Homemade Pumpkin Pie - Amped Up Libby's Recipe - That Skinny Chick Can Bake (2024)

posted by Liz Berg

on November 24, 2021 (updated 12/29/22)

This Homemade Pumpkin Pie with a Leaf Lard Crust is a tasty adaptation of the famous Libby’s pumpkin pie on their canned pumpkin labels. No other pie will suffice when it comes to my family!

A few simple tweaks push this already delicious Pumpkin Pie from Scratch over the top!! This kicked-up recipe is perfect for your Thanksgiving celebration.

Why You’ll Love

• It’s based on the famous Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe, but with a few simple updates making it even richer and more delicious!
• Using heavy cream instead of evaporated milk and an extra egg makes a rich, delicious filling.
• Adding some Grand Marnier, an orange liqueur, to the sweetened whipped cream adds an elegant touch!

The boys and I are heading to Iowa to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. Hubby is staying home with Katie as she recently got a job (hooray!), and needs to be at work at 3:55 AM on Black Friday. I made a turkey breast and stuffing on Saturday night so the two of them would get some traditional holiday food.

Today, I made two pumpkin pies. One to stay and one to go. Around here it must be the classic, traditional pumpkin pie recipe on the label of Libby’s pumpkin can. No pumpkin mousse. No pumpkin souffle. No pumpkin chiffon pie. No brûléed topping. But I have snuck in a few tweaks that are subtle enough that the picky ol’ husband hasn’t noticed.

Ingredient Notes

• Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Table Salt
• Eggs – Large eggs, have at room temperature for easier incorporation
• Libby’s Pure Pumpkin – 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree. Read the label as you do not want Pumpkin Pie Mix as it already has spices, etc, added.
• Spices – Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves. If your spices have been in your pantry for over a decade, consider replacing them. They can lose flavor over time.
• Heavy Cream – This replaces the evaporated milk used in many recipes. The higher fat content will make a richer custard. It should be about 36% butterfat.
• 9″ Unbaked Pie Crust – Homemade will be the tastiest, but you can use a storebought crust. Fit it into a deep-dish pie pan, if you own one (if you only have a regular pie plate, you’ll have some extra filling).

Expert Tips

Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe was my go-to Thanksgiving pie recipe for years. But a few tweaks have made it even better!

• First up is to swap out the evaporated milk for cream. The cream has a bit more water than evaporated milk but adds a boost of richness and, of course, creaminess.
• And to counteract that extra liquid, bump up the number of eggs from two to three per pie. Again, more fat, more richness. It’s for Thanksgiving after all!
• A touch of bourbon or Grand Marnier in the whipped cream along with pure vanilla extract also makes for a more elegant dessert, just use a quality liquor or liqueur. Or try using this French Chantilly Cream as a topping.
• Also, if you can muster the nerve to make a homemade pie crust, it will take your pie to the next level. Using lard makes for the flakiest crust ever, but don’t use those boxes of lard you can find sitting on the grocer’s shelves. Check your meat market for REAL lard, and even leaf lard if you can find it. That’s the absolute best lard for pie crust.
• Note that crusts made with all lard are difficult to roll and shape, so I use part lard and part butter. See below for more information on leaf lard.
• Or just substitute shortening for the leaf lard as it is difficult to find unless you know a butcher who renders it.
• If your pie filling happens to crack, make sure to bake up some pumpkin or leaf cutouts with your extra pastry dough. These can be artfully arranged atop your pie and no one with ever know! Or serve with a big dollop of whipped cream. Plus, if you’re new to baking, check out all my Best Baking Tips.

Leaf Lard Crust

I was lucky enough to score some leaf lard for my holiday pie crusts. The last lard I purchased bore no resemblance to the lard my mom used to deep fry the annual Christmas rosettes. The real deal gave the house a vague smell of pork for a couple of days, but the fragile, crispy cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar were worth that inconvenience.

Beware of lard that is sitting on the shelf next to the Crisco. It’s not good stuff! My friend, Jill, took me across the Indiana countryside to the Ladoga branch of Moody’s Meats. The hospitable owners, Adam and Lucy, greeted us, and we got a behind the scene tour.

The lard is hand-rendered on-site, and I could hardly wait to use it for my pie crust. They have four stores in the Indianapolis area. A top-notch leaf lard crust made this pumpkin pie one of my best. I use a butter and lard recipe that was printed in the New York Times. You’ll love this Libby’s classic pumpkin piewith a couple of easy tweaks that make it even better!

Wishing all my readers and friends a most wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, I am thankful that so many of you take the time to stop by and check out my recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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