts range from simple and straightforward to elaborate and elegant, but with this guide we’re confident you’ll be able to make any of these stellar pumpkin pie recipes.

  • A slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top.
    Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
    1/31

    Classic Pumpkin Pie

    This classic version of pumpkin pie comes from Gourmet magazine. The filling keeps it simple, lightly spiced with one teaspoon ground cinnamon and one teaspoon ground ginger. Because of its simplicity, it's important to use the best canned pumpkin. Here at Epicurious, we're devotees of Libby's. If it's your first time making a homemade pumpkin pie, this recipe is a great place to start.

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  • Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
    2/31

    Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie

    A maple syrup reduction adds natural, concentrated, autumnal sweetness to this traditional cinnamon- and ginger-spiced version of pumpkin pie from Gourmet magazine.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    3/31

    Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars

    Sometimes the best pumpkin pie recipe isn’t a pie at all—it’s a cheesecake bar! The crust for these pumpkin-swirled bites couldn't be easier: blitz graham crackers, melted butter, salt, and sugar in a food processor, then simply press it into a sheet pan. To avoid lumps, be sure all of your custard ingredient are at room temperature before you start mixing.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    4/31

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie

    This pie gets its creamy texture from silken tofu and—thanks to a full tablespoon of vanilla extract—is deeply aromatic. Though premade vegan crusts are available in stores, nothing beats a homemade pie crust. Don’t skip the teaspoon salt to ensure your pie crust is as flavorful as it can be. For the best texture, refrigerate the dough before rolling.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    5/31

    Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon–Sour Cream Topping

    The caramelized flavor of bourbon and the tang of sour cream add balance to the rich, spiced filling of this cheesecake. Chopped pecans add a nutty dimension to the graham cracker crust.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    6/31

    Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

    This pumpkin pie filling gets its warmth from a trio of spices and a generous splash of bourbon. To streamline your holiday game plan, pre-bake your pie crust and make your filling a day or two ahead, then bake your pie on Thanksgiving morning.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege
    7/31

    White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse

    Serve this mousse on its own for a gluten-free Thanksgiving dessert option, or pour it into a baked pie shell. With just seven ingredients and a total time of 30 minutes, this is a fun, easy, and quick dessert to whip up for Thanksgiving.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    8/31

    Pecan-Rye Pumpkin Pie

    Can't choose between pecan and pumpkin pie? This Thanksgiving dessert is the best of both worlds. It has a flavorful rye-flour crust, a whiskey-spiked and spiced pumpkin filling, and a topping of crunchy candied pecans.

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  • Photo by Chris Court
    9/31

    Brûléed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie

    With the help of a food processor, this chocolate pie crust comes together in no time at all. The pumpkin filling is subtly spiked with bourbon and gets its luscious texture from three large eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream. After the pie bakes, allow it to cool on a wire rack—then top it with brown sugar and brûlée it for an impressive Thanksgiving dessert.

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  • Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
    10/31

    Caramelized Honey Pumpkin Pie

    Browned butter and caramelized honey make this pumpkin pie truly unique. The filling is expertly spiced and a high ratio of eggs means it sets into a beautiful custard that has just enough jiggle. You'll want to pre-bake your unbaked pie shell—to prevent shrinkage, use pie weights or dried beans when blind baking (and remember, crumpled parchment paper is your friend).

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    11/31

    Spiced Pavlova With Pumpkin Mousse

    For an elegant spin on pumpkin pie, skip the pie crust and make a pavlova instead. Here, the meringue is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, and is layered with a pumpkin mousse made from pure pumpkin purée and egg whites.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
    12/31

    Pumpkin Icebox Pie With Snickerdoodle Crust

    Instead of a traditional pie crust recipe, this dessert calls for pressing cinnamon-sugar coated snickerdoodle cookie dough into a pie pan. It's a fun, whimsical take on classic pumpkin pie. And, although there's no evaporated milk in the pie filling, it's plenty creamy thanks to both cream cheese and heavy cream.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    15/31

    Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

    If you're already making pumpkin pie from scratch, why not make your own pumpkin pie spice mix? Use it in your homemade pumpkin pies, in lattes, apple pies, or for any other fall baking needs.

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  • Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    16/31

    Sweet Potato–Miso Pie With Chocolate-Sesame Crust

    This unique pie gets its deep savory flavor from white miso and richness from egg yolks and heavy cream. You can substitute an equal weight of pumpkin for the sweet potatoes in this sweet-and-salty pie—just make sure you use roasted fresh pumpkin instead of canned. The delicious chocolate crust is made with chocolate wafers pulsed in a food processor with black sesame seeds, light brown sugar, and a pinch of salt.

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  • Photo by Penny De Los Santos
    17/31

    Butternut Pumpkin Pie

    Surprise your guests by telling them that the best pumpkin pie recipe actually has no pumpkin in it at all. America's favorite canned pumpkin is actually made from squash, so if you want to go fresh, why not use butternut squash instead? Treat it as you would any other pumpkin pie: in a large bowl, whisk the roasted, puréed squash with condensed milk, spices, and eggs, then pour it into a blind baked pie shell.

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  • Jonathon Kambouris
    18/31

    Grandma's Pumpkin Pie

    This is the ideal starter recipe for homemade pumpkin pie: just measure, whisk, and bake. Sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a bourbon-spiked whipped cream, this straightforward pie is one of the most perfect pumpkin pie recipes around.

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  • Photo by Lisa Hubbard
    19/31

    Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

    In lieu of traditional pumpkin pie ingredients like evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream, this pie relies on mascarpone for its creamy and subtly tangy texture. If you'd like to bake it the day before, simply cover it with plastic wrap or tent it with aluminum foil, then refrigerate.

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  • Photo by Roland Bello
    20/31

    Caramel Pumpkin Pie

    For deep flavor with an intriguing sweetness, fold caramel into your pumpkin pie filling. This deep dish pie is light and delicately spiced, and is even more delicious with a dollop of whipped cream.

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  • Photo by Iain Bagwell
    21/31

    Pumpkin Pie With Salty Roasted Pepitas

    This easy pie has a no-fuss cornmeal crust that's made in the food processor, a pie filling lightly spiced with just a teaspoon ground cinnamon and a teaspoon ground ginger, and half-and-half for luscious texture that’s not too rich.

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  • 22/31

    Spiced Pumpkin Pie

    Brown sugar and molasses give this spiced pumpkin pie a deep caramel flavor. The total bake time for this pie is just 40 minutes, and it can be made a day ahead. To prevent the pie from oxidizing, lay plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pie and refrigerate. For crunch, sprinkle toasted walnuts around the perimeter before serving.

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  • 25/31

    The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie

    A thin layer of apricot preserves spread between the crust and filling for this otherwise classic pie gives it a brightness that will keep everyone wondering just what your secret is.

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  • Photo by William Meppem
    26/31

    Spiced Pumpkin Phyllo Pie

    If you don't have time for homemade pie crust or don't own a rolling pin, give fresh or frozen phyllo pastry a try. Thin sheets of phyllo are brushed with butter and pumpkin pie spice for a super flaky, flavorful crust. It's not a traditional pie dough, but it's the perfect pumpkin pie if you're short on time.

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