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Pumpkins are native to the Americas, and the early colonists of New England learned to grow and cook them from Native peoples. By 1796, when Amelia Simmons published American Cookery, considered the first American cookbook, it included recipes for a “pompkin” pudding baked in a crust, recognizably the ancestor of the pie we know.

Pumpkin pie became the emblem of the New England harvest, and when Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, it traveled with the holiday across the country. It remains the most traditional dessert of the Thanksgiving table.

A New England fall

In late October and November, farm stands across New England sell sugar pumpkins and pies. Plan a weekend with our fall weekend escapes from Boston, or follow our White Mountains foliage road trip. For pies from the region’s best bakeries, see our list of the best holiday pies around Boston and New Hampshire.

Canned or fresh?

Good canned pumpkin purée is consistent and excellent, and it is what most professional bakers use. If you roast your own sugar pumpkin, drain the purée in a sieve for an hour so the pie is not watery.

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch pie.

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, chilled
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pumpkin purée
• 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Blind bake. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line the crust with parchment and weights and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, until lightly golden.
2. Cook the pumpkin. For a deeper flavor, cook the pumpkin purée with the sugar and spices in a saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick and glossy. Cool slightly.
3. Make the custard. Whisk in the cream, milk, eggs, yolk, salt and vanilla until completely smooth.
4. Bake. Lower the oven to 325°F. Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly.
5. Cool. Cool completely on a rack, at least 3 hours, before slicing. This prevents cracking and gives clean slices.

How to serve it

At room temperature or chilled, with softly whipped cream, perhaps with a spoonful of maple syrup folded in.

What to pour

Coffee, a glass of tawny port, or a late-harvest Riesling.

Make a menu of it

This completes our Thanksgiving series: the Jack Rose, Parker House rolls, cranberry sauce, roast turkey, cornbread dressing, sweet potato pie and pecan pie. For breakfast, try our pumpkin spice French toast, and find every recipe At the Table.

Photo: DrKathyShaginaw, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0