McCormick Pumpkin Pie (Classic Recipe)

Are you looking for a simple fall dessert to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas? This McCormick pumpkin pie is it!

Unbelievably creamy and dreamy, it calls for only six ingredients! It’s easy and delicious — the only two things that matter in a good recipe.

McCormick pumpkin pie features a smooth, velvety pumpkin pie filling resting on a bed of crisp crust. It’s the definition of perfection.

And since it’s so simple, even newbie bakers will seem like pros when making it. So, what are you waiting for? Try it now!

McCormick Pumpkin Pie 

This delightful Thanksgiving dessert recipe yields a decadent pie bursting with sweet pumpkin and warming autumn flavors.

It’s also a breeze to make.

There’s no need to prepare your own pumpkin puree or roll and knead your own crust! Just use easy-to-find store-bought ingredients!

The pie still tastes heavenly, like you made it from scratch. Awesome, right?

Ingredients 

For a home-made dessert, this pumpkin pie doesn’t require many ingredients. You’ll need just six things:

• Pie crust. The base of the pie that carries the filling. Homemade pie crust is great, but don’t feel like you can’t use store-bought, either.

• Pumpkin puree. I like to use Libby’s for its impeccable consistency, but any quality brand will do. Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter is already sweetened and flavored with spices.

• Sweetened condensed milk. Other recipes call for granulated sugar and milk. For this one, you’ll use thick condensed milk to sweeten the filling and make it creamy. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

• Eggs. They’ll bind the filling ingredients together, such that after baking, it turns into a smooth custard.

• McCormick pumpkin pie spice. This recipe came from McCormick, so naturally, it requires its own brand of pumpkin pie spice. However, you can also use your own blend if you wish.

• Vanilla extract. For flavor enhancement. Again, McCormick prescribes its own brand of vanilla, but any good quality vanilla works. 

Pie Crust Shortcut 

As much as I don’t want to reveal my secret, here it is. For this recipe, I use a refrigerated pie shell!

Pumpkin pie snobs may frown upon this, but hey! It makes life a breeze and it turns out great every time.

So, if you’re like me and don’t have the time or dedication to make a crust from scratch, go for pre-made store-bought crusts.

This is a safe environment, no one will judge you here!

If you’re worried about the crust getting too soggy once you add the custard filling, you can try blind-baking.

It’s the process of baking the pie crust before adding the filling to help firm it up. This way, it’ll be sturdy enough to handle the filling without turning soggy.

Here’s how:

1. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 
2. Fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice — something heavy that’ll keep it from puffing up while baking.
3. Bake the crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
4. Take out the weights and lining and bake for 10 more minutes.

That’s all it takes!

Pumpkin Pie Tips & Tricks

You know me! I always have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve, even for easy recipes like this one. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Use canned pumpkin puree. Usually, fresh is best. But not when we’re talking about pumpkin pie. Fresh pumpkin has a lot of liquid and is very watery, often resulting in a runny pie filling. Canned is just simpler.

• Stick to Libby’s. I’m not a brand ambassador, I promise. Libby’s is just the best pumpkin puree you can get. It’s the smoothest and most flavorful.

• Simmer the puree beforehand. Sometimes, pumpkin puree can have that canned “tinny” taste. Give it quick simmer to get rid of that.

• Add a pinch of pepper. Freshly ground pepper in your pie filling? That sounds crazy, right?! Still, some bakers swear it brightens the flavor. Try it and let me know what you think.

• Use foil if needed. If you notice the crust is browning too quickly, loosely cover the pie dish with foil. This’ll keep the pie’s exterior from over-browning.

• Thicken the filling. Simply add an extra yolk to the mix. It’ll make it thicker AND creamier.

• Make it ahead of time. Prepare the pie 2 days in advance and refrigerate it. This will allow time for the flavors to marry, making it even more flavorful.

• Check for doneness the RIGHT way. Some pumpkin pie recipes will tell you to insert a knife into the pie’s center. Don’t do it! Instead, simply nudge the pie plate a little. The edges should be dry and set, but the middle should still be jiggly.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Pumpkin pie is great even as it is, but it’s so much better with whipped cream on top. Cool Whip is fine, but homemade whipped cream is divine.

Here’s how to make whipped cream at home:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the ingredients with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it.

Tips:

• The colder the cream, the better it’ll whip.
• Freeze the beater attachments and the bowl for 20 minutes beforehand. This will also make the cream easier and quicker to whip.
• Beat in a dash of ground cinnamon and/or ginger for an extra touch of fall flavors.
• Instead of vanilla, you can also infuse the cream with other extracts such as lemon, almond, or peppermint.

How to Avoid Cracks in Pumpkin Pie

I’ll never say no to a pumpkin pie, even one with cracks along the surface. Even so, a pie with a perfectly smooth and silky filling is much more enjoyable.

This pie recipe is super easy to follow, but if you don’t follow it to a tee, you’ll risk ending up with a cracked pumpkin pie.

So, just to be on the safe side, keep in mind these three important tips to make sure your pie won’t crack.

1. Don’t overmix the filling. Whisk the ingredients together gently just until they are well-combined. 

Don’t use an electric mixer for this. The filling will come together easily even if you just use a wire whisk.

2. Don’t over-bake. Adhere to the prescribed baking duration, which is 55 minutes.

It might seem under-baked, but it’s not. The filling is supposed to be wobbly in the middle.

3. Stick to the recommended temperatures. The procedure calls for baking the pie first at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes and at 350 degrees for the next 40 minutes. 

If you go higher than those prescribed temperatures, the pie filling could dry out, causing it to shrink and eventually crack.

How to Store Pumpkin Pie

According to the USDA, all pies that contain eggs must be refrigerated. This includes our delicious pumpkin pie.

With that in mind, here’s how to store any unlikely leftovers:

• To store. Let the pie cool fully. Then, cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 days.

Don’t try to freeze the leftovers! Because it contains milk and eggs, it won’t freeze well at all. Freezing will cause the custard filling to separate.

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