Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust is an easy and delicious pie recipe with a creamy filling and brown sugar cinnamon graham cracker crust. Perfect homemade pumpkin pie recipe for the holiday season!

Jump to:

• The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ever
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk
• Step-by-step Instructions
• Storage
• Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Whipped Cream
• Expert Tips
• How to Use Leftover Pie Filling
• Need a Substitute for Pumpkin Spice?
• How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Pie
• How to Freeze Homemade Pumpkin Pie
• How To Thaw Pumpkin Pie
• How to Tell if Pumpkin Pie is Done
• How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Need to Cool?
• How Long Can Pumpkin Pie Last in the Fridge?
• How Long Can Pumpkin Pie Sit Out?
• Get the Stuff I Use
• More Easy Dessert Recipes
• Let's Stay in Touch
• Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust is a delicious twist on classic pumpkin pie -- and the easiest pumpkin pie recipe you’ll make. 

The creamy pumpkin pie filling whisks together in one bowl with 6 simple ingredients.

And the homemade graham cracker crust takes just a few minutes to make -- but if you're really in a hurry, you can use a store-bought graham cracker crust instead.

But I really have to tell you about all these FLAVORS. 

The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ever

The buttery graham cracker crust with a touch of cinnamon is made with brown sugar which gives it a rich caramel toffee flavor.

The creamy pumpkin pie filling is made with 3 eggs which gives it a silky and luxurious texture. The full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice gives it all the warm pumpkiny flavors you crave in a pumpkin pie. 

As if that wasn’t enough, a dollop of brown sugar cinnamon whipped cream on top makes this the best pumpkin pie ever. 

Once you try it, it will become your new favorite fall pie recipe to bring everywhere!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Delicious Thanksgiving dinner dessert

Easy pumpkin pie recipe with simple ingredients

Traditional pumpkin pie filling in a yummy cinnamon graham cracker crust

No need to fuss around with making traditional pie crust

More Desserts for your Holiday Party

• Magic Pumpkin Bars
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Million Dollar Bars
• Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread

Ingredients

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Graham Cracker Crust

Graham crackers. You can make the crust with graham cracker sheets or store-bought graham cracker crumbs. Or use a store-bought graham cracker crust.

Butter. Melted butter binds the graham cracker crust together in the most delicious way.

Brown sugar. Rich brown sugar adds caramel flavor to the homemade pie crust. And as it bakes, the sugar melts and helps hold the crust together.

Cinnamon. Just ½ teaspoon of cinnamon adds a world of flavor to the pie crust.

Egg white. One beaten egg white brushed over the graham cracker crust helps create a barrier to keep it from getting soggy.

Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk

Canned pumpkin purée. Make sure you're using pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling, which has added sweeteners and spices. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree.

Sweetened condensed milk. Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess to the pie filling.

3 whole eggs. 3 whole eggs add luxurious richness and help the pumpkin pie set up.

Pumpkin pie spice. Use pumpkin spice blend or make your own with this easy recipe.

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make graham cracker crumbs.

Use a food processor or blender to grind 15-16 graham cracker sheets into 2 cups of fine crumbs. You can also place the crackers in a large ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

3. Assemble the pie crust.

Stir graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until it becomes the consistency of wet sand. 

Pour the graham cracker crumbs into an ungreased pie dish.

Use your hands or a smooth bottomed glass or measuring cup to press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. You want to make a compact, but not too tightly packed, crust.

Lightly brush egg white over the bottom and up the sides of the crust.

4. Par bake the crust.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Increase the oven temperature to 425.

5. Make the pumpkin filling.

Place all of the pumpkin pie filling ingredients into a large bowl and whisk them together until smooth and creamy. You can also use an electric mixer on low to medium-low.

6. Bake the pie.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the graham cracker pie shell.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for 25-35 more minutes or until the center is jiggly and an instant read thermometer in the center reads 175.

If you use a thermometer to poke a hole in the pie, the hole will eventually become a crack on the top of the pie. Just cover it with whipped cream :).

IMPORTANT TIP: Keep an eye on the graham cracker crust so it doesn't get too dark. Start checking it after about 7-10 minutes. Place aluminum foil over the edges of the crust to keep it from burning.

7. Cool the pie.

Place the pie on a wire rack to cool. It will take about 2 hours for it to cool completely. If it needs a little more time, place it in the refrigerator uncovered until it is cool.

8. Serve and enjoy!

Serve pumpkin pie with a dollop of brown sugar cinnamon whipped cream.

Storage

Wrap the pie in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until it's time to serve.

Store leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Brown sugar cinnamon whipped cream is the BEST topping ever for pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust. Click here to get the full recipe and instructions.

All you need are 4 ingredients and less than 5 minutes!

Here's what you need:

• Heavy whipping cream
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon

Use an electric hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip all of the ingredients together at medium to medium-high speed until medium peaks form.

Medium peaks form when the whipped cream is soft and billowy. When you hold the beater up, the the whipped cream will hold its peak with a tip that droops down ever so slightly.

This usually takes 2-4 minutes.

TIP: If possible, chill the bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Get the recipe for brown sugar cinnamon whipped cream here!

Expert Tips

• Use enough pressure to press the graham cracker crumbs into a compact crust. Don't firmly pack it in or the crust can become hard.
• Keep an eye on the graham cracker crust so it doesn't get too dark. Place pieces of foil over the edges of the crust. I start checking it after about 7-10 minutes.
• Be careful not to overbake the pumpkin pie. It should come out of the oven when the center is still jiggly and an instant read thermometer reads 175.

How to Use Leftover Pie Filling

This pie filling recipe works great in a 9 inch pie plate or 9 ½ inch pie plate.

If your favorite pie dish ever is smaller than that or you decide to use a store-bought graham cracker crust, you might have a little bit of filling left over.

Don't toss it, here are some ideas for you!

• Pour it in a ramekin and bake a mini crustless pumpkin pie.
• Stir it into pancake batter, muffin batter, or chocolate chip cookie dough
• Make pumpkin French toast or pumpkin bread pudding

Need a Substitute for Pumpkin Spice?

You can definitely make your own pumpkin pie spice at home with this super easy recipe that uses spices you might already have at home!

It's so easy, just mix together cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, and voila -- pumpkin pie spice!

The best part about making your own is you can go heavy on the spices you love, lighten up the ones you want to stay in the background, or change it up by adding a little allspice, cardamom, mace, even a little black pepper or cayenne pepper!

Get the recipe to make your own pumpkin spice here.

How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is made with eggs so it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

It's really important to let the pumpkin pie cool all the way before covering it.

If it's even a little bit warm when it's covered, condensation can build and cause a soggy crust.

Let the pie cool at room temperature for 2 hours. If it's still a bit warm, place it in the refrigerator uncovered until it is completely cool.

Cover the entire pie plate with plastic wrap and store pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (source: Foodsafety.gov).

You can also store individual pieces in an airtight container.

How to Freeze Homemade Pumpkin Pie

If you're wondering if you can freeze a baked homemade pumpkin pie, yes! Here's how.

• Bake the pie in a pie plate that is freezer safe.
• Be sure to cool it all the way. A still-kind-of-warm pumpkin pie that goes into the freezer can create ice crystals and a soggy crust.
• Wrap the pie in a double layer of plastic wrap and again in a layer of aluminum foil. Don't forget to label it! Place the pie on a level surface in the freezer.

This handy guide from foodsafety.gov says it's safe to freeze baked pumpkin pies for up to 2 months.

How To Thaw Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is made with eggs, so it needs to thaw in the refrigerator. It is not safe to thaw pumpkin pie on the counter.

Place the pie in the refrigerator for a good 12 hours or so beforehand. Remove the foil and one layer of plastic wrap (keep it covered in one layer of plastic wrap) and set it on a flat surface in the fridge to thaw.

The USDA says it's best to thaw perishable foods, like pumpkin pie, at a constant temperature of 40 degrees or below.

Sometimes changes in temperature can cause "weeping" or a sheen of moisture on top of your pie. Don't worry, it will still taste great! Just gently blot it up with paper towels or cover it up with whipped cream.

How to Tell if Pumpkin Pie is Done

When a pumpkin pie is cooked perfectly, it's silky, soft, and creamy.

But it can be a little tricky to know just when to pull it out of the oven -- because it may be sooner than you think.

The middle should be pretty jiggly and you may think it doesn't look done yet. But as it cools, the custard will continue to set and firm up into the creamy luxurious pumpkin pie you crave.

Here are a couple ways to tell when pumpkin pie is done.

1. The jiggle test. There's a fun little saying that says the center of the pie should "jiggle like jello" not "wiggle like a wave." Meaning, there should definitely be movement in the center. But more of a shimmy shake than a liquidy slosh.

2. Most Reliable: The temperature test. This is my favorite because I can't always tell a "jiggle" from a "wiggle." So I use an instant read thermometer. When it reads 175, it's time to take the pumpkin pie out.

The only problem taking the temperature is that you have to poke a hole in your beautiful pie -- a price I'm happy to pay for a perfectly cooked pie.

As it cools, that tiny hole turns into a crack -- which is easy enough to cover up with Cool Whip or whipped cream!

How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Need to Cool?

It's important to let your pumpkin pie cool completely before wrapping it in plastic and storing it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can get a soggy crust.

Give your freshly baked pumpkin pie 2 hours to cool completely at room temperature. If it still needs a little more cooling time, place it uncovered in the refrigerator to cool the rest of the way.

When it has cooled completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it back in the fridge until it's time to serve.

How Long Can Pumpkin Pie Last in the Fridge?

Foodsafety.gov says you can store pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, max. Not that it ever lasts that long!

How Long Can Pumpkin Pie Sit Out?

Pumpkin pie contains eggs, so it can't sit out all day. According to the FDA, a pumpkin pie can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Get the Stuff I Use

This pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust recipe works great in both this cute 9-inch pie plate (that I actually picked up at the grocery store!), and these 9 ½ inch scalloped Pyrex plate plates.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

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