The perfect, classic Pumpkin Pie recipe, scaled for a crowd! Making a pumpkin slab pie is an easy way to make sure that everyone gets a slice, and my recipe is always met with rave reviews.
You have to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving Dinner! If you’re having more than 6 people for dinner, you’re going to want to have more than one pumpkin pie, or you can save yourself some time and make this slab pumpkin pie in a sheet pan instead.
My pumpkin slab pie is my much-loved pumpkin pie, doubled so that it makes a pie the size of a sheet tray.
Slab pies are great for holidays, potlucks, or large family gatherings, and pumpkin slab pie is a consistent favorite. Another crowd-pleasing pumpkin dessert is my pumpkin sheet cake with bourbon pecan frosting!
Be sure to check out my other pie recipes! Old-fashioned custard pie, apple pie, and sweet potato pie are also easy and delicious classics. For a lighter option, try my perfect crustless pumpkin pie instead!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tested, Traditional Recipe – This slab pumpkin pie recipe is the same as my traditional pumpkin pie, just scaled to be baked in a sheet pan. I’ve perfected it over the years, and it has the perfect amount of pumpkin spice, creamy filling, and the flakiest all-butter crust.
- Feeds a Crowd – Depending on how large you cut the pieces, you can serve 12-20 people with this slab pie recipe.
- Pumpkin Spice – The official flavor of fall is a mix of ground cinnamon and other warm spices. I’ll give you the perfect ratios of spices in this pie recipe. If you plan to make other pumpkin recipes this year, mix up a batch of my homemade pumpkin pie spice to save time.
Ingredients In Pumpkin Slab Pie
Here’s what you need to make this Pumpkin Pie for a crowd:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pie Crust: Our homemade pie crust needs just four ingredients: Flour, butter, water, and salt.
- Eggs: Eggs create a custard for this pumpkin pie filling, and help the filling to firm up while baking.
- Granulated Sugar: This gives us the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Pumpkin Puree: 1 can of pumpkin puree goes into our filling. Make sure to buy pumpkin puree rather than canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Salt: A bit of salt balances out the sweetness and amplifies the flavors of the spices.
- Pumpkin Pie Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg come together perfectly to create the best pumpkin pie ever!
- Evaporated Milk: This blends everything together and makes the filling smooth and creamy.
- Egg Wash: one egg plus a splash of water creates an egg wash that we’ll use to brush the edges of the pie.
How To Make Pumpkin Slab Pie
Start by preparing your pie crust and chilling it for at least an hour in the fridge. The full instructions for making the crust for a slab pie are below, and for more information and tips you can see my full recipe for All-Butter Pie Crust.
- Prepare the Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Beat the eggs until the sugar is dissolved. Next add the pumpkin puree, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Slowly add the evaporated milk and mix until it’s all smooth.
- Roll out the Dough: remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out into a large rectangle that is just bigger than your pan and about ¼ inch thick. Place it into a jelly roll pan, trim any excess, and crimp the edges if you’d like.
- Optionally, Blind Bake the Crust: This is optional, as I’m not certain that it’s worth the benefit in this particular recipe. It’s tricky to get the crust weighed down enough since it’s so large, and bubbles can form, making the crust uneven. The main benefit of blind baking is to keep the bottom crust crisp, so it’s up to you if you want to try it or not. Instructions for how to blind bake are in the recipe card below.
- Bake: Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the crust, brush egg wash on the edges, and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 400°F/200°C Oven. Then reduce the oven temperature and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center of the pie is set
- Cool Completely: Let the pumpkin slab pie cool for at least an hour, or until it comes to room temperature. Serve sliced into squares, topped with whipped cream.
Tip!
You can make this slab pie in a regular size cookie sheet (¼ size sheet pan), or in a slightly smaller jelly roll pan. If you use a jelly roll pan, the pie will be thicker and the squares will be cut smaller (as pictured).
Recipe Tips
- When making the pie crust, you may need to add extra water to get it to hold together if it seems crumbly.
- It’s important to chill the crust before rolling it out. This helps it to bake up extra flaky.
- For more pie crust tips and tricks, see my all-butter pie crust recipe.
- You can use light brown sugar in place of the white sugar in this recipe to give the filling a warmer, deeper flavor.
- Instead of evaporated milk, feel free to use whole milk or heavy cream.
Storing Tips
- Got leftovers? No problem! Put them in an airtight container or wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze the pie. First, let it cool down completely. Cut it into squares and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze until they’re firm. Once they’re frozen, wrap each square tightly in plastic wrap and then put them in a zip-top bag. Label the bag with the date and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
What To Serve With Pumpkin Slab Pie
This dessert goes wonderfully with all of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. It serves a crowd, so everyone gets a piece!
If you’re looking for the best way to roast a turkey, I have you covered.
My favorite thanksgiving side dishes include: Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Green Bean Casserole.
You should probably make a few more pies too, like this Pecan Pie, or an Oreo Cheesecake.
More Yummy Pumpkin Recipes
All Pumpkin Recipes →
Do I need to blind bake the crust for a pumpkin slab pie?
Honestly, it’s not 100% necessary. I’m showing you how I did it, but it is kind of tricky to blind bake a crust on such a large pan. If you skip it, your pie will still be delicious!
Is it better to use canned or fresh pumpkin in pumpkin slab pie?
You can use either! I find that canned pureed pumpkin makes baking a pie much easier. It’s always the perfect consistency and will give you the perfect pumpkin pie filling, every time. If you want to make your own pumpkin, or you have some pie pumpkins to cook, here are instructions for making homemade pumpkin puree.
Why are there cracks in my pumpkin pie?
Cracks on the top of a pumpkin pie generally happen because the pie was cooked too long. Follow the baking instructions and you should have a crack-free pumpkin pie. Sometimes baking is temperamental though, so if you do get a crack or two, don’t worry. Just cover those cracks with whipped cream and enjoy!
Pumpkin Slab Pie is going to be a huge hit at your Thanksgiving meal this year! Be sure to Pin the recipe and save it for the big holiday!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pumpkin Slab Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 2 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter chilled
- 6-8 tablespoons ice cold water
For the filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 ½ cups evaporated milk
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
To Make the Pie Crust:
- In a medium bowl combine flour and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the ice cold water a tablespoon at a time to the flour mixture until the dough comes together. If needed, add more water until everything comes tougher.
- Wrap the crust dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Once the pie dough is chilled, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick and transfer it to a jelly roll pan or a quarter sized sheet pan. Trim excess dough from the edges and pinch to create a crimped pattern. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) or 180°C if you have a fan oven.
Recommended Optional Step: Blind Bake the Crust
- Blind baking makes the crust a bit crispier on the bottom. If you want to do this, line the unbaked crust with parchment paper and aluminum foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. You need extra pie weights, more than you'd use for a regular sized pie!
- Bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 minutes. Then remove the pie weights and the foil and paper. Pierce the crust with a fork all over to release the steam, then bake again for 10 more minutes or until the crust is firm.
To Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Beat the eggs until the sugar is dissolved.
- Next add the pumpkin puree, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Gradually stir in the evaporated milk and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash, and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Turn the oven down to 350°F (180°C), and continue baking for 25-30 minutes until the center of the slab pie is set.
- Allow the pie to cool down for at least two hours, and serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and ground cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Notes:
- You can make this slab pie in a regular size cookie sheet (1/4 size sheet pan).
- If your pie dough is too crumbly and won’t hold together, add a bit more water until it does.
- Make sure you chill your pie dough before rolling it out for the best flaky crust.
- I’m telling you that blind baking the crust for a slab pie is optional because it is a bit tricky to do, and doesn’t make a huge amount of difference in the finished pie. You decide if you want to take the extra step or not.
- In place of evaporated milk, you can use whole milk or heavy cream.
- Brown sugar can be used instead of white sugar. This will give the filling a warmer sugary flavor.
- To Store: Keep leftovers covered and in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Kk_crispy says
How long do you bake the crust if you aren’t blind baking?
Diana says
If you’re not blind baking the crust (and I recommend that you do!), just follow the recipe instructions, bake for 15 minutes at a higher temp then lower the temp and bake for 25-30 more minutes.
ROBBIE says
What size pan did you use for the Pumpkin Slab Pie? 18 x 13 or 9 x 13? If your pan was 18 x 13 and I use a 9 x 13 pan, do I Halve the Recipe for the Crust and for the Pumpkin Mixture?
Diana says
Hi Robbie, I used an 18×13 pan so if you want to make this in a 9×13 then you’d have to halve the recipe (both filling and crust!).
ROBBIE says
Aloha Diana, Thank you for the quick response in letting me know that you used an 18 x 13 pan. In reviewing the recipe I notice that in Step 4 of the Crust you say to put Crust into a Quarter-sized sheet pan and when I compare Ingredients for your Pumpkin Pie it is only Double the Pie amount; therefore, I’m assuming that the ingredients in your Slab recipe is really for a Quarter-sized 9 x 13 sheet pan instead?? The pictures however in your Post is an 18 x 13 pan. I would really appreciate it if you could confirm.
Diana says
Thanks for the heads up! I just reviewed the recipe, and it was definitely photographed in a half-size sheet pan but for best results, I recommend following the recipe but baking it in a quarter sheet or a jelly roll pan. We will hopefully take new pictures and update the recipe soon! And please let me know how your pie turns out.
Dana says
Couldn’t you just use a second pan to weigh down the first pan crust, even if the pan was a tad smaller? I’m not sure it would work, but it might be worth a try.