The Easy, No-Cost Way to Upgrade Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie has a high spot on my list of favorite desserts. I love the texture and flavor of a good one, an when topped with plenty of homemade whipped cream, it's the ideal blend of sugar and spice, with a creamy, not-too-fluffy structure that holds its shape. But how can you make pumpkin pie better?

Most pumpkin pie recipes say to add pumpkin purée to a mixing bowl and whisk in eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, and spices. That makes a nice pie, but you can amp up the flavor of your pumpkin pie with one little trick that doesn’t require any additional ingredients: pre-cooking your pumpkin purée with all of the sugar and spices.

How to Pre-Cook Pumpkin Purée for the Best Pie

Pumpkin purée, whether from a whole pumpkin or a can, is pretty bland on its own. That’s why sugar and pumpkin pie spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger are all added to enhance the flavor. However, to make pumpkin pie taste that much better, you don’t need to increase the amount of sugar or spices added to the mixture. You can simply improve it by pre-cooking the purée with the sugar and spices.

This tip was published in a 2008 issue of Cook’s Illustrated, and it has been helping people craft tastier pumpkin pies ever since. Doing this creates a more concentrated flavor thanks to the simmering process.

All you have to do is add your pumpkin purée, sugar, salt, and spices to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer and cook for five minutes while stirring. After cooking the spiced purée, transfer it to your mixing bowl. Let it cool for five minutes before whisking in the milk and eggs and baking the pie as directed. This tip can work with any pumpkin pie recipe you’re using for a rich depth of flavor.

More Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pie

• Try another crust: If you don’t love a classic pastry crust, swap it for another option. Graham cracker or gingerbread crusts are a great match.
• Don’t overbake it: Pumpkin pie is done when the outer edge of the filling looks set and the inside is still slightly jiggly. Baking it longer than needed will cause the center to crack as it cools.
• Store it chilled: Because this is a custard-based pie with eggs and milk, pumpkin pie should be kept in the fridge. To store it, cover the pie with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight pie storage container.