Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

There's no Thanksgiving recipe more classic than a pumpkin pie, and this one is sure to be a showstopper at your holiday feast this year! The pumpkin filling is sweet and smooth, the graham cracker crust is buttery and crunchy, and it all comes together in just an hour. The best part? You can let it chill overnight and focus on the rest of your Thanksgiving Day prep without worrying about dessert!

For more pumpkin recipes, try Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread, Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins, Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, and Black Bottom Pumpkin Custard Pie.

Why you'll love this pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust

• Luscious Pumpkin Filling: This classic pumpkin pie filling is super smooth and creamy, with that traditional sweet and spiced flavor we all know and love.
• Easy Graham Cracker Crust: No rolling out any pie dough for this recipe - the graham cracker crust has only three ingredients and is incredibly quick and easy to make!
• Great Make Ahead Recipe: The majority of this easy pumpkin pie recipe is letting the pie chill overnight, so it's the perfect dessert to make a day in advance!

Ingredient Notes

• Graham Crackers: Pulse whole graham crackers until they reach a fine crumb consistency.
• Pumpkin Purée: Libby's canned pumpkin is my favorite! Be sure to use pumpkin purée NOT pumpkin pie filling. 
• Heavy Cream: Use a high-quality heavy cream for best results.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use store-bought pumpkin pie spice or make your own using ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
• Brown Sugar: You can use dark or light brown sugar.
• Unsalted Butter: Use high quality European-style butter for best overall flavor.
• Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature quickly by placing it in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
• Vanilla: Add a high quality vanilla extract for optimal flavor.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Make & bake the crust. In a food processor, add the graham crackers and pulse until they form fine crumbs. Add the salt and melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs, and continue pulsing until fully combined. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, and use a measuring cup or small bowl to pack the crust down and press it up the sides. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until set and golden. Set aside to cool completely.

STEP 2: Make the filling. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a whisk, mix together the canned pumpkin puree, heavy cream, eggs, and vanilla. Do not over-mix! Then whisk in the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until fully combined.

STEP 3: Bake. Pour the filling into the cooled graham cracker crust. Gently tap the pie pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and carefully transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Bake the pie for about 1 hour or until set on the edges and slightly jiggly in the center.

STEP 4: Chill and top. Turn the oven off, crack the oven door open, and leave the pie in the oven for 30 minutes. Take the pie out and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Place in the refrigerator uncovered and chill overnight. Serve with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon!

Expert Baking Tips

• Add brown sugar to the crust, if desired. I opted for a less sweet graham cracker crust by leaving out the sugar, but if you prefer a sweeter crust add 53g (¼ cup) brown sugar when pulsing the ingredients in the food processor. 
• Follow the chill times carefully! To achieve a perfect pumpkin pie, you need to bring its temperature down very slowly after baking. Cooling the pie down too fast will cause it to crack. 

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x