Pumpkin Pie Recipes

These Pumpkin Pie Recipes Make Delicious Pumpkin Pie From Scratch

Grandma's pumpkin pie recipes make delicious pies that are perfect to serve on any occasion. Learn how to make pumpkin pie the old-fashioned way, from scratch.

Preparing the pumpkin filling from scratch does require a little extra effort, but compared to the taste of canned pumpkin, the traditional homemade taste of these pies is worth it. They taste so good! And some say that homemade squash pies taste even better. You'll have to bake a couple and judge for yourself.

How To Make Stewed Pumpkin or Squash for Pies

Deep-colored pumpkins are generally the best. Cut a pumpkin or squash in half, take out the seeds, then cut it up in thick slices, pare the outside and cut again in small pieces. Put it into a large pot or saucepan with a vary little water; let it cook slowly until tender.

Now, set the pot on the back of the stove, where it will not burn, and cook slowly, stirring often until the moisture is dried out and the pumpkin looks dark and red. It requires cooking a long time, at least half a day, to have it dry and rich. When cool enough, press through a colander.

How To Make Baked Pumpkin or Squash for Pies

Cut up in several pieces, do not pare it; place them on baking tins and set them in the oven; bake slowly until soft, then take them out, scrape all the pumpkin from the shell, rub it through a colander. It will be fine and light and free from lumps.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

For three pies: One quart of milk, three cupfuls of stewed and strained pumpkin, one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one-half cupful of molasses, the yolks and whites of four eggs beaten separately, a little salt, one tablespoonful each of ginger and cinnamon. Beat all together and bake with an under crust.

Boston marrow or Hubbard squash may be substituted for pumpkin and are much preferred by many, as possessing a less strong flavor.

Country-Style Pumpkin Pie

One quart of stewed pumpkin pressed through a sieve, nine eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two scant quarts of milk, one teaspoonful of mace, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and the same of nutmeg, one and one-half cupfuls of white sugar, or very light brown. Beat all well together and bake in crust without cover.

A tablespoonful of brandy is a great improvement to pumpkin or squash pies.

Pumpkin Pie Without Eggs

One quart of properly stewed pumpkin pressed through a colander; to this add enough good, rich milk, sufficient to moisten it enough to fill two good-sized earthen pie plates, a teaspoonful of salt, half a cupful of molasses or brown sugar, a tablespoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon or nutmeg. Bake in a moderately slow oven three-quarters of an hour.

Pumpkin and Squash, Best for Pies, Prepared by Baking

Ruth H. Armstrong, in the Housekeeper, says: "If all housekeepers who make pumpkin pies knew how much better and easier it is to bake the pumpkin first, they would no longer worry over cutting up and peeling it, but just cut it in halves, take out the seeds, lay it in the oven and bake until soft, when it can be scraped out and used as usual, and is so much better for not having water in it. Winter squash makes a much richer pie when treated in the same way."

Old-Time Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Stewed pumpkin, 1 heaping pint; 6 eggs; flour, 6 tablespoonfuls; butter, size of an egg; sugar, 1-1/2 cups; cinnamon, 2 level teaspoonfuls; ginger, 1/2 teaspoonful; 1/2 a grated nutmeg.

Directions: Rub the pumpkin through a colander, adding the butter, sugar, and spices, and make hot, then the beaten eggs and flour; mix smoothly together, and while hot put into the dish, having a thick crust to receive it, and bake in a moderate oven. -- Henry Crane, Frost House, Eaton Rapids, Mich.

Remarks. --This makes a thick, salvy pie, very nice. If fearful of a soggy crust, bake it before putting in the pie mixture. If a pint of milk was added, it would be more like the old-fashioned pumpkin custard pie, softer and not quite so rich, unless an additional egg or two, with an extra cup of sugar is put in. If milk is plenty, and pumpkin scarce, take this latter plan. --Dr. Chase

Squash Pie Recipe, Very Rich

Stew a medium-sized crook-necked (or other equally rich) squash, and rub the soft part through a colander, as for the pumpkin pie, above; butter, 1/2 lb; cream and milk, each 1 pint, or milk with the cream stirred in, 1 quart; sugar, 2 cups; 1 dozen eggs well beaten; salt, mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful each, or to taste.

Remarks. --Of course the mixing and baking, the same as for the pumpkin pie above; and if less is needed for the family keep the same proportions as in that also. I think good squash makes a richer pie than pumpkin, while some persons claim the reverse, and call for an egg or two extra. If a poor quality is used, this would be so; but crook-necked, or Hubbard, are much nicer than pumpkin, both in quality and flavor, and I like this pie much the best, but can get along very nicely even with a good rich pumpkin pie. --Dr. Chase

Cut a pumpkin into thin slices, and boil until tender in as little water as possible, watching carefully that it does not scorch; set the stew-kettle on top of stove, mash the pumpkin fine, heaping it against the sides of the kettle so that the water may drain from it and dry away; repeat this process until the water has all evaporated, and the pumpkin is quite dry. This will require from half an hour to an hour.

Mash and rub through a sieve, adding, while warm, a good-sized lump of butter; to every quart of pumpkin, after it is mashed, add two quarts of milk and six eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately, sugar to taste, one teaspoon salt, tablespoon ground cinnamon, one grated nutmeg, teaspoon ginger; bake in a hot oven until well set and a nice brown. It is as well to heat the batter scalding hot, stirring constantly until it is poured into the pie dishes. --Mrs. Governor Irwin, California