This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and highly recommend. You can read my full disclosure . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk has a smooth, creamy filling flavored with warm spices, vanilla, butter, and optional brandy. Sweetened condensed milk adds richness and sweetness in one ingredient, so there is no evaporated milk or separate cup of sugar to measure.
Use my All Butter Pie Crust for a homemade pie, or save time with a refrigerated or frozen crust. Since this pumpkin pie with condensed milk needs to cool completely before slicing, it is a great make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich and creamy: Sweetened condensed milk gives the pumpkin filling a smooth texture with fewer ingredients to measure.
- Easy to adjust: Taste the filling before adding the eggs, then decide whether it needs more spice or the optional brown sugar.
- Great for making ahead: Bake the pie one or two days before your meal so dessert is already done.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes to help you choose the right ingredients. Find the exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pie crust: I use my All Butter Pie Crust. Keep homemade dough refrigerated until you are ready to roll it. An unbaked refrigerated or frozen 9-inch prepared crust also works.
- Pumpkin purée: Use pure, unsweetened pumpkin purée. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
- Salted butter: Butter makes the pumpkin filling taste richer.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This provides most of the sweetness and creates the creamy texture. It is not the same as evaporated milk.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Use my homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice or your favorite store-bought blend.
- Vanilla extract: This brings out the pumpkin and spice flavors.
- Brown sugar: This is optional. Add it only if you prefer a sweeter pie.
- Brandy: Also optional, but it adds a noticeable deeper, richer flavor.
- Eggs: These help the custard set. Add them after tasting and adjusting the rest of the filling.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
Use the step-by-step photos and these simple cues as a guide.
Blend the Pumpkin Filling
Add the pumpkin purée, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, brandy, and optional brown sugar to a food processor. Blend until smooth and evenly mixed.
Taste, Adjust, and Add the Eggs
Taste the filling and add more pumpkin pie spice or brown sugar, if needed. Add the eggs and blend just until they disappear into the mixture. You are combining the filling, not whipping a smoothie.
Roll Out the Cold Dough
Keep the pie dough refrigerated until you are ready to use it. On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a 12-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick.
Shape the Pie Crust
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch metal pie plate. Gently press it into the bottom and sides without stretching it. Trim the extra dough and crimp the edges.
Add the Filling
Pour the pumpkin filling into the cold, unbaked crust. When using a prepared frozen crust, keep it cold or frozen until you are ready to fill it.
Bake the Pie
Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. The edges should look set, but the center should still move slightly when you gently shake the pie plate.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Let It Cool
Place the pie on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. The filling will settle and become firmer as it cools.
How to Know When Pumpkin Pie Is Done
The most important part of making pumpkin pie is removing it from the oven before the center becomes completely firm. Look for set edges with a small area in the middle that jiggles together when you gently move the plate. It should not ripple like liquid, but it should still have some movement.
Do not wait for a toothpick inserted into the center to come out completely clean. At that point, the custard may already be overbaked. Overbaking is also what causes pumpkin pie to crack.
The bake time may be longer when several other dishes are in the oven. Use the appearance and movement of the filling as your main guide rather than relying only on the timer.
Do You Need to Prebake the Crust?
No. This pie stays in the oven long enough for the crust to cook with the filling.
I tested it in a metal pie plate using an unbaked All Butter Pie Crust. As the pie baked, the cold butter in the dough melted and helped the crust cook and crisp. After the pie cooled, the crust lifted easily from the plate.
Keep homemade pie dough refrigerated until you are ready to roll it. If you are using a prepared frozen crust, pour in the filling while the crust is still cold or frozen. There is no need to thaw or prebake it.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pie
- Do not overmix the eggs: Too much air can make the filling puff up in the oven and crack as it settles.
- Keep the crust cold: Cold dough is easier to handle and holds its shape better while baking.
- Watch the crust edges: Cover them loosely with foil or a pie shield if they begin to brown before the filling is ready.
- Expect bake times to vary: A crowded oven can slow down the baking process.
- Let the pie cool fully: Cutting it while warm can leave you with soft, messy slices, even when the pie was baked correctly.
Recipe Variations
- Use a graham cracker crust: Swap the pastry crust for my Graham Cracker Pie Crust for a sweeter, crisp, crumbly base.
- Brown the butter: Cook the butter until it smells nutty and has amber-colored bits at the bottom. This gives the filling even more flavor, similar to the browned butter in my Sweet Potato Pie.
- Skip the brandy: Leave it out without adding a replacement.
- Whisk the filling by hand: A food processor makes the filling quick and easy to combine, but you can also use a large bowl and whisk. Add the eggs last and mix only until combined.
- Adjust the sweetness: Start without the optional brown sugar. Taste the filling before adding the eggs, then include the sugar only if you want a sweeter pie.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Bake the pie up to two days before serving. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate it.
- Store: Keep leftover pumpkin pie covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freeze: The custard and crust may become slightly softer after freezing and thawing. Making the pie one or two days ahead is the better choice when possible.
- Serve: Enjoy it chilled or let it sit at room temperature briefly before slicing. Add whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a light sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Complete Your Holiday Menu
Serve this pie after a holiday meal with dishes like Turkey Gravy, Cornbread Dressing, Southern Candied Yams, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.
Since the pie can be made ahead, your oven stays free for the savory dishes that are best baked or reheated shortly before dinner.
For another holiday dessert, try my Sweet Potato Pie, Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, or Sweet Potato Pie with Graham Cracker Crust.
FAQs
Do not substitute evaporated milk directly into this filling. Use the filling from my Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust instead. That recipe is made with evaporated milk and added sugar, so the ingredients are properly balanced.
Yes. Whisk the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, butter, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, brandy, and optional brown sugar in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the filling, then add the eggs and whisk just until combined.
No. Sweetened condensed milk provides most of the sweetness. Taste the filling before adding the eggs and use the brown sugar only if you want a sweeter pie.
Yes. Keep the crust cold or frozen until you are ready to add the filling. There is no need to thaw or prebake it.
Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Ingredients
- 12 inch Pie Crust, I’m using All Butter Pie Crust, keep it wrapped in the plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to use. You can also use refrigerated rolled pie crust or a 9-inch prepared frozen pie crust in a pan
- 15 oz Pumpkin Puree, pure and unsweetened, this is about 1 ¾ cups of pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup Butter, salted and melted
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice, click for my recipe
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar, optional for a slightly sweeter pie
- 1 tbsp Brandy, optional
- 2 large Eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the pie filling (minus the eggs) to a food processor: Add the pumpkin puree, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, brandy, and brown sugar, if using, to a food processor.
- Blend until smooth, then taste & adjust: Taste the filling before adding the eggs and adjust the sweetness or spice if needed.
- Add the eggs and blend just until incorporated. Set the filling aside while you prepare the crust.
- Roll out the dough (if using homemade): Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin. Place the pie dough on the floured surface and roll it from the center outward, turning the dough as you go to help it stay round and prevent sticking. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle that is about ⅛ inch thick. This gives you enough dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate with some overhang for trimming and crimping.
- Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate. You can roll it loosely around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the dish.
- Gently press the dough, trim & crimp: Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie plate without stretching it. Trim any excess dough, leaving enough around the edges to tuck under and crimp as desired.
- Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the prepared crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle. You can start checking for doneness around the 45-50 minute mark.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and sprinkle with extra pumpkin pie spice if desired.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Notes
- Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness and spices before adding the eggs.
- Mix the eggs just until incorporated to avoid adding too much air.
- Keep the homemade or prepared pie crust cold until ready to fill.
- Do not prebake the crust.
- Bake until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly.
- The pie will settle and finish setting as it cools.
- Cool completely before slicing.
- Brown the butter for an even richer flavor.
- Bake time may increase when the oven is crowded.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
Leave a Reply