Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie — Because What Good Is Just One Pie?
An old family recipe, a little paper crafting, and a whole lot of whipped cream.
Well, here we are. Thanksgiving is just around the corner here in Canada, and I figured it was about time I shared something a little special.
And no, it's not another bracelet, greeting card, or something I've dragged home from the craft store.
Today, we're making pie!
But not just any pie. We're making Grandma's Pumpkin Pie.
And because this is The Paper Artist, we're also making a sweet little handmade recipe card to go along with it.
A little paper crafting, a little family history, and something delicious at the end.
What more could we ask for?
But before we get started, I should point out that this recipe makes TWO pies.
Because seriously, what good is just one pie?!
Besides, if you're going to dirty the mixing bowls, turn on the oven, and make the house smell like cinnamon and pumpkin, you might as well have something to show for it.
And trust me, one of these pies isn't going to last very long.
A Little Slice of Family History
Now, before I start whipping things up in the kitchen, I should probably fill you in on the story behind this particular recipe.
My mom was something of a pie legend.
And I'm not just saying that because she was my mom.
She made pies for fine dining restaurants for miles around. People actually traveled to those restaurants just to get a taste of her pies.
In fact, sometime back in the 1990s, she even had an article written about her in a food magazine.
That's some pretty serious pie business!
Now, her real claim to fame was her cream pies and lemon meringue pies.
Oh, those cream pies!
Beautiful, delicious, homemade pies that people couldn't seem to get enough of.
But when fall rolled around and Thanksgiving started creeping up on the calendar, out came the pumpkin pies.
And those were every bit as wonderful.
There was just something about her pies. Maybe it was the recipe, maybe it was the years of experience, or maybe it was simply that magical ability some mothers seem to have when they step into a kitchen.
Whatever it was, she had it figured out.
And the rest of us were just happy to eat the results.
The Recipe That Finally Escaped the Vault
Now, when your mother is practically the resident pie maker for half the countryside, you can't very well grow up without learning a thing or two.
Eventually, I learned to make those same pies.
Of course, first I had to get my hands on the recipe.
And believe me, that recipe wasn't just floating around for anyone to grab!
But once Mom finally let it out of the vault, there was no turning back.
I've made these pumpkin pies hundreds of times over the years.
And I suspect I'll be making them for many more.
I'm sure if you looked up a hundred pumpkin pie recipes, you'd find that most of them follow pretty much the same general idea.
Pumpkin, eggs, sugar, spices, milk.
Nothing terribly mysterious going on there.
But apparently, the magic is in getting it just right.
Because according to my kids, there is pumpkin pie...
And then there is Grandma's pumpkin pie.
And those are two entirely different things.
It doesn't matter how beautiful another pumpkin pie might look or how wonderful someone claims their recipe is.
If it doesn't taste exactly like Grandma's, it's not the right pie.
End of discussion.
No substitutions. No creative interpretations. No reinventing the pumpkin wheel.
Grandma's recipe or nothing.
And you know what?
I'm perfectly fine with that.
Some family traditions are worth keeping exactly as they are.
A Little Paper Crafting Before the Pie Baking
Of course, being The Paper Artist, I couldn't simply share a treasured family recipe without getting a little paper crafting involved!
So I decided to give Grandma's famous pumpkin pie recipe a pretty little home of its own.
And what better way than a handmade 4×6 recipe card, complete with cozy fall plaid, pumpkins, and an adorable little bunny carrying a pie?
For the card base, I started with a piece of colored cardstock cut to 4 × 6 inches.
Next came the patterned paper. I chose Lawn Fawn's Fall Favorite Flannel, which couldn't be more perfect for a cozy Thanksgiving project.
I cut the plaid paper to 3⅞ × 5⅞ inches, leaving a lovely little border of cardstock showing around the edges.
For the stamped images, I used the Apple Pumpkin Spice stamp set from Creative Expressions (Michaels).
I stamped the images using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with my trusty Copic markers.
Once everything was colored, I hand-cut the images and arranged them around the printed recipe.
The smaller images were glued directly onto the card, while Grandma Bunny got a little extra attention with foam tape to give her some dimension.
Because let's face it, Grandma's the star of this show!
And just like that, a simple family recipe became a sweet little handmade keepsake.
Want to Make Your Own?
Here's a little Thanksgiving treat from me to you!
I've created a free printable of Grandma's Pumpkin Pie Recipe, already sized to fit a 4×6 recipe card.
That means you can skip the measuring and formatting and get straight to the fun part — decorating!
Download Grandma's Pumpkin Pie Recipe — Free 4×6 Printable
And don't worry if you don't have the exact stamps or paper I used.
Use whatever autumn papers, stamps, or embellishments you have tucked away in your craft stash.
A few pumpkins, some fall leaves, or even a simple plaid background would look wonderful.
The real beauty of a handmade recipe card is that you're preserving something worth passing down.
And who knows? Maybe someday someone in your family will be pulling out that same little card to make Thanksgiving pies for their own family.
Now, let's get to the recipe!
Grandma's Pumpkin Pie Recipe
All right, enough filling you in on the family history.
Let's get to the good stuff!
This is the actual recipe I've been using for years, and today I'm sharing it with you.
And remember, this makes TWO pies.
You're welcome.
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 can (796 ml) pure pumpkin
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 can evaporated milk
2 unbaked pie shells
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs slightly.
Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Stir everything together until well combined.
Blend in the evaporated milk.
Pour the filling evenly into your two unbaked pie shells.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 30–35 minutes, or until the center is set and a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow the pies to cool.
And then comes the best part.
The whipped cream!
Note: Use a standard can of evaporated milk (approximately 354 ml).
Let's Talk About That Pie Crust
Now, part of Mom's pie-making fame came from her beautiful, light, flaky pastry.
And believe me, a good pie crust can make all the difference.
But here's the thing.
Thanksgiving is fast approaching here in Canada, and I'm not about to send everyone into a pastry-making panic.
So when this recipe calls for two unbaked pie shells, here's my advice.
Make them. Buy them. Borrow a rolling pin and give it your best shot. Whatever gets you through Thanksgiving!
If you've got a favorite homemade pastry recipe, by all means, use it.
If you've got two perfectly good frozen pie shells sitting in the freezer, use those.
There are no pastry police coming to your kitchen.
We'll save Mom's wonderful flaky pie crust recipe for another day.
And while we're at it, perhaps I'll dig out one or two of those famous cream pie recipes as well.
Because if you think her pumpkin pie is good, just wait until we get into the cream pies!
That could be a whole other delicious adventure.
For the Love of Pie, Whip the Cream!
Now, there's one more thing we need to discuss.
And I feel rather strongly about this.
Please, for the love of all things pumpkin, whip some actual whipping cream for your pie!
I'm serious.
Get yourself a carton of real whipping cream, add a little sugar if you like, and whip it until you've got beautiful, soft, fluffy peaks.
It only takes a few minutes.
And the difference?
Oh, my goodness.
That lightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream sitting on top of a slice of perfectly spiced pumpkin pie is just heavenly.
The cool, creamy topping complements the warm pumpkin spices beautifully.
It's the finishing touch that takes a really good piece of pie and makes it something special.
Now, if you absolutely must, you can use traditional Cool Whip.
I'm not going to come knocking on your door to inspect your dessert.
But I might raise an eyebrow.
Just one.
Because once you've had Grandma's pumpkin pie topped with real whipped cream, it's pretty hard to go back.
Consider that my little Thanksgiving public service announcement.
More Than Just a Piece of Pie
You know, the funny thing about family recipes is that they're rarely just about the food.
They're about the people who made them.
The kitchens we grew up in.
The holidays we remember.
And the little traditions that somehow become part of who we are.
I've probably made this pumpkin pie hundreds of times without giving it much thought.
But every time I pull out that recipe, there's a little piece of my mom's kitchen coming along for the ride.
And now my kids are carrying on that same tradition, insisting that pumpkin pie simply isn't pumpkin pie unless it tastes like Grandma's.
I suppose that's how you know a recipe has earned its place in the family.
It doesn't need fancy ingredients, a new twist, or some trendy update.
It just needs to taste like home.
And sometimes, that's the very best thing you can serve.
And since we're talking about family traditions, I'm curious.
Is there a recipe in your family that nobody dares to change?
You know the one. It absolutely must taste like Mom's or Grandma's, and heaven help anyone who decides to get creative with the ingredients!
I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
A Little Thanksgiving Wish From My Kitchen to Yours
As Thanksgiving approaches here in Canada, I hope your weekend is filled with good food, plenty of laughter, and the people who make your life a little sweeter.
Whether you're cooking an enormous turkey dinner, bringing a dessert to someone else's table, or simply enjoying a quiet weekend at home, I hope you find a little time to appreciate the good things around you.
And if things don't go quite according to plan?
If the turkey takes too long, the potatoes get cold, or someone forgets the cranberry sauce?
Well, there's always pie.
And if you made this recipe, you've got two of them!
Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen and craft room to yours!
May your hearts be full, your coffee cups never empty, and your pumpkin pie piled high with freshly whipped cream.
And here's to the wonderful family recipes that keep our memories alive, one delicious slice at a time.
Coffee in hand & something always on the craft table,
Julie — The Paper Artist
