Libby's® Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is heavy cream or evaporated milk better for pumpkin pie? ›

During my testing of pumpkin pies, I tried lots of different milk options – heavy whipping cream, regular milk (I used 2% in my testing), sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Ultimately, I found heavy whipping cream to be the best. It produced the creamiest pie in my opinion.

Pie may be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Pies with too much evaporated milk formed blisters on top.

Though the interior of the filling had a great, creamy texture. The flavor was ever-so-slightly muted and had a hint of milkiness to it.

While many recipes call for it, you can absolutely make an outstanding pumpkin pie without evaporated milk. If your recipe calls for one can of evaporated milk (as most do), you can substitute 1 ½ cups of cream or half and half, or a combination of the two. You can also use milk (any kind from whole to skim).

The bottom line is that heavy cream has more than twice the calories and five times the fat content of evaporated milk. The first thing to notice in the label comparison above is that the serving size for heavy cream (1 tablespoon) is half the serving size of evaporated milk (2 tablespoons).

Evaporated milk is a canned, shelf-stable milk product with less water than regular milk. Thus, it's thicker and creamier than milk and can be an easy lower-calorie alternative to heavy cream in some recipes.

According to FoodSafety.gov, homemade pumpkin pie can be stored in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To keep your pie as fresh as possible, be sure to wrap it loosely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Homemade pie that has been left out for longer than two hours should be thrown away. If you left any pumpkin pie out for too long, don't be tempted to roll the dice.

For a guaranteed browned bottom, prebake the pie crust.

“After day three in the fridge, you can expect your dough to oxidize, turning a grayish color.” This is completely normal, but can be postponed by adding a bit of vinegar to your recipe.

When should you not use evaporated milk? ›

The benefit of evaporated milk is shelf-life: canned milk can remain stable for up to two years for peak flavor, and maybe longer. If you open a can of evaporated milk and it is dark yellow or brown, don't use it. Same goes for milk that smells bad or is curdled.

Yes, you can totally freeze pumpkin pie!

Milk + Butter

Butter is a whopping 80% fat, so combined with whole milk, it works as a heavy cream substitute. Just melt 1/4 cup butter, then whisk in 3/4 cup whole milk until smooth. You can use it in place of 1 cup heavy cream.

Fifteen ounces of canned pumpkin is just shy of 2 cups (16 ounces would be 2 cups). By comparison, a 3-pound pie pumpkin will likely give you enough puree for a recipe that calls for a can of pumpkin.

Bakers often use it as a substitute for cream to help reduce fat content. To substitute for a cup of regular milk, add in one part evaporated milk and one part water. For a more fresh-milk taste, add half the called for milk with evaporated milk, and the rest with water.

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Evaporated milk add a sweetness and density that fresh milk cannot replicate. Follow this tip: Use evaporated milk instead of cream or half-and-half. It adds sweetness and creaminess to the pie's texture.