The pumpkin pie recipe Canada has been reading off a can
(All pictures are my own and are subject to a copywrite)
If you grew up in Canada, there’s a good chance your family’s pumpkin pie recipe came from the label of an E.D. Smith can.
E.D. Smith has been around since 1878. That year a young Ontario farmer named Ernest D. Smith planted a small patch of strawberries on his family’s land in the Niagara region.
By 1882 the fruit was selling well enough to call it a business, and “since 1882” is still printed on every can. The company stayed in Canadian hands for more than a hundred years. It changed owners twice in the last two decades, but the name never left the grocery shelf.
For many Canadian families, that name means one thing in the fall: the pumpkin can, with the pie recipe printed on the label. I’ve lived here for thirty years and I’d never made it, so this year I followed it exactly as written. Here’s how it turned out.
Why this is the easiest pumpkin pie recipe with canned pumpkin
There’s no cooking down a fresh pumpkin and no straining. You open one 796 ml can and whisk everything together in a single bowl, and the pumpkin is already smooth.
The can is 100% Dickinson pumpkin. That’s a dense, less watery variety, and it’s the reason the filling sets firm without going soggy.
One whole can makes two pies, so you don’t end up with half a can of pumpkin sitting in the fridge. Bake one for dinner and give the other away, or freeze it (I froze mine, then successfully defrosted it and baked it after 2 weeks)
Old fashioned pumpkin pie recipe (E.D. Smith label)
Can gives you a complete recipe of both dough and filling. I was very tempted to go and buy pie shells because I’ve never made a pie dough from scratch before.
Then I thought “Well, what a heck” lol and followed the instructions. To my surprise, it was easy to follow and my pie crust turned out super yummy, flaky….just perfect.
Makes 2 pies (9-inch), 16 slices. Prep 25 minutes, bake about 1 hour, cool at least 2 hours.
Ingredients for the easy pie crust
- 2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (I actually used food processor and grated butter in it. If you don’t have food processor, you can simply use cheese grater).
- ½ cup (125 ml) ice water
Ingredients for the pumpkin pie filling
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 can (796 ml) E.D. Smith Pure Pumpkin
- 2½ tsp (12 ml) pumpkin pie spice (I did not have it, so just added a bit of ginger, because I love ginger and add it everywhere lol)
- ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
- 1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream (or evaporated milk) – I used heavy cream (10%), but 35% would be better, I just did not have it and was too lazy to go to a store.
How to make the pie crust
- Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the ice water a little at a time, mixing until the dough comes together into a ball.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
- Take the discs out of the fridge and let them sit 20 minutes (I was too busy and actually left my dough overnight, no issue there)
- Roll each disc out on a lightly floured surface. Fit into two 9-inch (23 cm) pie dishes and flute the edges.
Try to mix ingredients fast so butter does not start melting. Otherwise your crust won’t be as flaky.
How to make the pumpkin pie
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl.
Add the brown sugar, the whole can of pumpkin, the pumpkin pie spice, the salt and the cream. Mix until completely smooth.
Divide the filling equally between the two pie shells.
Bake 15 minutes at 425°F.
Lower the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake 35 to 45 minutes more. It’s done when a knife inserted 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the crust comes out clean and the centre is almost set.
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 2-3 hours.
Using the ready-spiced pumpkin pie filling instead
E.D. Smith also sells a smaller can (540 ml) of Pumpkin Pie Filling, already sweetened and spiced. For one pie, mix the can with 2 lightly beaten eggs and ⅓ cup (75 ml) evaporated milk or heavy cream. Bake the same way: 15 minutes at 425°F, then 35 to 45 minutes at 350°F.
What is the secret to a good pumpkin pie?
The main thing is not to overbake it. Most bad pumpkin pies are cracked and rubbery, and that happens because they stayed in the oven too long. Take it out while the centre still wobbles slightly. It finishes setting as it cools.
- Use the two-temperature bake. The 15 minutes at 425°F sets the crust so it doesn’t go soggy. The lower heat after that cooks the custard gently.
- Pack the brown sugar. It gives the pie a deeper, caramel flavour than white sugar would.
- Evaporated milk or cream. Evaporated milk is the old fashioned choice and gives a firmer slice. Cream gives a softer, richer pie. As I mentioned before I used cream, I would love to try using evaporated milk.
- Whisk, don’t beat. Whipping air into the filling makes bubbles on top of the pie.
- Let it cool completely. Cut it warm and it runs. Two hours on the counter, or overnight in the fridge, gives clean slices.
This post uses the pure pumpkin. You choose how sweet and how spiced it is, and you get two pies from one can.
Pumpkin pie FAQ
What is the easiest pumpkin pie recipe?
This one. It’s one bowl, one can of pumpkin and six ingredients, with no cooking before it goes into the shell. If you use store-bought crust, the filling takes about 10 minutes.
What is the most delicious pumpkin pie recipe?
A classic custard pie made with canned pumpkin, brown sugar and evaporated milk is hard to beat. The brown sugar is what makes this one taste richer than most.
Why did my pumpkin pie crack?
It baked too long or cooled too fast. Pull it out while the centre still wobbles, and cool it on the counter, not in the fridge.
Can I make pumpkin pie ahead?
Yes. Bake it 1 to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. It slices better cold.
Can I freeze pumpkin pie?
Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it well and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
How The Recipe Has Changed
The E.D. Smith label has been rewritten over the years. Older cans listed cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger one by one and called for evaporated milk only. Now it’s one spoon of pumpkin pie spice, with cream as an option. The pie itself hasn’t really changed. It’s still smooth, it’s still sweet without going too far, and it’s still the one people expect to see at Thanksgiving.
If your family has an old E.D. Smith label saved somewhere, or a can from decades ago, I’d love to see it. Leave a comment or tag @modernvintageville.
Save this pumpkin pie recipe to your Pinterest dessert board so it’s there next fall.
Sources: E.D. Smith Traditional Pumpkin Pies · E.D. Smith Easy Pumpkin Pie · Older label version, Little Wren Kitchen (2018)