For the best pumpkin pie, add these spices to the classic recipe

By Ben MimsCooking Columnist

Nov. 9, 2022 6 AM PT

This recipe is part of our Guide to Classic Thanksgiving, a collection of simple recipes for timeless holiday dishes to make this year and for years to come.

Deep burnt orange in color and fragrant with cinnamon and nutmeg, pumpkin pie is the iconic dessert of Thanksgiving. This recipe sticks to the classic formula, upping the ante only with the spices to help cut through the richness of the pumpkin filling. You can use homemade pureed pumpkin if you like, but the canned stuff is perfect here.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2, 2022: Pumpkin pie prepared by cooking columnist Ben Mims on November 2, 2022 in the LA Times test kitchen. (Katrina Frederick / For The Times)

Classic Pumpkin Pie

2 hours, plus cooling

Serves 8

Food

Ben Mims

Ben Mims is the cooking columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has written three cookbooks and has worked as a food editor and recipe developer for several food media publications, such as Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Saveur, Food Network and Buzzfeed/Tasty.

For the best pumpkin pie, add these spices to the classic recipe

Get the recipe:

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